There’s no easy way to describe US-Saudi bilateral relations. In the
past, Riyadh used its relations with the US to push forward its regional
and global agenda. In return, the House
of Saud proved to be fairly beneficial to US special interests,
providing the American economy with cheap oil since the 1940s. In
addition, Saudi Arabia has played a pivotal role in the US fight against
communism, by assisting pro-American militants in Afghanistan in their
bid to overthrow the secular government, backed then by the Soviet
Union. However, this very assistance resulted in the rise of such groups
as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, leading to the tragic events of 9/11 in
New York and Washington.
