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Saudi Arabia & the United States

August 2013 - Today. Saudi Arabia & the United States. Early Saudi Arabia Modern Saudi Arabia founded in 1932 Founded by ABD Al-Aziz bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud Present Day Saudi Arabia Currently ruled by King Abdullah bin Abd al- Azi (monarchy) Capital is Riyadh Geography

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Saudi Arabia & the United States

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  1. August 2013 - Today Saudi Arabia & the United States

  2. Early Saudi Arabia • Modern Saudi Arabia founded in 1932 • Founded by ABD Al-Aziz bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud • Present Day Saudi Arabia • Currently ruled by King Abdullah bin Abd al-Azi (monarchy) • Capital is Riyadh • Geography • 2,149,690 sq km • About 1/5 the size of the U.S. • Mostly sandy desert • Has lots of natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper • Makes up about 17% of the world oil market Saudi Arabia

  3. US recognition of Saudi Arabia in 1931 • full diplomatic relations by 1940 • oil programs initiated by U.S. • fairly steady alliance since WWII • strains in alliance: Oil Embargo of 1973, 9/11, 2003 Iraq Invasion U.S. – Saudi Arabia Relations

  4. Al Jazeera: • August 29, 2013- 55 Iranian political prisoners write letter to Obama, begging him to lift economic sanctions. This letter will throw off Saudi Arabia's machinations: they are investing on the opposition with the hopes that the expatriates will go back to Iran and topple the regime.  August 2013

  5. September 09, 2013 - US Secretary of State Kerry: Saudi Arabia will sign a statement supporting military action against Syria • September 12, 2013 - Saudi Arabia secretly cooperates with American and British intelligence and other Arab governments • Increases deliveries of weapons to rebels in Syria, according to opposition • September 28, 2013 - Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashogg "There is a lot of suspicion and even paranoia about some secret deal between Iran and America. My concern is that the Americans will accept Iran as it is — so that the Iranians can continue their old policies of expansionism and aggression.” • Dubai-based security analyst, says the Saudis think Obama is “not a reliable ally, that he’s bending to the Syrians and Iranians.” • The Saudi leadership has long been uneasy with Mr. Obama’s handling of the Arab uprisings that began in 2011, September 2013

  6. Saudi Arabia sends a message to the US • campaigned for a rotating seat on the UN Security Council • dramatically refused to take the seat in protest • related to American inaction in Syria • “This was a message for the US, not the UN.” - Bandar bin Sultan, intelligence chief October 2013

  7. Saudi Arabia Defense Doctrine: • Focused on resisting Iranian influence in the Middle East • A response to the U.S.-Iranian Deal • U.S. dropped some of its sanctions • Iran lowered its nuclear enrichment • Saudi Arabia feels the deal strengthens Iran • According to the Associated Press negotiations began over a year ago in secrecy • -Saudi Arabia feels somewhat betrayed because they were not consulted November 2013

  8. U.S diplomatic relations with Iran and Syria have distanced Saudi Arabia and the U.S. • The U.S. refusal to get involved in the sectarian conflict in the region has angered Saudi Arabia • New discoveries of oil in the world have made Saudi Arabia less valuable to the U.S. • However both still focus on regional stability, containment of Iran, resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the reliable supply of oil • These common goals maintain their strong ties Conclusions

  9. http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/08/20138298522991822.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/08/20138298522991822.html • http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/09/20139813135817352.html • http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/09/2013923112820696548.html • http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/29/world/middleeast/israel-and-others-in-mideast-view-overtures-of-us-and-iran-with-suspicion.html • http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/02/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-syria-military-action.html • http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/21/opinion/global/saudi-arabias-proxy-wars.html • http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/world/middleeast/syrian-rebels-say-saudi-arabia-is-stepping-up-weapons-deliveries.html • https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sa.html • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/10474143/Iran-nuclear-deal-changes-Middle-East-alliances-as-Saudi-Arabia-rebels-against-US.html • http://www.arabnews.com/news/445436 • http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33533.pdf • http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3584.htm • http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/26/world/middleeast/us-and-saudis-in-growing-rift-as-power-shifts.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0 • http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2013/11/relations-us-saudiarabia.html • www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/11/why-the-iran-deal-scares-saudi-arabia.html Sources

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