The United States would lose Saudi Arabia as an ally if it blocks the Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations this month, according to a New York Times piece written by a senior Saudi official.
“Saudi Arabia would no longer be able to cooperate with America in the same way it historically has,” Prince Turki al-Faisal, the former Saudi intelligence chief, wrote in an opinion piece that was officially sanctioned by the monarchy. “Saudi leaders would be forced by domestic and regional pressures to adopt a far more independent and assertive foreign policy.”
The Obama administration has been firm in denouncing Palestinian attempts to generate support for its bid for statehood and has promised to veto the resolution at the Security Council this month.
If the US follows through on that promise, wrote al-Faisal, “Saudi Arabia would pursue other policies at odds with those of the United States, including opposing the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Iraq and refusing to open an embassy there despite American pressure to do so. The Saudi government might part ways with Washington in Afghanistan and Yemen as well.”
Prince Turki al-Faisal stressed that the starting point for peace must be a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders, something the US and Israel have slighted for decades, and still in the Obama administration.
Whoops! There it is…
And the Great Game begins again, with Saudi Arabia firing the first shot across America's bow.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: If the US vote is to oppose Palestinian statehood, the US government had better be prepared for the blowback and, mark my words, it will come in spades.
Buy your cheap oil while you can, boys.
Oh well. We need to walk more anyway.
Wait a second. Hasn't it always been the stated US policy to support a two-state solution in Palestine? Well, you already have the zionist state. What's the big deal about having the Palestinian one now? Isn't that what the UN had voted for back in 1948?
Interesting that the Saudis suddenly find the need to yield to domestic and regional pressure – and not some moral compunction for Palestinian rights! Still, it's time the US listened – and listened good.
US policy? US policy? The only US policy is to bend over for the Israelis. Israeli policy is to erase the Palestinians from existence in any part of "Eretz Israel". That's been the plan since the birth of Zionism. (Read the first draft of The Balfour Declaration. — See Behind the Balfour Declaration http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v06/v06p389_John.html#ftn1…) The West Bank settlements and continuous war on the "terrorists" — ie the Palestinian resistance — is the way that policy is being carried out
Yup. Our congressmen are ever willing to bend over and drop trou' for Bibi.
I don't believe that! Those guys ruling Saudi Arabia wouldn't be in power without US help.
They completely depend on CIA and Mossad and will be very careful when crossing the line.
W9
Guess it's time to overthrow the "brutal Saudi Dictatorship" and replace it with a "Western-style dicta…, er, …I mean, democracy.".
Yes, but the Saudis are like everyone else: they can detect a shift in the winds in the Middle East.
Because of her unstinting support for israel for whatever crimes against humanity america is paying the price for this.A large standing military and flat broke losing friends and alliances by the day down to selling her posessions just to keep from going under but still gives israel 5bn in aid american have to be the most stunned foolish people on earth
It’s very unusual for the Saudis to be this blunt, this publicly.
If this happens and we lose a key ally like Saudi Arabia because of Israel's behaviour, then how is this in our best interest? Israel does not offer us cheap oil
"Our best interests"? Who is this "our"? Any American politician who wants to get reelected must do what's in his or her best interest, which is support Israel unto the last American dollar (such as it is) and the last American drop of blood.
What astonishes me is the vast legion of right wingers who seem to be okay with this. Kinda like those Islamic suicide bombers. Except in this case the suicide vest is being strapped on to the most powerful nation on the planet, and not for the sake of that nation or its predominantly Christian majority, but for the sake of a bribed and bullied US political class and its boss, Israel.
Are there ANY Americans who aren't Stepford Israelis?
This development in Saudi Arabia brings home the warnings of General Petraeus, James Jones and Robert Gates about the US-Israel relationship. Prince Turki's warning means: "The price of oil is going up, and there will soon be another energy crisis – perhaps, just after the UNSC vote on Palestinian statehood sometime later this month."
Just keep following Israel down the path of no return America!
When America is gone, will there be an honest man left who can tell future generations that our unconditional support for Israel was really worth it?
No chance that our bought and sold politicians are going to go along with a Palestinian state no matter what the consequences for America and the American people. This column is, therefore, just rhetoric, especially the part about Iran and Syria being "barbarous" regimes, coming from these Saudi porkers who spend the wealth of the Muslim world on their own luxury life styles.
He's just posturing. The Saudi's aren't about to shoot their cash cow.
You mean China
No. I don't.
imo this is Saudi countering Turkey's growing role in the region.
Ah…A game of chicken – with the American people stuck in the middle…again.
(With a tip of the fedora to our spineless politicians of both parties.)
If this is true, then things seem to be falling apart for someone on the Potomac.
Ya think?
But actually, things started falling apart for Obama the first time he bent over for the Repubs.
Should have arrested the whole crew: Bush, Cheney, and friends; all the congress critters who voted for the AUMF and then for follow-on war funding, and every officer in the US military who participated in the Iraq war of aggression. Put 'em in orange jump suits in that Halliburton-constructed prison somewhere in the Southwest. No bail for any of them before trial — their crimes too serious to allow them to return to the exercise of the very power that enabled those crimes.
Then Obama could have ushered in a liberal renaissance with the congressional members that remained. And if he needed a few more congresspersons for the workload, he could just exercised his Presidential pardon powers.
But that would have required him to have been committed to real change, which he mouthed without the least bit of sincerity, and to have a spine.
It's a dream.
The Saudi's should be more understanding that the owners of the USA which as sharon pointed out are the zionist will not allow the USA to vote for anything that they do not want. Look at the cost to Gaza for not electing the Israeli puppet into office. The problem is we are screwed. Look for huge increase in the cost of oil and millions unemployed because the owners will punish us or we will be economic destroyed by the oil industry. Either way I would look for a lot of canned goods for this winter.
