Biden to Visit Saudi Arabia in Mid-July: NBC

[Corruptistan]

Maybe the US should forget about its 123 agreements and conditions for civilian nuclear plants in KSA..

" Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act generally requires the conclusion of a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement for significant transfers of nuclear material or equipment from the United States. Moreover, such agreements, commonly referred to as “123 Agreements,” facilitate cooperation in other areas, such as technical exchanges, scientific research, and safeguards discussions. In conjunction with other nonproliferation tools, particularly the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), 123 Agreements help to advance U.S. nonproliferation principles. They establish the legal framework for significant nuclear cooperation with other countries. In order for a partner to enter into a 123 Agreement with the United States, that partner must adhere to a set of strong nonproliferation requirements. The U.S. State Department is responsible for negotiating 123 Agreements, with the technical assistance and concurrence of DOE/NNSA and in consultation with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission."

Saudi Arabia should be pursuing nuclear weapons. It has the money, know-how by now (or very soon at least), uranium availability within Saudi Arabia itself and all the geopolitical reasons to do so with a nuclear-armed neighbor (Israel) already and an aspiring one in Iran.

Moreover I find it a travesty that one of the biggest and most influential imperial powers in history (Arabs) have no nuclear weapons in 2022.....

KSA being the biggest Arab economy should lead the way here and if necessary limit itself to eating dates and drinking camel milk as King Faisal wisely once said. By the way both are very healthy foods.

My two cents.

 

[Corruptistan]

Plenty of countries will sell weapons to KSA. USA has shown its true colors. After years of destroying the MENA during the WOT...... American stratetegist thought a few thousand EVs meant that oil and KSA no longer mattered. Big miscalculation. Its best for MENA and KSA to be neutral in CW2.

Saudi Arabia's indigenous military sector is undergoing huge changes and developing at a rapid speed. Working towards mastering all the essential military technology fields. With enormous financial backing and a young and educated population eager to learn and explore the STEM sector.

In fact by law, 50% of any military deals (in the last few years at least since MbS emerged) it has been official Saudi Arabian policy to have at least 50% tech transfer or local production whenever a military deal is signed.

I am sure that @The SC can explain more.

Anyway as I see it KSA cannot afford anything else so the current policy is a very good thing.

 

[Gomig-21]

- A message to the world that whoever tries to isolate Saudi Arabia will not be able to, and will be dishonored and embarrassed; America, with its president, could not do that and embarrassed itself, so no one would think of repeating it;

- This is the pattern of the Arabs. If you have made a mistake, you should come to my place as a gentleman who seeks forgiveness and Amnesty, it was applied to the Emir of Qatar and to the Turkish president, and now the American President must come and apologize.

That is just fantastic! Love it and great, hard-handed diplomacy from MBS.

Isn't it amazing how just a few years ago people were trashing him and the royal family in general and talking about eliminating them and they couldn't wait until they fall from grace or whatever jealous and absolutely disgusting vitriol they had towards the Saudi Kingdom and royal family and look at things now hahaha. Love it!

I wish Sisi would do the same thing as MBS and tell this jerk Biden to go to hell and deal with the consequences. Naturally Saudi Arabia is on a much stronger foothold not only because of the oil, but because of the wealth which certainly creates power. Still, to stand up to someone who berated you during the campaign and then thinks they'll forget it just because it's America is in for a huge awakening and everyone should do that, regardless of their position.

 

[Corruptistan]

That is just fantastic! Love it and great, hard-handed diplomacy from MBS.

Isn't it amazing how just a few years ago people were trashing him and the royal family in general and talking about eliminating them and they couldn't wait until they fall from grace or whatever jealous and absolutely disgusting vitriol they had towards the Saudi Kingdom and royal family and look at things now hahaha. Love it!

I wish Sisi would do the same thing as MBS and tell this jerk Biden to go to hell and deal with the consequences. Naturally Saudi Arabia is on a much stronger foothold not only because of the oil, but because of the wealth which certainly creates power. Still, to stand up to someone who berated you during the campaign and then thinks they'll forget it just because it's America is in for a huge awakening and everyone should do that, regardless of their position.

