Saudi 'Drift' narrative hides decades of US control
📰 THE STORY: Newsweek speculates whether Saudi Arabia is 'drifting away' from the U.S., framing recent Saudi actions as a potential decoupling from its long-standing American alliance. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: In 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt met with King Abdulaziz ibn Saud aboard the USS Quincy, forging the 'oil for security' pact. This agreement, ensuring
Western access to Saudi oil in exchange for military protection and arms, has been the bedrock of their relationship, making any 'drift' more of a managed recalibration than a fundamental shift. Critics point to the U.S. enabling Saudi Arabia's brutal war in Yemen since 2015, arming the Saudis with billions in weapons, including specific bombs used to devastating effect on civilians. Double
Standard: When Venezuela or Iran seek diversified alliances with countries like Russia or China, it's framed as 'malign influence' or 'destabilization.' When Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally (and human rights abuser), engages with Beijing on matters like oil sales or BRICS membership, it's cautiously analyzed as a 'drift' or 'strategic balancing act,' rarely as a threat to global stability, despite
the potential implications for the petrodollar system. Follow the Money: The U.S. has sold over $100 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia over the last decade, with major beneficiaries including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon. This massive arms pipeline directly profits Western military-industrial complexes, creating a powerful economic incentive to maintain the relationship, regardless of any