A pivotal relationship we don't need?
The Indpendent's ME writer, Patrick Cockburn, has a stinging article today:
Quote:
Mass murder in the Middle East is funded by our friends the Saudis
World View: Everyone knows where al-Qa'ida gets its money, but while the violence is sectarian, the West does nothing
Link:http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/...s-8990736.html
Religious hatred is now rare in the West, rightly he asks can we remain blind?
I do wonder, as a profound non-expert on KSA and the region, whether the gradual bloody wars in Iraq and Syria could deliver a jihadi refuge and one day see them attack us. Or the KSA itself has a violent revolution. There appears to be little official consideration - in public - what would we do then.
Underrated the KSA, surely not?
Almost a year later Patrick Cockburn's writing on the region has been spotted again. This article is taken from his forthcoming book and the headline gives you a hint:
Quote:
Why Washington's war on terror failed: the underrated Saudi connection
Link:https://www.opendemocracy.net/opense...udi-connection
Rogues in Saudi Arabia: surely not?
Via Vox a short article 'The CIA finally declassified its report on Saudi links to 9/11. Here's what it says.':
Quote:
The report claims no conclusive answer, but states it found no evidence that "the Saudi government knowingly and willingly supported the al-Qaeda terrorists." However, its sources speculated that rogue Saudi officials may have been involved — a long-running suspicion.
Link:https://www.vox.com/2015/6/13/877556...d-saudi-arabia
The King and ISIS: an necessary muddle
A scathing but all too FP realistic review by Professor Daniel Byman of the Saudi-US relationship:http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/09/10/...ia-egypt-iraq/
The sub-title:
Quote:
King Salman came to Washington touting military and counterterrorism cooperation. But can the U.S.-Saudi relationship survive the House of Saud’s sponsorship of Islamic radicalism across the globe?
Start Preparing for the Collapse of the Saudi Kingdom
I assume someone in the USG has thought about this. Meantime this article pointedly says "hurry up":http://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2016...rabia/125953/?
This thread refers to US policy an should be read alongside the thread on Saudi Arabia's search for security:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...read.php?t=546
The Kingdom will muddle on
A short article reviewing the relationship the KSA has with the USA:https://www.lawfareblog.com/saudi-ar...ed-flawed-ally
Here is a taster:
Quote:
But critics of the partnership with Saudi Arabia often confuse the costs of tactical disagreements – which are many – and the benefits of strategic alignment. Viewed through this lens, it is a necessary, if difficult arrangement. Indeed the alternatives are worse: a collapsed or enemy Saudi Arabia would be much more damaging to U.S. interests, and it would not be more democratic.