Yeah I don't think he realizes that Saudi Arabia and even the UAE hold a rather important and vital strategic position in favor of the US in the Persian Gulf and with relations to Iraq. Not to mention that part of the huge contract that provided over 220 F-15 Eagles (that's almost 3 times as many as Israel has!) and that contract includes the supply of weapons with those aircraft and to stop that supply is a breach of the contract. That's why it will only be temporary until the complaining and threatening gets to be too much, things will revert back to normal.
For the UAE, the same concept and even more since the US has a strategic base in the Emirates and that could be in a tough position should the UAE chose to make a stink about it. But the important part to remember is that politically, Biden needs to do these things to clean up Trump's reckless behavior and once he's seen as the president who doesn't put up with all that stuff, he'll revert back under pressure. It happens all the time with every single president.
I think you may have the opposite problem. UAE and Saudi need US more then US needs them by a factor of 100.
Under US pressure UK will soon follow arms embargo. If UAE and Saudi are lucky they will maintain support for F-15s, Typhoons, etc.
If US were to withdraw all military support, bases, troops, spare parts, in a matter of weeks, not months or years, but weeks, UAE and Saudi Air Forces would effectively be crippled.
Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain already host the majority of US forces in the Middle East, the sheer size of the US military, it's logistics capability and it's bases in Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq and Bahrain mean they will lose no sleep at all at the lose of UAE/Saudi basing.
You are making a massive assumption Biden cares about $3-$4 Billion in yearly contracts when that is the amount of money the US military probably spend on dentistry. Biden just passed a $2 Trillion Covid aid budget. That gives you some context.
Trump fawned over MBS and MBZ as he thought he could gain personal financial advantage and you guys had a good 4 years riding him.
Biden, by his actions, has indicated the game is up.
What both Saudi and UAE need to do is diversify their armed forces with non Western equipment and also ensure they have enough trained manpower to take over roles currently done by western subcontractors.
This will be your best defence, not suffering the delusion that the US needs you. Pakistan learnt that lesson the painful way.
If the US were to persist on this matter. The Saudis could cut ties with them completely and move their arms purchase elsewhere. They will become a useless asset to the Saudis. They will have more to lose going against Saudi national interests that doesn't involve them at all or meddling into this could have deep consequences for the US meddling into Saudi security issues. I expect Biden's side to retreat these statements in the coming weeks they will shout their mouth and resume to follow their interests rather then empty talk or meddling into stuff that doesn't concern them. If there is vacancy position someone else will always fill that vacated position. Show goes on either way as usual. The entire petrodollar thingy hangs on Saudi oil. I expect them to do 90 degree in anything relating to Saudi interests and be supportive of it
He will not do a U turn, not after doing this so publicly.
"Petrodollars"!? This is not the 1980s anymore. in 10 years no one will care about petroleum
