Saudi Arabia Archives - Page 9 of 22 - Foreign Policy In Focus

Does the Saudi Arms Deal Jeopardize Israel?

by Scott Charney | Mar 23, 2012

Israel has long been stronger militarily than its adversaries. This was actually true as early as Israel’s War of Independence in 1948. Since 1967, the United States has helped its ally maintain this edge. Today, thanks to a single significant arms sale, that may no longer be the case. Last December, the United States finalized a roughly $30 billion sale (part of a much larger package) of 84 F-15SA Strike Eagles to Saudi Arabia, along with upgrades to the Kingdom’s 70 existing Strike Eagles to bring them up to a comparable standard.

Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia: Real Muslims Don’t Tweet

by Paul Mutter | Feb 21, 2012

Even though one of his country’s princes is a major investor, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia has issued a fatwa against Twitter.

The Gulf Cooperative Council and the Arab Spring

by Ahmed Souaiaia | Dec 26, 2011

The Saudis in particular, and the other Gulf States in general, are fearful of two main threats, real or perceived. The first threat is Iran, which challenges their long-held religious and ethnic tenets. The second threat is the Arab Awakening, which challenges them ideologically and politically. The two threats seem to be connected now, and they will only be more so in the future. The Gulf State strategy seems to be based on the assumption that the stability of all Gulf regimes can only be disturbed by outside forces.

How Questioning the Saudi Regime’s Legitimacy Got Me Suspended by the National Press Club

by Sam Husseini | Nov 29, 2011

A substantial part of that re-invention is the capacity to ask tough questions of powerful officials.

U.S. Sends a Message to Iran With Arms Sales to Gulf States

by Paul Mutter | Nov 14, 2011

In 2010, the U.S. made its largest single arms sale ever: $60 billion worth to Saudi Arabia.

What War Between Iran and Saudi Arabia Might Look Like

by Scott Charney | Oct 16, 2011

The outcome of a war between Saudi Arabia and Iran might depend on who gets the most third-party assistance.

Saudis: “We’re Killing Too Many Civilians in Yemen? Then Give Us Drones”

by Paul Mutter | Sep 7, 2011

The Islamist specter in Yemen is driving cooperation between the U.S. and the Saudi government with its questionable human rights record.

The Saudi Counterrevolution

by Samer Araabi | Aug 24, 2011

Saudi Arabia has actively worked to encourage the forces of counter-revolution throughout the Middle East and North Africa. From Morocco to Bahrain, Saudi financing, support, and intelligence has sought to prevent political turmoil, reinforce existing dynasties, and crush nascent democratic movements before they could reach critical mass. This reactionary tide has been supported by some ideologues in Washington, who worry that Arab democratization would be detrimental to U.S. policy objectives.

Saudi Women Get Behind the Wheel

by Jessica Mack | Jul 13, 2011

Women in Saudi Arabia have long withstood extraordinary oppression – including male guardianship laws, prohibition of driving, and the lack of educational, economic, and political access – which they are working to dismantle. Earlier this year, social networking platforms served as a launch pad for the Saudi Women Revolution, which laid out a number of requests for increased freedom and rights – the right to drive among them.

Tracking the Saudi Arms Deal

by Anthony Newkirk | Jul 1, 2011

On May 19, President Barack Obama said that “extraordinary change” is sweeping the Middle East. But the president’s silence about signs of counter-revolution in the Middle East is deeply disturbing. This silence comes not just from the White House but also from the Republican and Democratic leaderships in Congress, and the mass media. There is a particularly deafening silence about the arms deal negotiated with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last year.