Democrats Disagree Over Relationship with Saudi Arabia

US Representative Adam Smith (Reuters)
US Representative Adam Smith (Reuters)
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Democrats Disagree Over Relationship with Saudi Arabia

US Representative Adam Smith (Reuters)
US Representative Adam Smith (Reuters)

US Democratic Representatives have tackled the Saudi-US relationship, with Representative Adam Smith warning against launching vague and incomprehensible threats against Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said President Joe Biden is willing to begin reevaluating the US-Saudi ties after the Kingdom and its oil-exporting allies announced production cuts of two million barrels per day.

In statements to CNN, Smith stressed that it is necessary to understand how Saudi Arabia views the situation in Yemen, and Saudi officials felt that the US did not help them while they were being attacked.

He criticized the vague statements on the reassessment of US relations with Saudi Arabia, saying some are demanding a freeze, which he does not understand.

Smith was referring to the statements of the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Bob Menendez, who demanded a freeze of cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including arms sales.

He criticized the statements of Menendez - who is also a Democrat - saying they have no clear definition of the meaning of the freeze in relations, adding that suspension of arms sales would allow Saudi Arabia to have closer relationships with Russia and China.

Smith explained that if the US suspended the arms deal with Saudi Arabia, it would buy weapons from other countries, such as Russia and China, warning that Beijing might seize the opportunity to enter the largest market in the Middle East, which would constitute a big challenge for Washington.

In another interview with CNN, Kirby said about Saudi Arabia that “the President has been very clear that this is a relationship that the US needs to continue to reevaluate.”

"I think that is where he is, and he is willing to work with Congress to think through what that relationship ought to look like going forward," he said.

US observers described the Biden administration as "blundering," noting that it tries to escape crises by blaming other parties.

They indicated that Biden previously blamed the Russian President and the Russian-Ukrainian war for the rise in oil prices last summer, and now he blames Saudi Arabia.

They believe Biden is trying to deflect attention from criticism of his economic policies and push a massive financial aid package in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, in addition to the student debt relief, bringing the national debt to unprecedented levels, surpassing $31 trillion.



EU, Tunisia, Uzbekistan and Oman Condemn Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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EU, Tunisia, Uzbekistan and Oman Condemn Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

The European Union, Tunisia, Uzbekistan and Oman condemned recent Houthi militia attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, reaffirming their support for the Kingdom’s security and calling for an end to actions that threaten regional stability.

The European Union strongly condemned the attacks targeting the Kingdom, including the recent hostility that targeted Makkah, reaffirming its full solidarity with the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported Friday.

“The targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure is unacceptable,” the spokesperson of the European Union said in a statement. He warned that Houthi attacks undermine efforts to achieve a non-military solution to the conflict in Yemen and further increase threats to regional security.

The EU called on the Houthi militias to halt all military actions, reiterating its commitment to supporting the Yemeni people and government and working with the United Nations, regional partners, and the international community to reduce escalation and achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace in Yemen.

Tunisia, Uzbekistan and Oman also condemned the attacks considering them a threat to the Kingdom’s security and stability and a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

They expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia, affirming support for all efforts to safeguard its security and stability and ensure the freedom and safety of maritime navigation.


Turkish Defense Ministry: Ongoing Houthi Threat in Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Jeopardize Regional Security

Zeki Aktürk, Spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of Defense (Turkish Ministry of Defense)
Zeki Aktürk, Spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of Defense (Turkish Ministry of Defense)
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Turkish Defense Ministry: Ongoing Houthi Threat in Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Jeopardize Regional Security

Zeki Aktürk, Spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of Defense (Turkish Ministry of Defense)
Zeki Aktürk, Spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of Defense (Turkish Ministry of Defense)

The Turkish Ministry of Defense condemned last weekend’s attempt to target the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as Houthi actions that threaten regional stability, stressing the need to bring such attacks to an end as soon as possible.

"We condemn the drone attack that targeted Saudi Arabia last weekend and the actions carried out by the Houthis, and we emphasize the need to end such attempts that threaten regional stability as soon as possible”, Turkish Defense Ministry spokesperson Zeki Akturk said during the weekly press briefing held at the ministry’s headquarters in Ankara.

He added—according to Anadolu news agency—that "the ongoing Houthi threat in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab negatively affects not only regional security but also international maritime trade and global stability."


Saudi Minister of Interior Meets with Qatari Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz met with Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) of Qatar Sheik Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz met with Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) of Qatar Sheik Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. (SPA)
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Saudi Minister of Interior Meets with Qatari Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz met with Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) of Qatar Sheik Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz met with Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) of Qatar Sheik Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz met Thursday in Riyadh with Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) of Qatar Sheik Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Saudi Press Agency said.

The two officials reviewed security cooperation and coordination between the two brotherly countries, ways to strengthen them, and several issues of common interest.

Following the meeting, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud and Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad co-chaired the fourth meeting of the Security and Military Committee emanating from the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council.

At the outset of the meeting, the Saudi minister noted that the committee's meeting was held upon the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, in light of the distinguished relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

He noted that the agreements reached during the eighth meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council, held in Riyadh under the chairmanship of the Crown Prince and the Emir of Qatar, embody the deep-rooted historical ties between the two brotherly countries and support their cooperation in various fields, including security and military affairs.

He underscored the importance of doubling efforts and enhancing cooperation and coordination, particularly in addressing regional and international challenges, in a manner that contributes to achieving the aspirations of the two countries' leaderships and peoples for greater security, stability, and prosperity.