{"id":8065,"date":"2022-06-09T11:39:48","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T11:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lonecandle.com\/?p=8065"},"modified":"2022-06-09T11:39:48","modified_gmt":"2022-06-09T11:39:48","slug":"us-should-stop-playing-the-supplicant-to-saudi-arabia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lonecandle.com\/?p=8065","title":{"rendered":"US Should Stop Playing the Supplicant to Saudi Arabia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\n\n“members of the infamous Blob, America\u2019s foreign policy establishment, are urging Biden to do a full kowtow to Riyadh (and presumably Abu Dhabi as well), doing the royals\u2019 bidding as before. After all, the relationship always has been about them. Years ago Defense Secretary Robert Gates observed that the Saudis were ever ready<\/a> to \u201cfight the Iranians to the last American.\u201d Nothing has changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, Washington Post<\/em> columnist Fareed Zakaria backed the idea of a \u201cgrand bargain,\u201d<\/a> which would trade security guarantees for Saudi concessions: \u201cThere is a way for Washington to forge a new security umbrella in the region that includes Israel, Egypt and the gulf states. It would stabilize the security environment, foreclose the prospects of a nuclear arms race in the region and provide access to energy for the industrialized world. But that path would have to include making up with Mohammed bin Salman.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bloomberg\u2019s Bobby Ghosh views<\/a> the problem as personal and political immaturity: \u201cThe most important partnership in the Middle East has been put in jeopardy<\/a> by the peevishness of a prince and political opportunism of a president. Repairing the Saudi\u2010American relationship will require the first to behave like a grown\u2010up, the other like a statesman.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Tufts University\u2019s Daniel Drezner was more skeptical that a satisfactory accommodation could be reached, he intoned<\/a>: \u201cI hope the Biden administration is conducting internal deliberations about what concessions it would be willing to make to engage in some transactional diplomacy with Saudi Arabia. As bad as Saudi behavior has been, Russia\u2019s bad behavior has been worse and merits a priority of focus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This approach, which treats murderous wars and grievous human rights violations as minor inconveniences, is a terrible idea. To start, fulfilling demands by dependent regimes would undermine Washington\u2019s credibility. The Washington War Party has routinely insisted that the US should intervene militarily everywhere for the most spurious reasons to convince the world that it is prepared to go to war anywhere at any time for anything. Hence nonsensical claims that failing to bomb Syria over chemical weapons or stay in Afghanistan for a 21st year would trigger major power aggression around the globe. In fact, America\u2019s adversaries distinguish between serious and peripheral issues, and act accordingly. (Which is why Moscow withdrew from Afghanistan after only ten years compared to America\u2019s astounding two decades.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, US credibility really would be at stake if the administration submitted to Riyadh\u2019s and Abu Dhabi\u2019s demands, acting as if it was a weak Third World state rather than global superpower. Again, putting royal interests first would encourage other defense dependents to make similarly inflated and malign demands. Washington would be playing the supplicant and would be expected to do the same elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, Saudi Arabia, in particular, and UAE are not normal countries, either liberal democratic or even moderately authoritarian allies. The Kingdom earned a rating of just seven out of 100 by Freedom House, making it one of the world\u2019s baker\u2019s dozen most repressive nations and territories, dwelling in the human rights cellar along with Equatorial Guinea, North Korea, Eritrea, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. Riyadh is much worse<\/em> than Russia, at least prior to that latter\u2019s internal crackdown to suppress any antiwar dissent, which made the latter much more like the KSA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those celebrating MbS\u2019s recent social liberalization are merely highlighting how until recently the Kingdom was a true totalitarian state, in some ways more absolute than Mao Zedong\u2019s China and Kim Il-sung\u2019s North Korea. Thankfully, those who face prison for dissent now can attend a movie before being locked up! Alas, a free society that does not make.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Riyadh is, despite Drezner\u2019s claim, a more malign actor internationally than Russia. The royal regime\u2019s alleged friendship with America never meant respecting America\u2019s interests. Especially once MbS took effective control of the government. The regime tolerated substantial financial public support for al\u2010Qaeda until the group attacked the royals. Saudi Arabia also kidnapped a head of government (Lebanon), blockaded and made plans to invade another friendly state (Qatar), used money and troops to enforce brutal dictatorships (Bahrain, Egypt), and subsidized jihadist forces (Libya, Syria).