Report: Bin Salman Understands Only by Threat, Not Respect

The National Interest magazine explained in a report that  they’ve been helping to advance US interests, preventing the encroachment of rivals and enemies. And for once, the US is not paying for this defense; the countries themselves are footing the bill.

The report reminded us of a threat made by former President Donald Trump to withdraw US forces from Saudi Arabia because of the volume of oil production; It is what convinced bin Salman, not respect.

It pointed out that this comes at a time when the administration of US President Joe Biden is formulating its response to Saudi Arabia.

The magazine indicated in another report that MBS clearly was comfortable with fellow authoritarian Donald Trump, maintains a relationship with Trump’s family, and would love to see a return of his ilk to power in Washington. It is likely that the effects of the oil production cut on prices at gasoline pumps in America, and because of that on Biden and the Democrats’ political fortunes, were another part of the Saudi despot’s calculations.

It added that the interests that a regime pursues may sometimes be more those of the ruler than of the nation he rules, which gets into domestic politics and issues of regime preservation. The interests of MBS certainly are not identical with the national interests of Saudi Arabia, as is underscored every time MBS’s regime cracks down harshly on dissent by Saudi citizens.

The report stated that MBS’s short-term interest in consolidating his power partly with ambitious development projects may have contributed to the hawkish position on oil prices, perhaps partially in conflict with a continuing Saudi national interest in preserving a long-term market for oil.

It noted that the Biden administration needs to change the nature of the decades-old relationship between America and Saudi Arabia, not because of the recent OPEC+ decision, but rather it must be re-evaluated.

The magazine attributed this to the fact that its negative effects far outweigh the benefits for the US, and the Saudi regime must be held responsible for this.

The American CSIS Studies Center said that the decision to cut oil production would create a major backlash in Washington against OPEC, with a reassessment of the US-Saudi relationship. The Center stated that the White House is consulting with Congress on additional tools and powers to reduce OPEC’s control over energy prices.

It indicated that reducing oil production by two million barrels per day is a risky step that will lead to a rise in oil prices and then exacerbate global economic problems.

The Center pointed out that it will alienate the oil-importing countries, with the deterioration of US-Saudi relations

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