The Biden Administration has ended its talk of retaliation against Saudi Arabia for cutting oil output in defiance of American wishes, emphasizing the two countries’ long-standing security ties and Riyadh’s steps to back Washington’s priorities in Yemen and Ukraine. This comes months after the White House vowed to punish Saudi Arabia for their actions.
Officials now point to congressional measures seeking to limit future defense cooperation as the chief repercussion for the OPEC Plus cartel’s production decision in October, which the administration viewed as a potential boon for Russia’s war in Ukraine and a political blow to President Biden ahead of last year’s midterm elections. The about-face underscores the dearth of palatable options available to U.S. policymakers amid intensifying competition with Russia and China playing out in the Middle East and beyond.
Despite the intense strains, Saudi Arabia remains important to the United States, not just because of its massive oil reserves but also its vast influence across the Muslim world and its status as a top regional counterweight to U.S. adversary Iran. However, the administration faces continued pressure from Democratic allies who cite the OPEC decision as a reason to question Saudi Arabia’s reliability as an ally. Additionally, concerns have been raised over Saudi Arabia’s deepening ties with China, its poor record on human rights and political repression, and the actions of its de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom the U.S. government assesses was responsible for the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
