MAR 29, 2024 JLM 70°F 11:45 AM 04:45 AM EST
Report: Saudi-US Relations at "Breaking point"

In a lengthy report, the American Wall Street Journal reviewed how US-Saudi relations reached the "breaking point" after decades of strong partnership that brought them together, and published details of what happened behind the scenes at US-Saudi meetings.

At one of these meetings, held last September, the newspaper said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shouted at his guest, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, after the latter raised the issue of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. 

The Wall Street Journal, which conducted updated interviews with Saudi and U.S. officials on what happened at those meetings, said that although U.S.-Saudi relations had experienced ups and downs in previous periods, the matter this time is different. This is a collapse at the highest level after reaching the lowest levels in decades.

Norman Roll, a former U.S. intelligence official who maintains contacts with senior Saudi officials, said strategic relations between the United States and the kingdom "have never been as low as they are now."

Tensions escalated between Washington and Riyadh after the latter refused to pump more oil to calm crude oil prices, which continued to rise due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Observers believe Riyadh has refused to respond to these demands due to Washington's failure to respond to its concerns about Iran, its cessation of support for coalition operations in Yemen, its refusal to define the Houthis as a "terrorist organization," and the removal of U.S. missile batteries from the kingdom.

Palace meeting
The Wall Street Journal said the Saudi regent, who wore shorts while meeting Sullivan at his seaside palace, sought to maintain a calm tone, but eventually screamed after Sullivan raised the issue of Hashukaji's killing.

According to the paper, people familiar with the matter said the heir told Sullivan that he never wanted to discuss the matter again, and that the United States could forget about its request to increase oil production.

Prior to Sullivan's visit, Prince and King Salman held meetings with their advisers to find out what punitive measures Biden might be planning and how they could best be anticipated.

The two discussed options such as surrendering to White House pressure to release more political prisoners, but the regent "chose a more aggressive path" of strengthening alliances with Russia and China, officials said.

The Wall Street Journal says the Saudi regent "rejects the way Washington treats him, and most of all wants to be recognized as the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia and the future king, but Biden has not yet met and spoken to the prince directly."

The Saudi Crown Prince said in an interview with the American Atlantic magazine last March, in response to a question about Biden's position on him: "This matter depends on him (Biden), and it depends on what he thinks about America's interests, so let him do it."

The American newspaper notes that a senior American delegation visited the kingdom after oil prices rose to about $140 a barrel due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and received a lukewarm welcome.

When Prince Khaled bin Salman, Prince Muhammad's younger brother, visited the United States, he canceled dinner for Sullivan and Austin at the ambassador's residence in Washington, after being told he would not have enough time to meet Blink.

For now, the White House has stopped asking the Saudis to pump more oil. Instead, he simply asks that they not interfere with Western efforts in Ukraine, according to a senior U.S. official.

This year, said people familiar with the matter, White House officials tried to arrange a conversation between Biden and the king and prince. As the date of the call approached on February 9, Saudi officials told the Biden administration that the regent would not attend.

Weeks after rejecting the call for talks, the prince received a phone call from Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which he confirmed Riyadh's commitment to abide by the oil quota plan without increasing it.

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