As Trump and MBS meet, a longtime partnership faces new realities
Although MBS comes to Washington as head of government rather than head of state, Trump will receive him with the full ceremony of a state visit. This isn’t about nostalgia…
Why A US–Saudi Military Agreement Makes Strategic Sense
When Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman makes his official visit to Washington—expected in the coming weeks—it will offer both countries a moment to re-articulate a relationship that…
How MBS Transformed Saudi Arabia Over a Decade
In 2014 I wrote a book, “The Saudi Kingdom,” that was, frankly, pessimistic about Saudi Arabia’s long-term prospects. After decades under a geriatric leadership class that had done too little…
The world has one last chance to save the two-state solution
Formally backing a Palestinian state is no longer a symbolic gesture. It’s a strategic imperative. The world should wait no longer to formally recognize the State of Palestine. This is…
More Territory Won’t Bring Israel Security
Israel’s continued obsession with expansion stands in stark contrast to this reality. Its pursuit of more territory at the expense of the indigenous Palestinian population — cloaked in the language…
What Saudi Arabia Gained from Trump’s Visit
US President Donald Trump’s decision to make Riyadh his first foreign destination in his second term was not merely a gesture of diplomacy — it was a geopolitical statement. For…
President Trump’s Saudi Arabia trip sets up a strategic reset in the Middle East
As President Donald Trump returns to Riyadh for his second official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—once again choosing it as his first foreign destination in a new presidential…
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks to U.S President Joe Biden during the Jeddah Security and Development Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 16, 2022. (Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS)
Why Saudi Arabia matters more than ever to the US in a volatile Middle East
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the ultimate prize for those who want to topple the US-led order in Middle East To say that the Middle East is a volatile…
A new perspective on Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030
There is a certain amount of confusion among observers about Saudi economic strategy. We can gain clarity on this if we look at the many initiatives of Vision 2030 in…
The Question of Iran for Saudi Arabia
As Iran and Israel enter an era of direct confrontation, a lot of attention is now being paid to the position of Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf Cooperation Council…