MBS threatened to move Saudi Arabia closer to Russia and China to punish Biden for ostracizing him, report says

[Rogue Valley]

MBS threatened to move Saudi Arabia closer to Russia and China to punish Biden for ostracizing him, report says

4.21.22
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman threatened to move the country closer to Russia and China to punish President Joe Biden for distancing himself from the kingdom, The Wall Street Journal reported. Since coming to power, the Biden administration has criticized Saudi human-rights abuses, reeled in US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, and shunned Crown Prince Mohammed — colloquially known as MBS. Also, Biden has yet to meet him in person. In February 2021, the US sanctioned dozens of Saudis believed to have played a role in the 2018 killing of the Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi. The crown prince wasn't directly affected by the sanctions. In response, the Journal, citing Saudi officials, reported that MBS, his advisors, and his father, King Salman, met last year at a seaside palace to discuss what further punishments Biden may have in store and how the kingdom could get ahead of them. The group discussed releasing more political prisoners to appease Biden, the Journal reported, but Crown Prince Mohammed instead said Saudi Arabia should threaten to solidify alliances with Russia and China.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider. It is unclear whether the crown prince actually threatened the US with a move toward China and Russia, but it is clear that Saudi Arabia has grown closer to China since last year, deepening ties militarily, culturally, and economically. In that time, the Saudi-US relationship has worsened, with the Saudis upset that the US is failing to guarantee its security in the face of strikes on the Arabian Peninsula by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has also failed to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and it's sought to avoid upsetting Russia by ignoring US requests for it to increase oil output to make up for the White House's ban on Russian oil imports. The Journal, citing Middle East and US officials, reported that Crown Prince Mohammed ignored Biden's phone calls as the US tried to woo the Saudis for more oil.

The KSA has rebuffed WH requests to join the Western coalition against the Putin regime as has the State of Israel, two countries the US has supported politically and militarily for many, many decades.

 

[j brown's body]

That's quite a pair of appreciative allies we have there.

Frankly, I'd like to see us make a deal with Iran. They at least have a history of civilization and democracy. Two things lacking in Saudi Arabia.

And Israel is just doing with the Palestinians what the Russians are doing with Ukrainians.

Both are unworthy of our support.

 

[Lloyd Christmas]

**** them, the entire middle east is going to be a complete shithole once we move away from fossil fuels. THe sooner the better so these terrorist we enable to get cheaper oil will have nothing

 

[Nomad4Ever]

I read the title and pictured the entire country lifting off into space and relocating to like the Indian ocean or something.

 

[bluesmoke]

There will come the day the Saudis, and perhaps the Israelis, will rue. I won't be here.

There are times when Israel would be the sole vote in the UN on their own side but for the US and maybe one or two other countries.

 

[Rexedgar]

I’m not certain that the Saudis want to rely on Russian armaments, logistics and munitions after what the world is watching in Ukraine.

 

[Tigerace117]

I’m not certain that the Saudis want to rely on Russian armaments, logistics and munitions after what the world is watching in Ukraine.

Half the Ukrainian Army’s stuff is leftover Russian gear.

Any weapon is only good as the men using it. Saudi Arabia has lost a TON of much hyped American weaponry in Yemen.

 

[bluesmoke]

Half the Ukrainian Army’s stuff is leftover Russian gear.

Any weapon is only good as the men using it. Saudi Arabia has lost a TON of much hyped American weaponry in Yemen.

Half the Russian Army's stuff is leftover Russian gear.

The Russian Army doesn't give a **** to be good enough to use weapons proficiently. The soldiers hate the officers. The officers hate the generals. The generals hate everybody.

Regardless of the US becoming energy self-sufficient, as long as the world is dependent on oil, they will be dependent on OPEC, on the Saudis. The US, in order t keep some kind of world order, will have to cow-tow to the Saudis.

 

[Tigerace117]

Half the Russian Army's stuff is leftover Russian gear.

The Russian Army doesn't give a **** to be good enough to use weapons proficiently. The soldiers hate the officers. The officers hate the generals. The generals hate everybody.

Regardless of the US becoming energy self-sufficient, as long as the world is dependent on oil, they will be dependent on OPEC, on the Saudis. The US, in order t keep some kind of world order, will have to cow-tow to the Saudis.

And yet Russian gear is performing just fine. As I said before, it’s the user, not the weapons system, that determines the effectiveness of the weapon.

Which doesn’t change the fact that, despite all the hype, American weapons systems have gone down in flames by the dozen in Yemen.

 

[bluesmoke]

And yet Russian gear is performing just fine. As I said before, it’s the user, not the weapons system, that determines the effectiveness of the weapon.

Which doesn’t change the fact that, despite all the hype, American weapons systems have gone down in flames by the dozen in Yemen.

I agree. The effectiveness being not just technical proficiency but willingness/morale of the user to fight for reasons beyond just pulling the trigger.