By Varsha Koduvayur & Alexandra N. Gutowski, RealClearDefense: “The crown prince has undertaken an ambitious reform agenda at home, but the war in Yemen has upset U.S.-Saudi relations at a critical juncture when Iranian aggression threatens the vital interests of both Washington and Riyadh.”
The crown prince has a simple message for the American president, and the American people: we’re the modern Gulf ally you’ve been looking for, to offset Iran, do our part in the counterterrorist fight and invest our oil wealth in your businesses to bring you jobs.
- “What the 32-year-old crown prince, or MBS, as he is known, hopes to get out of it is proof for conservatives back home that the pain of reform and the discomfort of modernization is worth it, as aging officials deal with the sudden retirement he thrust upon them when he replaced them with younger royals in February.”
- “Cementing the relationship with the Trump administration could also provide MBS cover for the expensive Saudi military intervention in the three-year-old Yemeni civil war, which has no end in sight. The two leaders will surely stand shoulder-to-shoulder, lamenting Iran’s regional meddling, and specifically blaming Iran for arming Houthi rebels and stretching out the conflict.”
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives in Washington today to kick off a two-week tour of the United States. This is his first visit since becoming heir to the throne last year. The crown prince will meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
The trip aims to cement US support for Prince Mohammed’s strong stance against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen and his punishing embargo of Qatar over the emirate’s support for Islamist groups. The Saudis also hope to negotiate a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with the US government and build support for private investment as they diversify the economy. Read More
- "Why Investors Should Not Fret About Saudi Arabia's Approach to Reform," Varsha Koduvayur, The National Interest
- WINEP’s Simon Henderson: Saudi king-in-waiting comes to America
- Former Saudi culture minister Adel Al-Toraifi on Saudis and radical Islam