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worst was the invasion of Yemen. To reinstate a pliable regime in its desperately poor neighbor, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi joined in a \u201ccoalition,\u201d hiring countries dependent on their financial largesse, such as Sudan, which deployed ground forces in the conflict. Total deaths are estimated at roughly 400,000, 60 percent of them young children, who are particularly vulnerable to disease and malnutrition. Human rights group report that coalition activity, both air attacks and de facto blockade, is responsible for the vast majority of civilian deaths.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“In short, rewarding Saudi Arabia to further punish Russia would be a bad trade\u2010off, for moral as well as practical reasons. Especially since the Saudis likely would undercut any promises to increase production \u2014 cheating by OPEC members always has been systemic and endemic. Nor would increasing the flow of Mideast oil necessarily significantly intensify pressure on Russia or affect Moscow\u2019s behavior. US economic sanctions have rarely forced regimes<\/a> to act against what they viewed as fundamental political interests. The costs of such a policy would be substantial and real. The benefits would be speculative at most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The better strategy would be for the administration to demonstrate that US officials will no longer be docile retainers for the Saudi and Emirati royals. For instance, the administration should stop helping them slaughter their poor neighbors. The US sold the aircraft, for a time refueled them, and still services the planes, supplies the munitions, and provides the intelligence. Washington should effectively ground the royal fleets by ending support services and weapons resupply. That<\/em> would encourage the Saudi king to take the president\u2019s next call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, the administration should indicate that the well\u2010armed Gulf regimes are vulnerable to attack mostly because they lack domestic political legitimacy \u2014 who wants to die defending Crown Prince \u201cSlice n\u2019 Dice\u201d so can he murder another critic or build another palace? US military personnel should not be treated as mercenary bodyguards, the equivalent of the civilian expatriate labor used to do most of the \u201cdirty work\u201d in those societies. It is past time for the Saudis and Emiratis to earn their people\u2019s support. The KSA\u2019s uncertainty about America\u2019s continuing military commitment already has spurred the regime\u2019s talks with Iran, which could ease the region\u2019s dangerous Sunni\u2010Shia split. Ultimately Riyadh and Abu Dhabi should take over responsibility for their security.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Foreign policy sometimes requires difficult compromises. Thankfully, the Cold War is over. Russia is far less dangerous than the Soviet Union; today\u2019s united Europe is far more able to contain Moscow than yesterday\u2019s Western Europe. If Washington officials are going to confront Russia over domestic oppression and foreign aggression, they cannot excuse Saudi Arabia for the same.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.cato.org\/commentary\/us-should-stop-playing-supplicant-saudi-arabia#<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“members of the infamous Blob, America\u2019s foreign policy establishment, are urging Biden to do a full kowtow to Riyadh (and presumably Abu Dhabi as well), doing the royals\u2019 bidding as before. After all, the relationship always has been about them. Years ago Defense Secretary Robert Gates observed that the Saudis were ever ready to \u201cfight the Iranians to the last American.\u201d Nothing has changed.
\nFor example, Washington Post columnist Fareed Zakaria backed the idea of a \u201cgrand bargain,\u201d which would trade security guarantees for Saudi concessions: \u201cThere is a way for Washington to forge a new security umbrella in the region that includes Israel, Egypt and the gulf states. It would stabilize the security environment, foreclose the prospects of a nuclear arms race in the region and provide access to energy for the industrialized world. But that path would have to include making up with Mohammed bin Salman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bloomberg\u2019s Bobby Ghosh views the problem as personal and political immaturity: \u201cThe most important partnership in the Middle East has been put in jeopardy by the peevishness of a prince and political opportunism of a president. Repairing the Saudi\u2010American relationship will require the first to behave like a grown\u2010up, the other like a statesman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Tufts University\u2019s Daniel Drezner was more skeptical that a satisfactory accommodation could be reached, he intoned: \u201cI hope the Biden administration is conducting internal deliberations about what concessions it would be willing to make to engage in some transactional diplomacy with Saudi Arabia. As bad as Saudi behavior has been, Russia\u2019s bad behavior has been worse and merits a priority of focus.\u201d<\/p>\n

