In recent months, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has come under increasing pressure and criticism from the U.S. Congress and the British Parliament for its human rights abuses both at home and in the ongoing conflict in Yemen. Meanwhile, Saudi diplomats and leaders have worked tirelessly to improve relations with Russia, China, and other nations.
The significance of Saudi Arabia, a long-time U.S. ally, cozying up to countries that oppose not only U.S. but also Saudi interests in the Middle East, shows a bit of creative footwork from the oil-rich kingdom, as they seek to hedge their bets and build assurances away from their traditional allies.
“You have to realize that Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy is driven by complex factors,” Dr. Zubair Iqbal, an adjunct scholar with the Middle East Institute and an expert on Saudi Arabia, told ThinkProgress.
Saudi Arabia’s main concern is keeping control over the domestic situation, Iqbal said, adding, “That drives their foreign policy, and links to China, Japan, and Russia are all driven by that.”
But while Saudi is looking to improve relations with a number of international powers, analysts say that the U.S.-Saudi relationship won’t disintegrate anytime soon due to the unique nature of Saudi’s reliance on the United States - and the arms it provides.
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https://thinkprogress.org/saudi-arabia-is-making-new-allies-but-weapons-mean-the-u-s-relationship-is-irreplaceable-e46047e967fd#.yubadktgf
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