On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden plans to “recalibrate” the US relationship with Saudi Arabia, something that Biden pledged to do while on the campaign trail.
“We’ve made clear from the beginning that we’re going to recalibrate our relationship with Saudi Arabia,” Psaki said. She added that President Biden would be communicating with King Salman instead of his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, who is seen as the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia.
MBS’s reputation has been on the decline since the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Saudis have also been under fire for their disregard for civilian life in Yemen, where the US-backed Saudi-led coalition has bombed civilian infrastructure for years.
From his post as defense minister in 2015, a title he still technically holds, MBS was the driving force behind the Saudi intervention in Yemen, an intervention that the Obama administration was quick to support.
President Biden recently announced he is cutting off US support for “offensive” operations in Yemen, leaving wiggle room to continue military support for Riyadh if it can be framed as defensive in nature. Biden has also suspended some Saudi arms sales and appointed a special envoy to seek a diplomatic solution in Yemen.
Psaki also addressed another controversial Middle East leader, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Almost a month into the new administration, President Biden has yet to call Netanyahu. Psaki said that Biden plans to call Netanyahu before any other leader in the region and insisted that the call will happen “soon.”
I have a serious problem when instead of an analysis we are offered a narrative. By trying too hard to pin all ills on MBS, the article loses on credibility.
Far from defending MBS, one has to be very cautious not to fall into standard Demonizing 101 recipes of our foreign policy.
First, describing MBS as a de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia is a tautology—Crown Prince IS de facto ruler, the formal head of government. Crown Prince overrules any minister, including Minister of Defense. The allusion that MBS was minister under MBN is to say — he himself is responsible for starting the war.
Thus, pointing out that MBS was the head of military at the time Yemen war started — is to miss a point or two on whi-was-who in Saudi Arabia at the time.
When King Salman came to the throne, Crown Prince appointed by the Allegiance Council was Muqrin. US was not pleased at the accession of King Salman, and even less with Muqrin. US had a great deal of leverage — as the Kingdom had zero diversification in their foreign policy. Result? Leaning on Allegiance Council resulted in Muqrin being pressured to declare war on Yemen, but he declared it for just one month.
US hand picked choice for Crown Prince was the head of Interior Ministry, Mohammed Bin Nayef, or MBN. He was number one interlocutor between the Kingdom and US and British intelligence. From his student days in US , when he abruptly quit college, and attended FBI school. Inheriting Interior Ministry from his father, he was the key to all “antiterrorist” operations, while taking on Syria,
by supporting fundamentalist. Sunni militant groups in both Syria and Iraq.
Once he came to power, he immediately expanded Yemen war and some of the worst atrocities were committed during his reign 2015 to 2017. These include destruction of Hodeidah port, airports, granaries, hospitals, irrigation systems, step agriculture.
The author attributes this to MBS — even though he should know that Crown Prince is the ruler. King’s role is to assess the politics among the ruling clans of the Kingdom. There was unhappiness with MBN — but Obama supported him.
King, to address concerns, appointed his son to Defense. Not that he had power, but he knew what was happening and could keep King and Allegiance Council informed.
MBN was not liked because he spent Kingdom’s money in funding various Sunni militant “opposition” in Syria and Iraq. And they were unhappy with him because of Yemen war as well.
But in US, campaign was waged in press to remove the King — declaring him senile or with Alzheimers. The idea was to push Saudis to remove King, get MBN to take the throne and appoint his own Crown Prince.
The schema did not work.
After much money wasted on Islamic militants in Syria and Iraq, nothing wad achieved, and ISIS subsequently was supposed to address the disjointed militant groups under one command and take over territory between Syria and Iraq to be Saudi controlled Caliphate.
But by then Russia entered Syria, militants lost, improved intelligence sharing between Syria, Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Russia, resulted in ISIS losses.
Final straw, Trump came to power, realized that ISIS is in retreat, and unlike Obama — he was to take credit to fight ISIS.
For MBN it was a disaster. US was not going to protect territory gained, and Saudis felt betrayed. Trump then suggested to stricken MBN to blame Qatar. That was the last thing be did.
Allegiance council approved palace coup, and appointed MBS to Crown Prince job. Now, division cannot be inserted between Kingvand Crown Prince.
From day one MBS was neocon enemy, more so among democrats. And King Salman — presumably senile, led 2,000 strong delegation to Russia immediately after his son became Crown Prince in June 2017.
Battle for Yemen is a battle for Al-Mandeb Straits,
The dramatic murder of Kashoggi is a job by former loyalist of deposed Crown Prince — unlucky for them, Turkey had all the details.
Allegiance Council gave support to MBS and ordered intelligence reorganization.
The last plot resulted in MBN being arrested, having been snared by MBS supporters acting disgruntled.
The problem Trump created by rushing to destroy ISIS — ended any confidence and trust in American commitment to KSA.
Another Trump mistake was to involve UAE in Yemen war in order to counter Saudi push to control South Yemen.
This has resulted in serious Gulf divide.
Biden has to recalibrate what has been obvious since 2017.
“instead of an analysis we are offered a narrative”
The former is just a more arrogant version of the latter.
MBS is not a Neocon enemy he was picked by the MIC as being more reliable than MBN, Kashoggi knew too much about Saudi involvement in the Syrian struggle and everyone found it convenient that he met with a sticky end
Basically Biden is buying time as his girls and boys figure out a new formula but now the hand they have isn’t great.