What is the most funny thing about all this is how heavy the criticism has been at a time where Saudi Arabia has undergone greater reforms than ever before. This includes areas that the West has been criticizing for years which have improved tenfold.

If I had to guess what this criticism is really all about (no, Khashoggi has nothing to do with this - with all due respect 1 dead journalist, with a dubious past moreover, means nothing in the greater geopolitical picture) is the fact that KSA is increasingly moving away from the West (USA in particular) and becoming a more powerful and independent country.
What the West and Israel want in an ideal world are weak vassal states. I remember the propaganda that American media was engaged in when MBS took power and when the US allied favorite MBN was removed as Crown Prince. That and obviously the Chinese angle. There is much more to this as well.

Anyway KSA has been used as a punching bag/bogeyman in the West for decades-
The biased and overly simplistic coverage about the YEMENI CIVIL WAR is a great example of this. The whole propaganda of "attacking schools, school buses" etc. is hilarious as well, as if the US/West/or anyone else for that matter, never hit civilian targets either unintended or deliberately. Even more so when such attacks on civilian targets can be counted by 1 hand and most importantly the ones reporting whether target x or y (on the ground) was civilian or not, are the same Houthis.

Anyway this US/Western foreign policy modus operandi towards non-Western countries is more or less the same. We Pakistanis know it very well and recent events (obvious ousting of IK) confirms it once again.

Henry Kissinger once quipped that "it may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."

 

[Gomig-21]

What is the most funny thing about all this is how heavy the criticism has been at a time where Saudi Arabia has undergone greater reforms than ever before. This includes areas that the West has been criticizing for years which have improved tenfold.

If I had to guess what this criticism is really all about (no, Khashoggi has nothing to do with this - with all due respect 1 dead journalist, with a dubious past moreover, means nothing in the greater geopolitical picture) is the fact that KSA is increasingly moving away from the West (USA in particular) and becoming a more powerful and independent country.
What the West and Israel want in an ideal world are weak vassal states. I remember the propaganda that American media was engaged in when MBS took power and when the US allied favorite MBN was removed as Crown Prince. That and obviously the Chinese angle. There is much more to this as well.

Anyway KSA has been used as a punching bag/bogeyman in the West for decades-
The biased and overly simplistic coverage about the YEMENI CIVIL WAR is a great example of this. The whole propaganda of "attacking schools, school buses" etc. is hilarious as well, as if the US/West/or anyone else for that matter, never hit civilian targets either unintended or deliberately. Even more so when such attacks on civilian targets can be counted by 1 hand and most importantly the ones reporting whether target x or y (on the ground) was civilian or not, are the same Houthis.

Anyway this US/Western foreign policy modus operandi towards non-Western countries is more or less the same. We Pakistanis know it very well and recent events (obvious ousting of IK) confirms it once again.

Henry Kissinger once quipped that "it may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."

I couldn't have said it better. US foreign policy is shrouded in unwritten policies that are systematically passed down from one administration to the other. They'll say one thing in the open but of course mean something else completely. When the US became less needy on Saudi oil for a little while because of Trump's decisions -- with the Keystone pipeline and increased fracking among other things -- brought with it this other sense of arrogance and manipulation that shun the Saudis to a certain extent. Now Biden comes in and the left placates to environmental policies that it was forced to go back to global oil markets Coupled by the Ukraine war and Russian sanctions has really come back to bite the US in the behind really hard. Of course turning to China was a big political issue and I can't blame MBS for feeling betrayed with the defense agreement considering much of it was in return for purchasing unbelievable amounts of US weaponry at the most exorbitant prices.

The US did take the Khashoggi murder and sail with it on another level, more so than anything else and the media here pushed that to no end and it did influenced political views towards Saudi Arabia and MBS in particular. Human rights will always be some type of excuse to form US policy towards the entire Middle East. That will never change despite the open and obvious hypocrisy you described very well.

The part about both Tamim and Erdogan coming to Saudi as if to beg for forgiveness is absolutely hilarious! There's something to be said about those who laugh last.

