The mutually agreed decision for US troops to be pulled out of Saudi Arabia almost entirely is a win-win situation for both Saudi Arabia and the United States.
When US troops poured into the Kingdom after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, they were welcomed because Saddam’s aggression was clearly against international law and all standards of morality adopted by the international community.
After Saddam had been kicked out of Kuwait, a small number of US forces remained in the Kingdom to enforce a “no-fly zone” over southern Iraq. Saddam had hurled abuse at the Gulf governments, and had even attacked Saudi Arabia with Scud missiles. In the immediate aftermath of the first Gulf War, although defeated, Saddam remained a highly unpredictable and therefore threatening presence in the region.
Twelve years on, and the second Gulf War is behind us. Saddam’s Baathist regime has been removed and Iraq has a new future. The threat to Saudi Arabia from the north has disappeared, as have the enforced “no-fly zones.” Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal had made it perfectly clear before the US-led attack on Iraq began that once the war was over the reason for the US military presence would be no more.
Saudi Arabia and the United States have more than 60 years of friendship and close political, military and economic cooperation, which has benefited both sides. Even the horrific terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 — which as Crown Prince Abdullah said had been orchestrated to try to drive a wedge between the two countries and their people — did not significantly affect the trust between both governments.
Saudi Arabia has changed dramatically during those 60 years but has proved that however dramatic and unforeseen that change may have been, the friendship with the US remains sound and sincere.
Now there is a new reality, and once again Saudi Arabia and the United States have carefully reassessed their alliance to ensure that it can be strengthened rather than weakened by events.
The ties between the two countries remain as close as ever, and in economic terms especially are set to grow dramatically in the coming years.
What the new reality proves is that whatever is going on in the world, however tumultuous relations between different countries may be, one thing can almost be taken for granted: That Saudi Arabia and the United States will face whatever challenges come their way together, and even when disagreements arise will address them head-on, fairly and honestly for their mutual benefit.
