The U.S. Department of Defense, also known as the Pentagon, has ratified a substantial military sales package earmarked for Saudi Arabia, a deal valued at $500 million. This confirmation was made public by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the Pentagon’s subsidiary agency. In an official statement, the agency elucidated that the proposed deal is not just a testament to the military ties but would also “support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives” and “bolster Saudi Arabia’s capabilities against current and future threats.”
The deal comes amidst Washington’s sustained effort to facilitate normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammad bin Salman, recently shed light on this interwoven defense relationship in an interview with Fox News. He emphasized, “No one wishes to see Saudi Arabia shift its weaponry sources from the U.S. to another nation.” Further, he affirmed that the bonds of security between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are profound and that Saudi Arabia ranks among the top five buyers of American arms.
In a pivotal move in March 2022, the U.S. dispatched numerous Patriot air-defense system batteries to Saudi Arabia. This deployment aimed to deter the continued aerial offensives from the Yemeni group Ansar Allah.
The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials, reported that this dispatch was delayed due to extensive security protocols. Riyadh has consistently been vocal about its demand for the Patriot systems, especially against drone strikes and missile attacks orchestrated by the Houthi militants.
This development surfaces amidst reports suggesting a strategic recalibration of ties by the Biden administration towards Riyadh, prompted by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis and its consequent impact on global oil prices. The discord was palpable when Saudi Arabia seemed unresponsive to Biden’s call to increase oil production, against the backdrop of reduced U.S. security support in the Yemeni war.
Since President Joe Biden’s inauguration in January 2021, the strategic alliance between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia has been tested. Factors such as Riyadh’s human rights track record, especially in the context of the Yemen conflict and the 2018 assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, have strained ties. In a telling move in August 2021, the Biden administration reportedly withdrew several Patriot missile systems from the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
The path forward will require diplomatic finesse, but such defense deals underscore the enduring strategic importance of the Saudi-U.S. relationship.
