Saudi pivots from US

[Sheilbh]

But do you think the benefits of working together outweigh the costs of, say, the Saudis funding the jihadist extreme in Syria, Salafist parties throughout the Arab world and Salafist Mosques across the world? What were the benefits and were they really sufficient to outweigh those costs?

[Sheilbh]

The article mentions the Saudi rejection of a Security Council seat.  But there's more to that story.  Saudi Arabia wasn't merely offered that spot - they had lobbied for it for years.  They had extra diplomats in New York ready to take on those additional responsibilities.  But at the last moment they had new orders from Prince Bandar to turn down the seat.

Yeah. It was a really weird decision. Still not read an article that really explains what the Saudis were thinking with that.

[crazy canuck]

The article mentions the Saudi rejection of a Security Council seat.  But there's more to that story.  Saudi Arabia wasn't merely offered that spot - they had lobbied for it for years.  They had extra diplomats in New York ready to take on those additional responsibilities.  But at the last moment they had new orders from Prince Bandar to turn down the seat.

So this "pivot", together with rejecting the security council seat, sounds a lot like a carefully thought out plan, and more like a fit of pique.

Meh, sounds more like a kid who is upset he didnt get his own way and so wants to take the ball away so nobody else can play.

Problem for the kid is there are lots of balls and the kid can only play with this group of kids.

[derspiess]

Don't worry, Obama's got this.  He just needs to bow to the Saudi king again & all will be fixed.

Why would you worry at all? I mean do you think the US and Saudi growing apart is a good or a bad thing?

Saudi Arabia is the type of "ally" that you may not like a whole lot, but still benefit from.  I'm not a Euro, so I'm not seething with hatred over Saudi Arabia.  They're not perfect, and I'd love for us to be in a position where we didn't need them.  But I don't think we're energy independent enough just yet to break all ties with them.

[Queequeg]

But do you think the benefits of working together outweigh the costs of, say, the Saudis funding the jihadist extreme in Syria, Salafist parties throughout the Arab world and Salafist Mosques across the world? What were the benefits and were they really sufficient to outweigh those costs?

Honestly, I don't know how many decades they have of being able to afford their funding of international Salafism and 20% native workforce participation.  They'll be Ghana with Muslim Disneyworld in 4 decades. 

[crazy canuck]

Don't worry, Obama's got this.  He just needs to bow to the Saudi king again & all will be fixed.

Why would you worry at all? I mean do you think the US and Saudi growing apart is a good or a bad thing?

I'm not a Euro, so I'm not seething with hatred over Saudi Arabia.

You also the guy that was cheering for Syria back in the day until someone explained to you that you were being an idiot.

[derspiess]

You also the guy that was cheering for Syria back in the day until someone explained to you that you were being an idiot.

You mean when I was 8 years old?  Yeah, that was me

[crazy canuck]

You also the guy that was cheering for Syria back in the day until someone explained to you that you were being an idiot.

You mean when I was 8 years old?  Yeah, that was me

Most of us knew at the age of 8 who the bad guys in the world were.   Especially since, back then, there were only two sides

[Sheilbh]

Saudi Arabia is the type of "ally" that you may not like a whole lot, but still benefit from. 

What do you think are the benefits?

I don't know whether I think it would be a good or a bad thing, so I'm genuinely interested in what everyone thinks.

[CountDeMoney]

And perhaps a better question is who cares now that the West has more secure access to oil.

For now.

[garbon]

You also the guy that was cheering for Syria back in the day until someone explained to you that you were being an idiot.

You mean when I was 8 years old?  Yeah, that was me

Most of us knew at the age of 8 who the bad guys in the world were.   Especially since, back then, there were only two sides

I grew up in a one-sided era.

[mongers]

Don't worry, Obama's got this.  He just needs to bow to the Saudi king again & all will be fixed.

Why would you worry at all? I mean do you think the US and Saudi growing apart is a good or a bad thing?

Saudi Arabia is the type of "ally" that you may not like a whole lot, but still benefit from.  I'm not a Euro, so I'm not seething with hatred over Saudi Arabia.  They're not perfect, and I'd love for us to be in a position where we didn't need them.  But I don't think we're energy independent enough just yet to break all ties with them.

Leaving aside that Europeans get far more of their oil from Saudi than the US does, that an odd thing to say in the light of those 15 Saudis who attack the USA on 9/11, you guys really are remarkably tolerant.   

[derspiess]

Most of us knew at the age of 8 who the bad guys in the world were.   Especially since, back then, there were only two sides

I knew the Russians were the bad guys back then.  And according to my grandpa, the "Japs" were not to be trusted.  I think that was the extent of it for me when I was 8. 

[derspiess]

Leaving aside that Europeans get far more of their oil from Saudi than the US does, that an odd thing to say in the light of those 15 Saudis who attack the USA on 9/11, you guys really are remarkably tolerant.   

Either that, or you guys would cut of your nose to spite your face.

[derspiess]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2013/10/23/the-u-s-saudi-crackup-hits-a-dramatic-tipping-point/

For much of the past two years,  the closest thing the U.S. had to a back channel with Saudi Arabia was Tom Donilon, the national security adviser until last June. He traveled to the kingdom occasionally to pass private messages to Abdullah; those meetings didn't heal the wounds, but they at least staunched the bleeding. But Susan Rice, Donilon's successor, has not played a similar bridging role.

  No shit.