Saudi crown prince’s interview with Fox shed light on many global issues 
In his brilliant interview with Fox News’ chief political correspondent Bret Baier on Sept. 21, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered a very important strategic perspective into a wide array of current events.
In brief, the crown prince showed himself to be a true global statesman, one who is able to provide solutions to the many issues of the modern world.
Anyone who watched or listened will understand that the crown prince has a great deal of wisdom when it comes to global policy. They would also reach the conclusion that Saudi Arabia is a regional power that acts in the interest of peace and stability in many parts of the globe.
The interview tackled a variety of topics, including Israel, 9/11, and Iran’s nuclear program.
Interestingly, the crown prince emphasized the centrality of Saudi Arabia in world politics. “Saudi Arabia is so big, I’m quite sure most any person in the world, directly or indirectly, will have something to do with Saudi Arabia,” he said.
He also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s national energy strategy and how he is shielding his country from the unpredictable shifts in global energy markets by maintaining a level of production sufficient to meet the global demand for oil at present and in the near future.
This part of the interview is of utmost importance to the American taxpayer because it affects the US economy, and, consequently, will have implications for the 2024 US presidential elections.
The crown prince was very firm when denouncing the claim that Saudi Arabia facilitated the attack on New York on Sept. 11, 2001. He explained that Saudi Arabia has been the victim of multiple terrorist acts, and dismissed any relationship between the Kingdom and Osama Bin Laden.
“After killing Saudis and foreigners at that time in Saudi Arabia, he’s our enemy and he’s the American enemy,” he said.
The crown prince showed a lot of heart in his thoughtful discourse on Iran when he said that the world must not witness “another Hiroshima.” He made it clear that Iran’s nuclear program is an urgent strategic issue for foreign policy makers in all countries of the world. Regarding the potential threat of Iran gaining a nuclear weapon, he stated that, in such a case, Saudi Arabia would also “have to get one, for security reasons, for balancing power.”
He continued: “We are concerned if any country gets a nuclear weapon: that’s a bad move.”
It seems the Biden administration is indirectly trying to resurrect the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — as illustrated by the fact that it allowed Iran the Special Drawing Rights to around $6 billion in frozen assets for humanitarian purposes following the release of five Americans hostages. The crown prince said that this was a positive step and expressed his hope that Iran would use the money for good.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also highlighted the positive changes happening in Saudi Arabia, heaping praise on the growth of sports in the Kingdom — which he said was an important factor in the growth of Gross Domestic Product — and ruling out any sports-washing schemes.
In assessing this critical interview, any political analyst can confidently state that the crown prince galvanized the foreign policy debate inside the US with his honest and open discourse.
He displayed genuine concern for global politics. He loathes any element of instability in any country. He wants to establish a system of preventive diplomacy to preempt global political challenges.
Looking at the interview from the point of view of a media professional, the crown prince was able to handle and diffuse some tough questions, illustrating on numerous occasions that Saudi Arabia is able to deliver on its promises.
His appearance in front of a huge American audience showed that he is well-suited to leading the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through his sound, smart judgement.
God bless you, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman!
• Faisal Al-Shammeri is a political analyst. X: @Mr_Alshammeri.
