The visit to Riyadh of US President Barack Obama on 20 April for a meeting with Saudi Arabian leader King Salman bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz Al Saud came amid suggestions that the relationship between the two countries is in crisis. Much has been made of comments made by Mr Obama in an interview with US magazine The Atlantic that suggested he considers Saudi Arabia to be a “free rider” in the relationship, while King Salman’s decision not to meet the American president when he touched down in Riyadh (he instead sent the governor of Riyadh to perform hand-shaking duties) was described by CNN as a “snub.”
Mr Obama’s comments provoked disbelief among foreign policy commentators that the president could so carelessly threaten the stability of US relations with a key ally. “The White House has been muttering dark things about the Saudis, and Obama made clear that he views Saudi Arabia’s role as an ally as a qualified one,” said Simon Henderson, a Gulf specialist at The Washington Institute. “Whether he manages to repair the damage remains to be seen.” (CONTINUED - 2367 WORDS)