First time I've seen that Henry Kissinger quote. It's brilliant. There was another master manipulator in the flesh that friggin guy, oof!

 

[CrazyZ]

Saudi Arabia's indigenous military sector is undergoing huge changes and developing at a rapid speed. Working towards mastering all the essential military technology fields. With enormous financial backing and a young and educated population eager to learn and explore the STEM sector.

In fact by law, 50% of any military deals (in the last few years at least since MbS emerged) it has been official Saudi Arabian policy to have at least 50% tech transfer or local production whenever a military deal is signed.

I am sure that @The SC can explain more.

Anyway as I see it KSA cannot afford anything else so the current policy is a very good thing.

MENA region can become a super power in its own right over the next 50 to 100 years......if it focuses on peace and development. No need to get dragged in CW2. From my casual observations....USA strategists are not as good as they were in past.

 

[CrazyZ]

I couldn't have said it better. US foreign policy is shrouded in unwritten policies that are systematically passed down from one administration to the other. They'll say one thing in the open but of course mean something else completely. When the US became less needy on Saudi oil for a little while because of Trump's decisions -- with the Keystone pipeline and increased fracking among other things -- brought with it this other sense of arrogance and manipulation that shun the Saudis to a certain extent.

Biden's camp is anti-fossil fuel.....They thought a few thousand EVs meant oil was no longer relavant. Left winggers in Bidens camp will not allow fracking or any oil and gas infrastructure. They want high oil prices so that more and more people buy EVs. Unfortunetly for poor americans this means record inflation and recession. Not only are USA strategist not good as they were in the past.....they actually are actively hurting the country for idealogic reasons. Only more reason for MENA to remain neutral in CW2.

 

[Gomig-21]

Biden's camp is anti-fossil fuel....

That's pretty much been one of the top, left/Democratic party lines since forever and it's only getting much more front and center with time.

 

[Hydration]

That's pretty much been one of the top, left/Democratic party lines since forever and it's only getting much more front and center with time.

German new goverment was one of the extremist parties on weapon sales. look at them now the biggest modernization of the german army since ww2 and more deeals coming to Egypt soon

 

[The SC]

 

[Bengal71]

Saudi Arabia refused any communication with the US President and refused contacts except with conditions, which are:


Saudi Arabia's first conditions:

1- Breaking the speech of the American president, in which he promised to make Saudi Arabia an isolated island and a pariah state, and embarrassing him, KSA will not negotiate before an apology comes to achieve several goals:

- A message to the world that whoever tries to isolate Saudi Arabia will not be able to, and will be dishonored and embarrassed; America, with its president, could not do that and embarrassed itself, so no one would think of repeating it;

- This is the pattern of the Arabs. If you have made a mistake, you should come to my place as a gentleman who seeks forgiveness and Amnesty, it was applied to the Emir of Qatar and to the Turkish president, and now the American President must come and apologize.

The second Saudi condition:

For America to define the relationship between us

The previous relationship was according to an agreement stipulating that Saudi Arabia would provide energy supplies and stability in exchange for America providing support and defense for Saudi Arabia

This was vetoed by America, as America not only defended Saudi Arabia, but also helped the enemies of Saudi Arabia by removing the Houthi militia from the lists of terrorism, and with that America tied Saudi Arabia’s hand and tried to weaken it militarily through an arms embargo and inciting countries to prevent the arming of Saudi Arabia.

In other words, America participated in the damage to Saudi Arabia, contrary to what it had pledged

So it's for America to know the relationship it wants, does it want a strategic relationship (this requires a new agreement and new conditions that America must abide by)

Or does America see the end of the strategic relationship and wants a general relationship (and this will justify KSA moving to other allies and justifying it reducing strategic cooperation in the region)

In other words Saudi Arabia threw the ball in America's court..

Meaning; If you want a strategic relationship, we must sign a new agreement (including advanced armament clauses), and here is also a new insult to Biden, who claimed to make Saudi Arabia isolated and to ban arms from it. He will have to agree to arming it.

