Saudi Arabia’s Power Brokering

Echoing Brian Whitaker‘s discussion of Saudi Arabia’s intentions in condemning Syria earlier this week, F. Gregory Gause argues in Foreign Policy that it is incorrect to focus on the hypocrisy of Saudi Arabia condemning other authoritarian regimes in the region. He asserts, ”that is the wrong frame in which to understand Saudi Arabia’s regional policy during this time of Arab upheaval.” Rather, the Saudi King’s condemnation of leaders in Syria, Libya, and Yemen signifies the regional power struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran. And in this context, “the Saudi move against the Assad regime makes much more sense.” He continues, “the sectarian factor, never absent, is now becoming a more open element in the Saudi-Iranian rivalry,” and this should concern the United States. Yet Gause concludes that the recent condemnation of Syria places Saudi Arabia in agreement with the U.S., reflecting the fact that “the Saudi-U.S. relationship is complicated and changing, but it is hardly on the brink of divorce.”