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The Biden administration is entertaining the idea of pursuing a US-Saudi mutual defense pact. How does the prospect of risking lives for the Saudi monarchy sound?

by Branko Marcetic, Jacobin

Here’s a question.

Over just the past few years, the Saudi Arabian government has assassinated a Washington Post journalist and US resident; dragged the United States into a ghastly, years-long war on a neighboring country that has further shredded US global standing; and repeatedly humiliated and threatened the US president while cozying up to his leading global rivals — all while imposing Medieval levels of repression against women, homosexuals, and others, ramping up its execution of dissidents to new highs. Oh, and it’s also now beyond a shadow of a doubt that members of its government were directly complicit in the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, that killed three thousand people, the worst ever attack on US soil.

President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz bumps fist at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, on 15 July,2022.

In light of all this, should the United States:

a) find some way to punish the Saudi government?

b) distance itself from it while maintaining a working relationship out of necessity?

c) sign a mutual defense pact that would obligate US troops to kill and die on its behalf?

If you chose anything other than option c), congratulations, because you’re apparently better equipped to run US foreign policy than the people in charge.

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Militarism and Foreign Policy