- President Donald Trump on Tuesday signalled to the world he feels the US-Saudi relationship is so utterly indispensable that he’s willing to give Riyadh a pass on the brutal killing of Jamal Khashoggi.
- Trump touted Saudi Arabia’s efforts to thwart Iran, as well as US arms sales and low oil prices in his controversial, forceful defence of the kingdom.
- Foreign policy and national security experts feel Trump has greatly embellished the extent to which the US needs Saudi Arabia as a partner.
- At the end of the day, Saudi Arabia now needs the US more than it needs the kingdom, but Trump’s policy in the region does not reflect this reality whatsoever.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signalled to the world he feels the US-Saudi relationship is so utterly indispensable that he’s willing to give Riyadh a pass on the brutal killing of Jamal Khashoggi.
The foreign policy community in the US was floored by the statement Trump released to this effect, characterising it as antithetical to America’s values and interests. Foreign policy and national security experts also feel Trump has greatly embellished the extent to which the US needs Saudi Arabia as a partner.
“The crime against Jamal Khashoggi was a terrible one, and one that our country does not condone,” Trump said in the controversial statement. “In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They have been a great ally in our very important fight against Iran. The United States intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of our country, Israel and all other partners in the region.”
The president in his statement also touted the purported economic benefits of the US partnership with Saudi Arabia, making inaccurate claims about US arms sales while emphasising low oil prices.
Read the article by John Haltiwanger in Business Insider Australia.