Why America and Saudi Arabia are still inseparable
They look locked in an unhappy marriage for years to come
IN SAUDI ARABIA, leaving one’s wife is a simple matter of repeating talaq (“divorce”) three times. Perhaps thankfully, breaking up is harder to do in diplomacy. Since October 5th, when the OPEC+ oil cartel decided to cut production by 2m barrels per day (bpd), relations between America and Saudi Arabia have plunged to their lowest point in decades. Democrats in Washington seem determined to abandon their partner of 77 years. Gulf states are enraged by what they see as America’s sneering, disrespectful tone.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “The long goodbye?”
From the October 22nd 2022 edition
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