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.



US Secretary of Energy Visits Saudi Arabia’s KAUST 

US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Minister of Energy and Chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz during the visit to KAUST. (SPA)
US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Minister of Energy and Chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz during the visit to KAUST. (SPA)
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US Secretary of Energy Visits Saudi Arabia’s KAUST 

US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Minister of Energy and Chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz during the visit to KAUST. (SPA)
US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Minister of Energy and Chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz during the visit to KAUST. (SPA)

US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright visited Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), where he was received by Minister of Energy and Chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, University President Edward Byrne, and senior officials, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

The delegation was briefed on KAUST’s research and innovation programs, its role in advancing a knowledge-based economy and addressing global challenges through science and technology, and key research projects and emerging technologies across multiple sectors, with particular focus on its contributions to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector and support for relevant national and global goals.

Under its “Accelerating Impact” strategy, KAUST aims to boost its position as a global innovation hub by advancing scientific research, fostering entrepreneurship, and building partnerships — including ongoing collaboration with international bodies such as the US Department of Energy — aimed at achieving sustainable progress in the fields of energy and science at both the national and global levels.

Wright’s visit to KAUST came during a four-day trip to Saudi Arabia aimed at exploring opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation across various areas of the energy sector.