Good relations with Saudi Arabia are far more important than good relations with Israel if only because of the oil factor. Further, what could Isreal do if the USG does not veto Palistinian statehood? A big fat nothing. If the USG does veto palistinian statehood Saudi Arabia could pull the plug on a dollar that is already on life support. All they would have to do is annouce they are no longer selling their oil in terms of dollars. If the USG cannot bring itself to vote for Palistinian statehood, national interests clearly dictate they at the very least abstain. I do not expect the USG to put America first in this case. Look for the Israeli tall to wag the American dog again. Israel firsters will be dancing in the street.
While I completely agree with your priority listing of Saudi as a more important ally than Israel, the problem is that AIPAC has a complete strangle hold on our political system. US politicians have clearly demonstrated that they will do what good for their political careers ahead of what is good for the USA. They want to stay in office at any expense to the rest of us. This is apparent in how they kowtow to all of the lobbyists that drop cash their way.
Hence – despite the fact that Saudi is clearly a more important strategic ally than Israel, the congress and the president will screw us over again (and again and again) to ensure their own political survival.
I knew this day would come where America would be asked to choose between Saudi Arabia or Israel. Saudi Arabia understands the consequences of a veto but the threats are a bit self serving. They see Shia Islam as a threat so of course they don't want anything to do with a Shia government in Iraq.
If the US loses Saudi Arabia as an ally then what will the US think about Saudi Arabia's nuclear program that is in the news?
Not to mention the fact that some 15 or 16 of the alleged 9/11 hijackers were Saudi. Something which was painfully ignored and swept under the carpet.
Disclaimer: not that I believe the official story, I'm just repeating their own meme. to make a point.
Americans bombed Oklahoma City. Were they sponsored by Washington?
First it was "Arab Spring" with a veto it will mean a "U.S. FALL" It's time for break away from Israel! We need a FULL Congressional Investigation into the ISRAELI ATTACK on the USS LIBERTY that killed 34 and wounded 174 U.S. Servicemen. Israel is NOT our friend!! REMEMBER THE LIBERTY!!!
I have a hard time believing that the Saudi's are being sincere about this. They have historically had a pretty strong relationship with Israel in the past. I would assume that they are doing this to appease their own population to some degree – trying to calm the waters of the Arab Spring. I also agree with what Will said above about the Saudi's trying to counter the growing influence of Turkey. They Turks have done a masterful job of building relationships with the various Muslim countries in the Mideast. With Mubarak out in Egypt, Saudi has lost its largest regional ally and is probably feeling pretty squeezed in the arab street these days. They are hoping to gain back some of their credibility but it is likely too late for them to do so.
Also, given Turkey's apparent appetite to play Chicken with Israel these days you can bet that the street will be pretty unimpressed with empty words. It will be interesting to see how far Saudi is willing to go with this.
Exactly! Not to mention that what they did to the poor people of Bahrain at the Empire's behest.
You may have noticed that step one in the removal of Gaddafi, was to seize all his assets. The Saudis have buckets of money. That money is invested in various Western countries. If the Saudis decide they're going to get "uppity", they better have a plan to reposition their portfolio. What do you think the US and Israel will do if they see the Saudis starting to move their massive wealth away from Western bankers in Western jurisdictions?
Great game indeed!
The USG had better be careful. Russia or China would both be happy to step in and be Saudi Arabia's new "best friend."
Bad move for the Saudis. The anti-semites clearly don't realize that they are the wrong side of history, and that the tides are moving against them. The Saudis need the US a hell of a lot more than the US needs them. Well, they need each other, but I wonder whether the Saudis would miss all of that US oil money. This is just more anti-semitic blustering. Doesn't mean anything at all. None of the anti-semitic countries have militaries that are remotely capable of challenging Israel. Not even close.
As far as the two states go, Israel has always been willing to recognize a Palestinian state, providing that the Palestinian state recognizes Israel. That has always been the sticking point and remains so. As far as the 1967-borders go, that's a non-starter. It's 2011, not 1967, and any agreement must acknowledge the current borders and go from there. The Palestinians have to stop making demands. They're not in any position do so. Israel didn't start the war, but she has clearly won it, and as the victors has the right to set the terms of the Palestinians' surrrender. If Israel is willing to let the Palestinians have even some of the land in East Israel (a more accurate term now than the West Bank) then that would be generous. After all, as the aggressors, under international law the Palestinians owe Israel reparations for all of their security expenses over the past 60 years, as well as civil damages to the families of Israelis murdered by them.
I find really amusing to watch the anti-semites bluffing and blustering. They don't have a leg to stand on, and are absolutely in no position to make any demands. It's really funny to see them embarrass themselves. Might be time for Israel to give the children a good spanking.
Don't post things like that !!!
I almost laugh myself to death.
Woe! You mean to tell me that the US poodle has grown some balls?
Let's just say that I'll believe it when I see it.
If the United States vetoes Palestine's bid for independence, it will be clear to everyone (and even to American citizens) what a pariah our "leaders" have made our country. Our unconditional support of Israel has cost us far too much already. It is time for it to end and for our "leaders" to begin putting the interests of the United States first.
Everytime I post somthing and say Jew with zionist in front of it it never ever shows I can say Arab ,Scot,Irish,Pakisani,Iraian,Russian Korean anything but Jew.And I'm far from a recist and naver leave threatning or racist comments.I wonder how many others have had the exact same problem?Its against free speach to say the word Jew I guess.You can say Indian American Canadian no other word will make it so your comment don't show.I don't see the harm in a comment that is not racist just true.
Seems to me more like a split in the Royal Family…. or a change of direction… WTF Fahd was so pro Isreali…
In Canada we have the famous 'non-binding referendum', in the UN it's the veto. Why waste time voting at all?