It is a real solar system, with the sun at the center and several small planets orbiting it. Except the central star is all green, decorated with a horizontal sword and white Arabic letters. The others show the colors of several flags: USA, China, Iran, Israel, Russia.
Saudi Arabia as the center and the other countries surrounding it, this is the very symbolic illustration chosen by Newsweek on the cover of its June 14 issue. “Sphere of Influence”, headlines the American weekly, which notes that Saudi Arabia, which is becoming increasingly powerful, “expanding its grip on the Middle East and beyond”.
She is “on the verge of being one of the decisive states in which the American election will be played out”, Note Newsweek in his article devoted to Biden’s bet to count on the Saudi prince “contain the conflict in the Middle East”. The country led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is now aware that the world is no longer only about the United States, and “seeks to forge stronger ties with other major powers, especially China and Russia, major rivals of the United States”.
A historic defense treaty
However, the uncertainty about the continuation of cooperation with Saudi Arabia raises serious questions about “leaving one of America’s most strategic footholds in the Middle East”. This divergence of interests was particularly highlighted under the Biden administration, which, when he was still a candidate, had committed to “treat Saudi Arabia as a pariah” and to make him pay the price for the murder of Saudi-American journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
But today, Mr. Biden “turning again to Riyadh for support” in connection with the war raging in the Gaza Strip continues Newsweek. An attempt at rapprochement confirmed by the proposal that the US has just made to Saudi Arabia: “historic defense treaty to promote normalization agreement with Israel”reports The Wall Street Journalwho also see “the mark of a remarkable turnaround for President Biden”.
In return for the obligation to defend them in case of attack, the Saudis “must give Americans access to their territory and airspace to protect regional partners”. The agreement also aims to bring Riyadh closer to Washington “bans China from building bases in the kingdom or pursuing security cooperation with Riyadh”.
With this agreement, the United States wants to allow Israeli leaders to normalize their relations with Saudi Arabia, a long-standing goal that would allow them to“be better accepted in the Arab and Muslim world”, notice it The Wall Street Journal. This pact would make Saudi Arabia “the only Arab state to have a formal defense agreement with the United States”, ends the daily life.
