Beyond the Solidarity, the Same Old Middle East Conflicts

by Thomas W. Lippman There’s no telling how much it cost Saudi Arabia to stage that lavish three-summit extravaganza in Mecca last week, but on the surface it appeared that the Saudis got their money’s worth. King Salman presided and,… Continue Reading

American-Saudi Strategic Partnership: Time to Reset

by Emile Nakhleh The American-Saudi strategic relationship, which began in the 1940s after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt met with the founder of Saudi Arabia, King Abd al-Aziz ibn Saud, has reached a critical juncture and should be reset. The two… Continue Reading

Saudi Arabia Braces for Tougher Post-Election U.S. Attitude

by James M. Dorsey Saudi Arabia is bracing itself for a potentially more strained relationship with the United States in the wake of Democrats gaining control of the House of Representatives in this week’s mid-term elections and mounting Turkish efforts… Continue Reading

Saudi Arabia’s Bogus Claims and the Fate of Mohammad bin Salman

by Emile Nakhleh Anyone who follows how the tribal regimes in the Persian Gulf operate in their state-fiefdoms knows that no major decision—political, economic, social, military—is made domestically and internationally without the knowledge and approval of the senior leadership, particularly… Continue Reading

Global Watchdog Takes Saudi Arabia to Task on Terrorism

by James M. Dorsey A Financial Action Task Force (FATF) report criticizing Saudi Arabia’s anti-money laundering and terrorism finance measures puts the kingdom on the spot 17 years after the 9/11 attacks and casts a shadow over its diplomatic and economic boycott… Continue Reading