This approach, which treats murderous wars and grievous human rights violations as minor inconveniences, is a terrible idea. To start, fulfilling demands by dependent regimes would undermine Washington\u2019s credibility. The Washington War Party has routinely insisted that the US should intervene militarily everywhere for the most spurious reasons to convince the world that it is prepared to go to war anywhere at any time for anything. Hence nonsensical claims that failing to bomb Syria over chemical weapons or stay in Afghanistan for a 21st year would trigger major power aggression around the globe. In fact, America\u2019s adversaries distinguish between serious and peripheral issues, and act accordingly. (Which is why Moscow withdrew from Afghanistan after only ten years compared to America\u2019s astounding two decades.)<\/p>\n

However, US credibility really would be at stake if the administration submitted to Riyadh\u2019s and Abu Dhabi\u2019s demands, acting as if it was a weak Third World state rather than global superpower. Again, putting royal interests first would encourage other defense dependents to make similarly inflated and malign demands. Washington would be playing the supplicant and would be expected to do the same elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Moreover, Saudi Arabia, in particular, and UAE are not normal countries, either liberal democratic or even moderately authoritarian allies. The Kingdom earned a rating of just seven out of 100 by Freedom House, making it one of the world\u2019s baker\u2019s dozen most repressive nations and territories, dwelling in the human rights cellar along with Equatorial Guinea, North Korea, Eritrea, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. Riyadh is much worse than Russia, at least prior to that latter\u2019s internal crackdown to suppress any antiwar dissent, which made the latter much more like the KSA.<\/p>\n

Those celebrating MbS\u2019s recent social liberalization are merely highlighting how until recently the Kingdom was a true totalitarian state, in some ways more absolute than Mao Zedong\u2019s China and Kim Il-sung\u2019s North Korea. Thankfully, those who face prison for dissent now can attend a movie before being locked up! Alas, a free society that does not make.”<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

“Riyadh is, despite Drezner\u2019s claim, a more malign actor internationally than Russia. The royal regime\u2019s alleged friendship with America never meant respecting America\u2019s interests. Especially once MbS took effective control of the government. The regime tolerated substantial financial public support for al\u2010Qaeda until the group attacked the royals. Saudi Arabia also kidnapped a head of government (Lebanon), blockaded and made plans to invade another friendly state (Qatar), used money and troops to enforce brutal dictatorships (Bahrain, Egypt), and subsidized jihadist forces (Libya, Syria).<\/p>\n

Worst was the invasion of Yemen. To reinstate a pliable regime in its desperately poor neighbor, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi joined in a \u201ccoalition,\u201d hiring countries dependent on their financial largesse, such as Sudan, which deployed ground forces in the conflict. Total deaths are estimated at roughly 400,000, 60 percent of them young children, who are particularly vulnerable to disease and malnutrition. Human rights group report that coalition activity, both air attacks and de facto blockade, is responsible for the vast majority of civilian deaths.”<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

“In short, rewarding Saudi Arabia to further punish Russia would be a bad trade\u2010off, for moral as well as practical reasons. Especially since the Saudis likely would undercut any promises to increase production \u2014 cheating by OPEC members always has been systemic and endemic. Nor would increasing the flow of Mideast oil necessarily significantly intensify pressure on Russia or affect Moscow\u2019s behavior. US economic sanctions have rarely forced regimes to act against what they viewed as fundamental political interests. The costs of such a policy would be substantial and real. The benefits would be speculative at most.<\/p>\n

The better strategy would be for the administration to demonstrate that US officials will no longer be docile retainers for the Saudi and Emirati royals. For instance, the administration should stop helping them slaughter their poor neighbors. The US sold the aircraft, for a time refueled them, and still services the planes, supplies the munitions, and provides the intelligence. Washington should effectively ground the royal fleets by ending support services and weapons resupply. That would encourage the Saudi king to take the president\u2019s next call.<\/p>\n

Moreover, the administration should indicate that the well\u2010armed Gulf regimes are vulnerable to attack mostly because they lack domestic political legitimacy \u2014 who wants to die defending Crown Prince \u201cSlice n\u2019 Dice\u201d so can he murder another critic or build another palace? US military personnel should not be treated as mercenary bodyguards, the equivalent of the civilian expatriate labor used to do most of the \u201cdirty work\u201d in those societies. It is past time for the Saudis and Emiratis to earn their people\u2019s support. The KSA\u2019s uncertainty about America\u2019s continuing military commitment already has spurred the regime\u2019s talks with Iran, which could ease the region\u2019s dangerous Sunni\u2010Shia split. Ultimately Riyadh and Abu Dhabi should take over responsibility for their security.”<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

“Foreign policy sometimes requires difficult compromises. Thankfully, the Cold War is over. Russia is far less dangerous than the Soviet Union; today\u2019s united Europe is far more able to contain Moscow than yesterday\u2019s Western Europe. If Washington officials are going to confront Russia over domestic oppression and foreign aggression, they cannot excuse Saudi Arabia for the same.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[390,217,165,272,355,314,576,575,226,1643,619,158,1151],"class_list":["post-8065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article-share","tag-diplomacy","tag-economics","tag-economy","tag-foreign-affairs","tag-foreign-policy","tag-international-relations","tag-oil","tag-saudi-arabia","tag-trade","tag-uae","tag-united-states","tag-war","tag-yemen"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lonecandle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lonecandle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lonecandle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lonecandle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lonecandle.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8065"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lonecandle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8065\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8066,"href":"https:\/\/lonecandle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8065\/revisions\/8066"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lonecandle.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lonecandle.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lonecandle.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}