Biden took office talking of his commitment to human rights and determination to turn MbS, as the crown prince is known, into a “pariah.” Now the administration is proposing to turn the U.S. military into a modern Janissary corps, a bodyguard for the thousands of royal princes who rule over their countrymen. It is well past time to stop deferring to the KSA.
For years American policymakers justified their fixation on the Mideast on the importance of protecting Israel and importing oil. Israel, however, has become a regional military superpower, threatened more by its brutal mistreatment of Palestinians and bitter internal political struggles than outside attack. The oil market has diversified, and supplies are limited mostly by American sanctions, which could be liberalized or lifted at any time. Terrorism is a problem of endless and disastrous U.S. military intervention. Growing Chinese and Russian activity in the region is a diplomatic challenge, not a threat warranting increased military commitments. Today, as my Cato Institute colleague Jon Hoffman explained, “What Washington needs from the region on” issues traditionally central to the Saudi relationship, most notably oil, stability, and terrorism, “is quite limited and simple to achieve.”
Any support for Riyadh is difficult to justify. Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s worst dictatorships. According to Freedom House, the Kingdom is more repressive than Russia, China, and Iran: “Saudi Arabia’s absolute monarchy restricts almost all political rights and civil liberties. No officials at the national level are elected. The regime relies on pervasive surveillance, the criminalization of dissent, appeals to sectarianism and ethnicity, and public spending supported by oil revenues to maintain power.” MbS’s misrule was highlighted by the gruesome murder and dismemberment of the journalistic critic Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. More than five years later, the official coverup continues.
Human Rights Watch observed, “Authorities conducted arrests of peaceful dissidents, public intellectuals, and human rights activists and sentenced people to decades‐long prison terms for posting on social media. Abusive practices in detention centers, including torture and mistreatment, prolonged arbitrary detention, and asset confiscation without any clear legal process, remain pervasive.” Saudi‐Americans also are targeted, suffering lengthy prison terms for opinions expressed while in the U.S. Despite the crown prince’s welcome social reform, activists remain at great risk. In late April 29‐year‐old Manahel al‐Otaibi was sentenced to prison for 11 years for “terrorist offenses,” meaning publicly supporting women’s rights.
However, the president has turned his paeans to democracy into so much hypocritical cant. Who can forget the Biden–MbS fist bump and the president’s ignominious plea for an increase in oil production? Then the crown prince contemptuously dismissed Biden’s embarrassing entreaty, demonstrating who is really in charge.
Now the administration is back with an even worse idea. If MbS would be so kind as to recognize Israel, the US would sell the Saudis nuclear technology and provide a security guarantee, sealed with American money and lives. The Saudi royals are used to farming out their dirty work to others. That, in their minds, includes defending the absolute monarchy with all its privileges and delights.
The much‐ballyhooed “Abraham Accords” are highlighted by recognition of Israel by three other monarchical dictatorships, Bahrain, Morocco, and United Arab Emirates, and promised recognition by Sudan’s military regime (which collapsed into civil war before doing so). Bizarrely, Washington had to purchase their assent. For instance, in Morocco’s case the U.S. endorsed Rabat’s seizure of Western Sahara and suppression of the Sahwari people, sacrificing important democratic values to advance Israel’s interests. If the accords were mutually beneficial as claimed, Washington could have promoted better regional relations without selling out American interests.