President Donald Trump signaled he won’t take strong action against Saudi Arabia or Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman for the death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khahoggi.
US-SAUDI ARABIA RELATIONS:
BUSINESS AS USUAL?
AN ANALYSIS POST THE DEATH OF JAMAL KHASHOGGI
BY RAPHAEL COHEN-ALMAGOR*
T
he murder of Jamal Khashoggi on 2 October 2018
caught the world media headlines. This was partly
due to the particular gruesome nature of the murder
and partly due to the fact that Khashoggi was a well-
known persona who published articles in some of the most
distinguished forums in the world, including the Washington
Post. Whether the murder will impact world politics or
change the nature of relations between countries is too early
to say. While I am hesitant to envisage the future, I am quite
comfortable refl ecting on the past. Here is what we learn
from history:
Leaders rarely act upon sentiments. By and large politics
is driven by interests. Long-term interests tend to trump gut-
reaction of revulsion.
Middle Eastern politics cannot and should not be judged
in accordance with Western values. Western yardsticks are
the wrong criteria to invoke for understanding the Middle
East.
America’s Middle East Policy
Let us examine what has guided American Middle East
policy. The US is always striving to translate its national
interest into specifi c objectives. It has developed a strategy to
link capabilities with goals. Its leaders undertook the requisite
actions while periodically reviewing and evaluating progress
toward achievement of the desired results. America’s main
foreign policy goals are security, economic prosperity, the
creation of a “better world” in accordance with American
interests while maintaining the world leadership. Specifi cally,
in the Middle East, the US strives to limit Russian infl uence;
restrain Iran; support Israel’s security; secure access to
Middle Eastern oil at a reasonable price; and sustain friendly
6 • Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 6 • Issue 10 • Oct-Nov 2018, Noida