Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: Several soldiers were killed in the Beit Hanoun ambush
Israeli media: 16 soldiers were injured, including four in critical condition, as a result of a security incident in the northern Gaza Strip
Israeli media: At least 10 soldiers injured in two serious incidents in the Gaza Strip
Brigadier General Shakarchi to Al Mayadeen: Hezbollah is an independent force defending its country, just like all resistance movements in the region
Brigadier General Shakarchi to Al Mayadeen: All Iranians set aside their differences and united to confront the aggression
Brigadier General Shakarchi to Al Mayadeen: Words like surrender or retreat do not exist in our books or dictionaries, and any aggression will be met with unforgettable blows
Brigadier General Shakarchi to Al Mayadeen: Many Western countries rushed to send weapons to the [Israeli] entity after the end of its aggression against Iran
Brigadier General Shakarchi to Al Mayadeen: In the event of any mistake or act of aggression, we will cross all red lines
Brigadier General Shakarchi to Al Mayadeen: The Israeli army and US forces deployed across West Asia are within the range of our armed forces' firepower
Brigadier General Shakarchi to Al Mayadeen: The United States is primarily responsible for the war on Iran, and we warn it, its proxy, and all those who support them against launching any new aggression

RS: How did MBS manage to shrug off his pariah status?

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Responsible Statecraft
  • 13 Jun 2023 23:55
5 Min Read

Responsible Statecraft explains that officials from Biden's administration are now discussing what they may provide Riyadh in exchange for better relations with "Israel", including nuclear technology and security.

  • x
  • How normalization of KSA and
    Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, right, welcomes US President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Al-Salam palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. (AP)

In an analysis for Responsible Statecraft, Paul R. Pillar explains how the United States has concerns about the relationship between "Israel" and Saudi Arabia.

Even Antony Blinken mentioned it in an address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) last week.

"The United States has a real national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.” But what exactly is that interest? Blinken remained silent. On no other instance has the Biden administration supplied such an explanation.

According to Sedat Laciner, Antony Blinken's most recent visit to Riyadh with the intention of "repairing strained relations" was not met with much of the usual hospitality, as even news of Karim Benzema moving from Real Madrid received more press coverage than the Blinken visit. 

Read more: A post-US Middle East prompts an age of New Isolationism, self-help

Pillar expresses that KSA and "Israel" having full diplomatic relations does not advance US national interest, rather the actual interest would be provided through the security cooperation between "Israel" and Saudi Arabia; however, this has already been achieved between the two.

The author also argues that the two countries' normalization would not be a "peace" agreement due to them technically not being in a state of war. 

In fact, he argues that "Israel" would only tout normalization as a further cementing of its "anti-Iran alliance" which he believes "sharpens the lines of conflict and heightens tensions" in the region. He also adds that normalization would also decrease any real motivation for the Israeli occupation to address its occupation and refuse to "make peace" with the Palestinians.

Read more: Israeli media publish post calling for 'obliteration of Palestine'

Biden administration's secret reasons

Related News

Netanyahu nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize as Gaza bleeds

US, Israeli bases in W. Asia within Iranian fire range: Military spox

Pillar believes the Netanyahu administration desires full diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, as it did before with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Morocco, as proof that it can maintain contacts with regional powers while continuing to occupy and de facto absorb Palestinian land. The symbolic importance of this have-your-cake-and-eat-it capitulation to "Israel" would be the main meaning of normalizing relations with Riyadh.

The author further details how the Biden administration has for secret reasons still sought after the normalization and is prepared to pay to achieve it.

He recalls how the Trump administration had to make "side payments" to some Arab nations to normalize the occupation, such as the F-35 aircraft to the United Arab Emirates and supporting Morocco's claim to Western Sahara, a position never before adopted by the US.

Pillar details that Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is now demanding his own side payments in the form of "unrestricted arms transfers, US security guarantees to Saudi Arabia, and assistance in building a Saudi nuclear program."

According to Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, “If we’re going to enter into a relationship with the Saudis where we’re doing more significant arms sales, it should be in exchange for better behavior toward the United States, not just better behavior toward Israel.”

The demand for a Saudi nuclear program has a significant disadvantage in that it increases the potential for nuclear weapons proliferation in the Middle East. MBS has publicly stated that the Kingdom would develop nuclear weapons, citing Iran's potential to produce its own, a claim often refuted and disproven by Iran.

Pillar believes that starting in the Middle East is a dangerous path because Saudi Arabia has so far refused to sign a 123 Agreement, a formula that allows the US to assist civilian nuclear power programs in other countries but keeps uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication out of those countries to avoid the program being diverted to military purposes. 

Saudis have also expressed an intention to develop a "nuclear Aramco."

Additionally, any security guarantees to Saudi, Pillar believes, would not serve US interests but rather enable MBS to engage in "Yemen-like violent mischief."

The Humanity Eye Center for Rights and Development issued a report in January that showed the number of casualties of the war on Yemen in 2022 alone was as high as 3,083 - 643 murdered citizens and 2,440 others wounded.

In addition, the Kingdom has no intention of making enemies with foes of the US, like Russia or Venezuela.

Pillar believes that Biden dropped his claim of KSA being a "pariah state," and that if the US aspires to compete with China in the region, its usual modus operandi of "dividing the areas rigidly into foes and friends," will not work. He adds that it should instead "emulate" China and attempt to have diplomacy with all. A move he says, allowed it to achieve the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement, something the US was unable to do. 

  • US President Joe Biden
  • Anthony Blinken
  • Saudi Arabia
  • United States
  • Israel

Most Read

Syria demands 1/3 of Golan, Lebanese areas for 'Israel' peace deal

Syria demands 1/3 of Golan, Lebanese areas for 'Israel' normalization

  • MENA
  • 4 Jul 2025
Al-Qassam hits IOF groupings in Khan Younis; ‘tough incident’ reported

3 Israeli soldiers killed by Resistance gunfire in south, north Gaza

  • Palestine
  • 4 Jul 2025
Concrete and rubble fall from a heavily damaged building as Israeli soldiers search for survivors in a residential area hit by a missile fired from Iran, near Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, Sunday, June 15, 2025 (AP)

'Israel' concealed damage inflicted by Iran in war, report finds

  • Politics
  • 5 Jul 2025
Yemeni air defenses repel substantial part of Israeli aggression

Yemeni air defenses confront Israeli aggression on Hodeidah

  • Politics
  • 7 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Big beautiful bill's ugly reality for American healthcare
US & Canada

'Big beautiful bill's' ugly reality for American healthcare

Ukrainian Forces struggle to hold Eastern front lines: NYT
Europe

Ukrainian forces struggle to hold eastern frontlines: NYT

Plan proposes transit camps for Gazans ahead of possible relocation
US & Canada

GHF proposed 'transit areas' plan prior to Gaza residents 'relocation'

Lavrov: IAEA will be held accountable for pre-strike Iran assessments
Europe

IAEA to be held accountable for pre-strike Iran assessments: Lavrov

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS