MENA regional integration is an important US national interest that will ensure stability in this part of the world and prevent the US from being drawn into a land war with Iran so as to prevent Iran from conquering the Arab world. MENA regional integration is both economic and defense-related. Economic integration is vital toContinue reading “MENA Regional Integration Will Ensure Peace, Stability, Deterrence and US Homeland Security”
Tag Archives: MBS
Deterring Iran is Imperative
The foreign policy of the Biden administration is improving over time as it is becoming increasingly hawkish. For a long time was America under President Joe Biden perceived by its foreign adversaries as ”weak”, yet no longer so. Openly sending a nuclear-armed submarine to the Persian Gulf was the right thing to do and immediatelyContinue reading “Deterring Iran is Imperative”
Saudi-Iranian Resumption of Diplomatic Relations are Good News
The Chinese-brokered agreement to resume normal diplomatic relations between Riyadh and Tehran means that an Iranian invasion of the KSA after Israel (and the US) neutralize the Iranian nuclear weapons program, is off the table and that is good news for the global economy. Yet, it does not mean that the threat of an IranianContinue reading “Saudi-Iranian Resumption of Diplomatic Relations are Good News”
Cutting the Gordian Knot
There are currently intense trilateral US-Saudi-Israeli negotiations aimed at reaching a peace agreement between Riyadh and Jerusalem. Riyadh has two demands – down from three. The KSA demands security guarantees from the US and that Washington helps Riyadh develop a domestic nuclear program, including indigenous uranium enrichment. MBS has apparently dropped the demand for USContinue reading “Cutting the Gordian Knot”
Human Rights Promotion in Saudi Arabia Doesn’t Serve American Interests
It is generally a truism that promotion of human rights serves American interests, but this is not always true everywhere. One place where this is usually not the case is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. What are the American interests in Saudi Arabia? 1) First, Riyadh controls the global price of oil and so irrespectiveContinue reading “Human Rights Promotion in Saudi Arabia Doesn’t Serve American Interests”
Israel Should Mediate Between KSA and USA
There are indications that there are negotiations between America and Saudi Arabia and so the question is what can be done to accelerate them? What are the stumbling blocks? The US government is likely making human rights related demands and MBS is probably reciprocating by lengthening his list of demands. The US government should considerContinue reading “Israel Should Mediate Between KSA and USA”
A Nucleus of a Middle Eastern Defense Alliance
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has made three demands from the US for making peace with Israel. Those are 1) a KSA-USA defense treaty, 2) NATO-level deliveries of weaponry and 3) what appears to be a demand to purchase the new small highly cost-effective nuclear power plants that are currently being developed inContinue reading “A Nucleus of a Middle Eastern Defense Alliance”
The New Israeli Government Represents an Opportunity for Peace
The Biden administration often repeats its commitment to resolving the Palestinian issue through an infamously failed formula which was always dead on arrival due to being founded on outright false premises constituting on the American side simply wishful thinking and refusal to learn from recent Israeli history. What is peculiar is that the Biden administrationContinue reading “The New Israeli Government Represents an Opportunity for Peace”
An Opportunity to Renew Confidence with Gulf Allies
After OPEC decided to decrease oil production quotas, the Biden administration determined to conduct a formal reassessment of the US relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. America in effect has no choice but to defend Gulf oil fields against Iran irrespective of what MBS does domestically and internationally and MBS knows it because theContinue reading “An Opportunity to Renew Confidence with Gulf Allies”
Biden has to Choose Between Iran and Saudi Arabia
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has had enough, he does not trust the United States in general and President Biden in particular and for good reasons. Three US presidents (Obama, Trump and Biden) have pursued American disengagement from the Middle East. Trump refrained from defending Saudi Arabia when it was attacked by Iran and MBSContinue reading “Biden has to Choose Between Iran and Saudi Arabia”
The US is to Blame for Failed Mideast Policy
Islamdom is America’s weak spot. George W. Bush tried to democratize Islamdom only to find out that the majority of the electorate in many Muslim nations votes Islamist, meaning that there are no prospects for democratization in many Muslim nations because the majority of the people wants totalitarianism. Yet, Bush’s democratization campaign resulted in theContinue reading “The US is to Blame for Failed Mideast Policy”
Enough Scapegoating MBS for US Policy Failure
It is rather well-known that there is no love lost between President Joe Biden and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. So let’s just try to analyze what led to the latest fallout in this utterly undiplomatic saga. MBS is leading the feminist revolution in Saudi Arabia and now there is another one playing out inContinue reading “Enough Scapegoating MBS for US Policy Failure”
Biden Needs to Reassess US Mideast Policy
President Biden is continuing his policy of indefinite nuclear talks with Tehran, refusing to activate Plan B until the very last moment, refusing to impose a no-fly zone in support of the emerging Iranian rebellion while failing or refusing to conclude a defense pact with Saudi Arabia. While visiting Jeddah did Biden claim that itContinue reading “Biden Needs to Reassess US Mideast Policy”
Washington Shouldn’t be Surprised
Washington is unpleasantly surprised over OPEC’s production cut and accuses the organization of aligning with Russia. However, President Biden has no reason to be surprised considering his own reckless policy of selling out GCC interests in the Iran nuclear talks. America is not behaving with self-respect let alone with respect for the interests of itsContinue reading “Washington Shouldn’t be Surprised”
KSA is Ready for Liberalization but not Democratization
Democratization is highly problematic in the Muslim world due to the popularity of Islamist movements. What is the point of democratizing and holding elections if this leads to Islamist totalitarians coming to power? Yet, democracy has proven possible to varying degrees in some Muslim nations. Saudi Arabia is the most conservative country in the MuslimContinue reading “KSA is Ready for Liberalization but not Democratization”
Undermining the KSA is not a US Interest
Are there currently negotiations underway for a KSA-USA defense pact? There are strong indications that this is indeed the case as this is very strongly in the interest of both nations, not to mention other regional nations. However, negotiations appear to be delayed by US human rights demands. The US needs to be cognizant thatContinue reading “Undermining the KSA is not a US Interest”
The Saudis are No Suckers
The US-Saudi relationship was always based on oil in return for security. There were those Americans who lately mistakenly presumed that the United States no longer needed Saudi Arabia. This is wrong. The US will need the KSA as a staging ground for any military action against Iran after Tehran lashes out against the outsideContinue reading “The Saudis are No Suckers”
The Case for a Grand Strategic Bargain Between the KSA and the USA
Everyone wants something in diplomacy and the way to get it is usually through rapprochement and emphasis on common interests. MBS is an unconventional leader with a special mind; as an autistic person I can appreciate that he thinks differently than most other players in the international community and is clearly resented and perhaps evenContinue reading “The Case for a Grand Strategic Bargain Between the KSA and the USA”
US-Saudi Defense Pact Will Enable US to Disengage from the Middle East
The US must make more demands from its allies around the world. They must invest far more in defense and engage more in collective security. In the case of the European Union they must build their own unified military capability to wean themselves off dependence on America. While the US needs to commit to defendContinue reading “US-Saudi Defense Pact Will Enable US to Disengage from the Middle East”
Rethinking the American-Saudi-Israeli Triangular Relationship
In a 2021 visit to Saudi Arabia by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud offered to fully normalize relations with Israel in return for advanced American weapons sales and a US-Saudi defense pact whereby the US would promise to defend the KSA in the event Saudi Arabia was invadedContinue reading “Rethinking the American-Saudi-Israeli Triangular Relationship”
The Beginning of a Long Relationship
The US-MBS relationship started off very warm under the Trump administration but soured when Joe Biden came to power in January 2021. Nevertheless, the Biden administration has learned its lesson that the KSA is an indispensable partner of the United States in the Middle East. The price being paid however is staggering with record highContinue reading “The Beginning of a Long Relationship”
The Saudi-Israeli Normalization Process
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has announced that there will be a long and incremental normalization process between Israel and Saudi Arabia. What does this mean? This most likely suggests a bottom-up approach with economic ties and military cooperation preceding diplomatic recognition. It also suggests a carefully calibrated American-Israeli-Saudi triangular relationship where American-Saudi relations areContinue reading “The Saudi-Israeli Normalization Process”
The United States Needs Saudi Arabia
The early assessment by the Biden administration that a return to the JCPOA could be taken for granted and that the US did not really need Saudi Arabia as an ally has been disproven by subsequent events. Iran is more aggressive than ever and Ali Khamenei is apparently grooming the arch-extremist president Ebrahim Raisi asContinue reading “The United States Needs Saudi Arabia”
Washington Needs to Mend Ties with Riyadh
In his last and successful presidential campaign candidate Biden promised to treat Saudi Arabia like a “pariah”. It is unclear whether there was a geopolitical calculus of unrealistically realigning with Iran or if there was simply no geopolitical calculus at all behind the “pariah” statement. The latter seems likely since Saudi Arabia has certainly notContinue reading “Washington Needs to Mend Ties with Riyadh”
Building the Regional Security Architecture Cannot Wait
The triangular relationship between the State of Israel, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America is essential for the emerging regional security architecture in the Middle East and Islamdom at large. Much is at stake, will Iran come to dominate the Middle East and Islamdom or will it not? All thisContinue reading “Building the Regional Security Architecture Cannot Wait”
The US Needs to Provide Incentives to Saudi Arabia
In 2021 Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman al-Saud made a generous offer to US National Security Advisory Jake Sullivan. MBS offered to normalize relations with Israel in return for a list of demands for so-called “incentives” (i.e. security guarantees and weapons sales). The Americans not only inexplicably turned down the generous offer but apparently rudelyContinue reading “The US Needs to Provide Incentives to Saudi Arabia”
Saudi Arabia is Indispensable to the New Regional Security Architecture
Iran is engaged in a concerted military expansion of its military assets in the Middle East, including missiles and drones. The State of Israel and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are the two most important pillars in the emerging new regional security architecture in the Middle East in particular and in Islamdom at large. Yet,Continue reading “Saudi Arabia is Indispensable to the New Regional Security Architecture”
MBS is Awaiting the Return of Trump
American-Saudi relations are in a state of deep freeze. Riyadh refuses to heed Washington’s appeals for increased oil production and MBS refuses to speak with Biden after the president recently ended his yearlong boycott against the crown prince. MBS has apparently concluded that Biden is an enemy of Saudi Arabia in all but name andContinue reading “MBS is Awaiting the Return of Trump”
What is the US Stratagem on Islamdom?
The Biden administration is convinced that it will succeed in concluding a nuclear agreement with Iran (I am skeptical, I don’t think the Iranians are interested other than playing for time) but what are the plans of the Biden administration for the period after a conclusion of an agreement? America’s allies in Islamdom worry thatContinue reading “What is the US Stratagem on Islamdom?”
Is MBS the Ataturk of Arabia?
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud (MBS) did not initiate the process of liberalization and secularization in Saudi Arabia but he has certainly spearheaded it. MBS has proceeded methodically in promoting a feminist agenda of enfranchising women in Saudi Arabia. He has been much maligned and has been accused of being a psychopath and abusingContinue reading “Is MBS the Ataturk of Arabia?”
MBS is Leading a Feminist Revolution
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud (a.k.a. MBS) is leading what can only be described as a feminist revolution. Women are rapidly being enfranchised in the desert kingdom and can now drive, do not have to cover their hair or faces and will at this pace within years have equal rights with men. OfContinue reading “MBS is Leading a Feminist Revolution”
Is America Planning to Disengage from Islamdom?
Middle Eastern governments are convinced that the Biden administration is intent on continuing the Trump administration policy of disengagement from Islamdom, yet the US government denies this. Who should we believe? Assuming that the governments of the region are correct in their unanimous assessment of US intentions, a plausible explanation would then be that theContinue reading “Is America Planning to Disengage from Islamdom?”
Is there a Wahhabi Deep State in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia was founded in 1744 based on an alliance between the House of Saud and the Wahhabi sect. After the KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) became an exporter of oil was this pact expressed in vast Saudi financial support for Islamist movements around the world. The ties between the Wahhabi sect and the HouseContinue reading “Is there a Wahhabi Deep State in Saudi Arabia?”
Imposing a No-Fly Zone over Iran
President Joe Biden continues the Trump administration policy of disengaging from Islamdom and outsourcing its superpower responsibilities to Israel by promoting Israeli normalization with nations of Islamdom. The US is engaged in intensive diplomatic efforts to persuade nations of Islamdom to normalize relations with Israel. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has already in principleContinue reading “Imposing a No-Fly Zone over Iran”
The Muslim Brotherhood Campaign Against Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has been liberalizing the country for over a decade and has ended its previous financial support for the Muslim Brotherhood worldwide which has been designated as a terrorist organization in Saudi Arabia. There is now even a beach on the Saudi Red Sea coast which permits bikinis. Women are allowed to drive, haveContinue reading “The Muslim Brotherhood Campaign Against Saudi Arabia”
The US Disengagement from the Middle East
The problem the US faces in the Middle East is fundamental lack of credibility. US allies do not believe in the US and Iran does not fear America. US rhetoric about “looking at other options” does not deter Iran nor does it impress US allies. After giving up Afghanistan does the US face a fundamentalContinue reading “The US Disengagement from the Middle East”
Advancing Israeli-Saudi Relations
A joint IDF-SDF military campaign in Syria and Lebanon will lead to Israel’s annexation of Median Jewish (Alawite and Druze) regions of Syria and Lebanon. This in turn will resolve the Palestinian question as the addition of 4 million Median Jews to Israel’s citizenry will demographically allow Israel to redeem and enfranchise the entire JudeaContinue reading “Advancing Israeli-Saudi Relations”
Glasnost in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has in recent years undergone a rapid process of liberalization, in particular relating to the status of women. Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has recently even allowed a mixed gender beach – which permits bikinis – in Jeddah at the Red Sea. At the same time is there an international organized campaign againstContinue reading “Glasnost in Saudi Arabia”
The Iranian Threat against Azerbaijan
The ongoing Iranian war games on the border with Azerbaijan illustrates the Iranian Neo-Safavid irredentist threat against the independent Republic of Azerbaijan. The excuse for the maneuvers is the Israeli security presence in Azerbaijan and the particularly close Azerbaijani-Israeli alliance. Would the Iranian military invade Azerbaijan in response to Israel’s destruction of Iran’s nuclear weaponsContinue reading “The Iranian Threat against Azerbaijan”
Aliyah Organization 