The flags of the United States and Saudi Arabia fly as Joe Biden arrives. Photo: AP
Saudi Arabia and the United States are linked by a long-standing strategic partnership in safety issuealthough several crises have punctuated bilateral relations since its inception.
Joe Biden visits this country this Friday for the first time as president from the United States. She will meet Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman (MBS), turning the page on the controversy following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The war in Ukraine has pushed oil prices to record highs and Washington wants to convince Saudi Arabia increase its exports.
An employee cleans the streets of Jeddah on the occasion of Biden’s visit. Photo: Reuters
discovery of oil
The discovery in the late 1930s of vast oil reserves beneath the sands of the Saudi desert transformed the country America’s vital partnergreedy for black gold.
On February 14, 1945, their partnership was sealed in a historic meeting between King Abdel Aziz Bin Saud and President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The pact secured the kingdom a military protection against privileged access to oil.
On October 16, 1973, ten days after the start of the Arab-Israeli war, the Arab countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) – led by Riyadh – build an oil weapon, increasing the price by 70% and the imposition of an oil embargo (between October 1973 and March 1974) on states that supported Israel, particularly the United States.
After the invasion of Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, in August 1990, from Saudi Arabia authorizes the deployment of hundreds of thousands of US troopss in its territory.
The country will serve as a base for the international coalition, led by Washington, which expels Iraqi troops.
Starting from Kuwait, the coalition planes will take off to impose a “no-fly zone” on southern Iraq, arousing the ire of Saudi extremists who implement two anti-American attacks on Saudi soil in the 90’s.
After the attacks of 11 September 2001, bilateral relations suffer a more serious setback. Photo: AP
After the attacks of 11 September 2001 in the United States, claimed by Al Qaeda, bilateral relations suffer a more serious setback. Fifteen of the 19 pilots who hijacked the planes and killed some 3,000 people were Saudis.
The kingdom is accused of secretly finance Islamist extremism. Washington moves its air force headquarters in the Gulf to Qatar.
In October 2013, Saudi Arabia announced its refusal to join the UN Security Council to protest the inaction of the Council, but also of Washington, before the war in Syria.
Saudi Arabia, which supports the rebellion against the president Bashar al-Assad, he does not hide his anger after President Barack Obama gave up on attacks on the Syrian regime in September.
The war in Syria, another stone of the relationship. Photo: Bakr Alkasem / AFP
The nuclear deal reached in 2015 with its great rival Iran further undermines Riyadh’s confidence.
Saudi Arabia hails the rise to power of Donald Trump, received with great fanfare in May 2017 during his first presidential trip overseas.
Trump calls for “isolating” Shiite Iran. Riyadh and Washington announce mega-contracts exceeding 380,000 million dollars, of which 110,000 million will be for the sale of US arms to the kingdom.
King Salman gives Donald Trump the highest decoration for a civilian. Photo: AP
After the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018, Trump does not rule out that Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman was aware of it. But “the United States intends to stay an unwavering companion from Saudi Arabia, “he says.
Shortly after taking office in the White House at the end of January 2021, Biden calls for an end to the war in Yemen and stops selling arms to the Riyadh-led coalition.
On February 12, Washington removes Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels from its list of “terrorist organizations”.
Journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Photo: AP
On the 26th, the US intelligence report on Khashoggi’s murder was made public. He accuses the crown prince of having “validated” the murder, what Arabia denies.
The White House is pointing this out now Joe Biden wants to “recalibrate” the relationship with Riyadh and will communicate with King Salman, instead of MBS.
In early June 2022, Biden admits that he is considering traveling to Saudi Arabia, a country who he promised to treat like an “outcast” during his campaign.
Accused of change of positionjustifies his move on July 10 with the need to do so “against Russia” and to ensure “greater stability” in the Middle East.
AFP
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Source: Clarin
