In an attempt to find concrete solutions to the ongoing conflicts in the region, the Kingdom has adopted a very different approach. It is using all possible means to check the situation. Saudi Arabia is not only making diplomatic efforts to resolve lingering regional issues but it is also using military option in Yemen to halt the march of anti-Arab and anti-Gulf forces.
Lately, a high-level Saudi delegation, headed by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, second deputy premier and minister of defense, visited important capitals.
The Saudi leadership is reading the chaotic international scene from a new perspective. When Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman came to power, it was clear that he was determined to assert the natural role of the Kingdom and fill in the power vacuum in the region following political changes in the Arab world in the wake of the so-called Arab Spring.
He was also determined to reshape the Kingdom’s relations with its historic allies, especially the US. But this wasn’t an easy mission.
The current US administration seems cautious in dealing with the conflicts in the region, following hard lessons from its involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. It also appears that the ongoing conflicts are serving the interests of only the arms manufacturers and dealers.
It is no secret that there are certain circles within the US administration, which in coordination with the Israeli government and the Zionist lobby, want these conflicts to continue indefinitely so that the countries in the region turn into failed states to be placed under mandate. Turkish President Recep Teyyip Erdogan has explicitly expressed similar fears in a recent statement.
Much has been said about the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the reasons for its defeat in Afghanistan. But the US administration did not learn from the Soviet experience and opted to invade Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. Then the US invaded Iraq under the false pretext of weapons of mass destruction, then they withdrew after destroying it economically, militarily and socially, and opened its doors to Iranian intervention. During the Cold War, the former Soviet Union helped in maintaining the balance of power in the world but it seems that the new Russia has been watching the US play the role of world police alone, and it is happy to see it sink in Afghanistan and elsewhere. The world had been under the impression that Russia had turned into a mere Third World country.
The reason for visiting Moscow was that Saudi Arabia wanted to tell the Russian leadership that it is aware of Russia’s problems and that the Kingdom could help them find a way out of them. The Kingdom also wanted to tell the Russians and other countries of the world that Saudi Arabia was a force to reckon with and the true leader of the Gulf region when it comes to countering threats from Iran and the terrorist organizations Tehran is supporting. Saudi Arabia has effectively conveyed a strong message to the world that it is prepared to cooperate with major world powers as equals, despite different political stands.
The visits came at a time when the Kingdom is leading a proactive air campaign in Yemen against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and forces of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Much has been said and written about the reasons behind the royal Saudi visit to Moscow and the initial agreements signed between the two countries including those related to investment, armament and nuclear reactors.