Or that America sees the end of the strategic relations and alliance .. So Saudi Arabia will build more alliances with other countries such as China and Russia and reduce the level of cooperation with America

And here is another blow to Biden, because he will become a president who made America lose the largest ally and not any ally..

The ally who holds the power supply

The ally who, if he decided to sell oil in yuan, would hit the dollar

The biggest and most capable ally in the region and its problems

So to say the least, the Biden administration is in a very terrible predicament

Either you retract everything you threatened and sign a new agreement with Saudi Arabia

Or push Saudi Arabia to take more stringent measures after ending the alliance, and on its top priority De-pegging oil from the dollar and linking it to the yuan, the new strategic ally.

So, either Biden concedes to Saudi Arabia and breaks all his bad promises

Or, it is officially announced that the Saudi-American alliance has ended and the signed document has ended.

Accordingly, Saudi Arabia will take measures for an alliance with new partners, including linking the sale of oil to new currencies and disengaging the dollar ..

Lol, Saudi putting conditions on America. Biden is weak, myabe that's why. If it was a regular US president, Bush or Trump the Saudi king will go to Washington, stand on one leg, bark like a puppy and seek forgiveness. US is the master, Saudi is the slave, not the other way around.

 

[The SC]

Lol, Saudi putting conditions on America. Biden is weak, myabe that's why. If it was a regular US president, Bush or Trump the Saudi king will go to Washington, stand on one leg, bark like a puppy and seek forgiveness. US is the master, Saudi is the slave, not the other way around.

Your opinion goes against the trend.. Obama was ill treated by Saudi Arabia,, what could he do about it? Ziltch.. Trump could say anything about KSA as long as he was giving everything it wanted,, those are political games.. Saudi Arabia is a very powerful nation .. you like it or not.. don't look at it under a Bangali lens. with ifs. it will blind you..

 

[Gomig-21]

Lol, Saudi putting conditions on America. Biden is weak, myabe that's why. If it was a regular US president, Bush or Trump the Saudi king will go to Washington, stand on one leg, bark like a puppy and seek forgiveness. US is the master, Saudi is the slave, not the other way around.

Actually, Trump went to Saudi Arabia for his first overseas trip, making it the first destination which says a lot, and he got a sword to dance the Ardha like the baboon that he is. Obama made it perfectly clear he wanted to do to Egypt for his first trip to speak at Cairo University and was not received very well and his next visit was to Saudi Arabia where he bowed down when greeting King Abul Aziz Salman. He took a lot of flack here in the US for that. Bush was holding the king's hand as if he was his first cousin! The US has spent hundreds of billions to help protect Saudiya and please them until recently where they realized their ways were wrong and now that worthless no good for nothing (except he's much better than that goon Trump) has to go there and beg forgiveness for the horrible things he said about Saudiya and MBS.

 

[Bengal71]

Actually, Trump went to Saudi Arabia for his first overseas trip, making it the first destination which says a lot, and he got a sword to dance the Ardha like the baboon that he is. Obama made it perfectly clear he wanted to do to Egypt for his first trip to speak at Cairo University and was not received very well and his next visit was to Saudi Arabia where he bowed down when greeting King Abul Aziz Salman. He took a lot of flack here in the US for that. Bush was holding the king's hand as if he was his first cousin! The US has spent hundreds of billions to help protect Saudiya and please them until recently where they realized their ways were wrong and now that worthless no good for nothing (except he's much better than that goon Trump) has to go there and beg forgiveness for the horrible things he said about Saudiya and MBS.

LOL

You have now proved KSA is the global superpower, US is the vassal.

The Saudi royal family exists because the US kept it. The moment they will go out of line, they will be replaced. Let us not be delusional here.

 

[Communism]

Simply a symptom of the U.S.'s success in their goal of destroying as many petroleum producing countries as possible.

Not sure what exactly the goal of it was, but it certainly succeeded.

Iraq
Iran
Libya
Venezuela
Russia

Maybe the goal was to reduce global petroleum production?

Not sure why they would want to do that though.