How do you feel about the US-Saudi "special relationship?"?

Question

Elaborated:
I studied International Politics in college and focused on the Middle East. I continue to read a lot of non-fiction books on the region and the relationship that exists betweent the US and Saudi is sickening. The US allows the Saudis to commit many atrcocities against it's own people and our citizens as well and there are underlying reasons for the US to turn a cheek.

Recently read books:
Jean Sasson's "Princess"
Patricia Roush's "At any Price: How American Betrayed my Kidnapped Daughters for Saudi Oil"

I'm not only referring to Saudi people. I'm also referring to American women, children, and workers/slaves who have been snubbed by our own government. We have turned our back on our own people as to not offend the Saudis.

Answer 1

I feel very special right now!!

Answer 2

Nothing personally - but it all seems a bit shady... What about this theory - If the Muslim countries are so Mad/Angry with the US about invading Iraq - and nicking the Oil - why doesnt the Oh So Powerful Saudis Jump in and say a few words against America, - Maybe the Saudis - (who's Royalty are Western Loving Playboys ) have a vested interest in taking control of the whole region.. along with the help of Uncle Sam - ofcourse.

Answer 3

UNCOMFORTABLE. This is a right and left issue. The Saudis have received these benefit's from us forever. This special relationship does have value but at the cost of hypocrisy. This angers many Muslim's. Hence the overwhelming majority of Saudis terrorists on 9/11. The Saudis better wake up as should we as Americana's as to economy VS. security. Whichever political machine that wields the power of America is afraid of losing that power by making tough decisions. Tough choices need to be made. It seems Bush is trying to address the issue by circumventing a major catalyst of the Muslim extremist problem. We want to have our cake and eat it all to ourselves it seems to me. Though BOTTLES has a very good point also.

Answer 4

We have so few Allies anywhere. On the surface, I am greatful that we can get a supply of something as chritical as oil.

Maybe I am naive or wrong. If you were to have a housing decline and an oil supply problem, at the same time, the US would be hit hard. I think the Saudis are OPEC, but they also keep it in line.

Answer 5

For decades, the United States and Saudi Arabia have been locked in a “harmony of interests.” America counted on the Saudis for cheap oil, political stability in the Middle East, and lucrative business relationships for the United States, while providing a voracious market for the kingdom’s vast oil reserves. With money and oil flowing freely between Washington and Riyadh, the United States has felt secure in its relationship with the Saudis and the ruling Al Sa’ud family. But the rot at the core of our “friendship” with the Saudis was dramatically revealed when it became apparent that fifteen of the nineteen September 11 hijackers proved to be Saudi citizens.

Saudi Arabia has bought and paid for all the White House and Congressional influence it needs. This is why the recently released 9-11 report contains no mention of the secret documentation of Saudi Arabian complicity in the terrorism that took 3,000 American lives. As Senator Shelby noted on PBS NewsHour recently (he has read the secret report), 93% of the blanked out pages, and specifically those on Saudi sponsorship of terrorism against America and other nations, is a "con man's" effort to avoid "embarrassment." As the families of the 9-11 victims have said, "we need to know." The US ruling circles preferred to ignore the Saudi hatred as long as they could share in the Saudi spoils. Now the lower and middle class soldiers are paying in blood to maintain the links between the US's upper classes, the Saudi ruling family, and oil money. The CIA was so neutered that it was incapable of penetrating the numerous organizations such as the Islamic Brotherhood and other predecessors, affiliates, and allies of al Qaeda.
We can't continue to have it all in the USA; cheap gas and oil, while sticking our heads in the sand when it comes to Saudi sponsored hate factories which turn out demented jihadists to commit acts of terrorism like 9/11, and thinking that somehow democracy is the answer to all of the problems just like we have funded in the name of fighting communism over the years. 9/11 is only the largest expression of the terrorists' hatred for us, but it is certainly not the last. If we continue our present policies of overlooking Saudi complicity in nurturing these organizations for the sake of the oil business then we should only expect further attacks on our soil and abroad.
Saudi Arabia is more and more an irrational state. a place that spawns global terrorism even as it succumbs to an ancient and deeply seated isolationism, a kingdom led by a royal family that can?t get out of the way of its own greed. Is this the fulcrum we want the global economy to balance on??

The ruling family funnels millions of dollars to the Wahhabis, the powerful Islamic sect that rules the Saudi street and teaches the most hateful & violent form of islam in Saudi schools*, to the Taliban and al Qaeda, both of which Saudi Arabia helped to underwrite; and to the Muslim Brotherhood, one of the most violent and hateful of the U.S. groups. Unfortunately this cancer is not bound to saudi, and with their help it has spread all over the muslim world as far flung as indonesia where the infamous "Jama-islamia" is operating.(The kind of "religious education" that is going on in Pakistan, Malaysia, and Indonesia are generously funded by the House of Saud, unfortunately, the very students trained at these schools now view the Saudi royal family's existence as contrary to what they have been taught. Just keep in mind that quite a number of al-Qaeda's operatives have been trained in Saudi-sponsored madrasahs). This is in order to dissuade them from overthrowing the monarchy--a protection scheme that is shaky at best, given the hatred most citizens feel for the ruling family and the U.S.

Answer 6

I think it is very dangerous, making a pack with the devil.
They are our friends because we get oil from them cheap.
As soon as Bushes secure their oil wells in Iraq, and we are sure of a cheap source of foreign oil, then when they bomb the USA, they will be in trouble. Right now they gave the USA and excuse to go into Iraq so now they are our friends.

Answer 7

2 dictators getting along just fine, so what else is new?

The US gets more oil from Canada than any other nation and we have the 2nd largest reserves in the world. The Bush family has a special relationship with the Saudi Royal family and the BinLaden Family.

Answer 8

THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE WORLD IF THE USA HELPS WE'RE WRONG AND IF WE DON'T HELP WE'RE WRONG. HOW IS IT THAT THE USA ALLOW THE SAUDI'S TO COMMIT CRIMES. WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHAT THE SAUDI'S DO WITH THEIR OWN PEOPLE. NOW SHOULD WE OPPOSE THE SAUDI'S IT WOULD BE ANOTHER WAR AND THE USA WOULD BE PERCEIVED AS THE BULLY. SOLVE YOUR OWN PROBLEMS LEAVE US OUT OF IT.

Answer 9

Don't like it and don't hate it . . .
Having served overseas in the U.S. Military, I'm aware that there are many unknown factors that play in decision making processes and they're not always or even usually .. Conspiratorial !!

There are many things the American public misjudges because of not having ALL the info in front of them .

Answer 10

Embarrased.

Answer 11

Certainly they have Good relationship between them and not interfering in each others business but transacting their business well.