After the passing of the 9/11 legislation in the USA, the Saudis are the unhappiest allies the US has in the oil rich Middle East region. The US Senate passed the 9/11 bill irrespective of intense Saudi pressure. Americans may now take Saudi officials to court seeking punitive damages for the 9/11 attack. Fourteen out of seventeen hijackers who flew in the hijacked planes in an attack on Washington and New York were Saudi nationals. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always officially denied any involvement in the 9/11 attacks. However, the policies of the Saudi government are blamed primarily for the global spread of Islamic extremism by the west and in particular by the US. Saudi's brand of Wahabi fundamentalism is severely criticized by both the Muslim and the non Muslim world, for being instrumental in the spread of extremism and terrorism. Mega billion investments by the Saudi kingdom's elite were unable to influence the US decision to take them to task for 9/11. The general perception about the Arab elite is otherwise critically adverse in the western world due to their insolent behavior and at times criminal attitudes in brazen disregard of human rights.
On the other hand US is on its way to reintegrate Iran into the global community by lifting decades old economic sanctions on the country. Iran is also an oil and gas rich economy having the strategic potential to match the Saudi influence in the Middle East with western support.
Iran and Saudi Arabia are otherwise daggers drawn against each other. They are both sworn enemies, fighting a war of influence among themselves due to the Islamic sectarian division. Iran represents the Shia school of thought and maintains its clergy and holy sites while Saudi Arabia leads the Sunni sect of Islam also housing the common Islamic holy site of Kaaba. Both the countries in the Middle East have been involved in the age old battle of influence and leadership of the Middle East and Muslim world respectively.
Iran till date, after the Imam Khomeini led Islamic revolution, was in the bad books of the USA. Anti American sentiments run deep in the Persian society post revolution. However, there is a visible dissent in the modern Iranian society towards the anti American sentiments and favoritism towards western popular culture which is branded by America.
Saudi Arabia may be a trusted US ally in Middle Eastern region, but the anti American sentiments within the Saudi society run as deep as their Iranian adversaries, if not more.
It's a choice for the US policy makers to hold hands with the lesser of two evils, while USA is in the process of "strategic realignment" in the Middle East shifting her focus to Asia Pacific, which is the future of global economy. The USA requires a partner having maximum mutual interests in the Middle East to hold fort for them while they conduct the mentioned realignment.
The Iranians seem to be a more progressive and liberal society as compared to Saudi Arabia, but is it enough for the US to join hands with an old enemy and in the process antagonizing trusted partners in the Middle East?
The answer largely depends upon us, as to how the principle US Middle Eastern partner, Israel, views either Iran or Saudi as a US partner and about how much weight the Israeli recommendation carries for the US policy makers. The answer to later questions is quite simple, that Israel through its US Jewish lobbyists holds a certain iron grip on the US Middle Eastern policy. The tricky part is the earlier raised question as to how Israel would prefer either of the Middle Eastern giants to team up with the US in future, while the USA is looking to realign in the region which would definitely entail the reduction of a US military presence and more dependency on allies in the region. Israel on its own won't be able to sustain itself, let alone be able to police the entire volatile region for the US. Israel will have to make their recommendation soon to the US policy makers.
Iran has always been highly critical of Israel while her leaders like former President Ahmadinejad called for wiping out Israel from map of the world. But that's just politics and Israel is wise enough to analyze that. However, Israel-Iran troubles runs even deeper where Israel have been actively involved in sabotaging the Iranian nuclear program through its clandestine operations. Israel has been the most vocal opposition against the Iranian nuclear deal, lifting the economic embargo on the country. The US administration ignored the Israeli apprehensions surprising many around the globe. The same phenomenon gave way to the speculations that the USA, by bringing back Iran into the global fold. is looking for a strategic partner to replace Saudi Arabia in the Middle East.
Having said that, it is only pragmatic to refrain from concluding that the USA would dump Saudi for good. Firstly, Saudi Arabia still possess investments of over 70 billion dollars in the US economy. More importantly, the House of Saud that rules the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. holds extensive ties with the Israeli leadership. Reportedly, the current Saudi king, Salman, financed the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's election campaign with multi billion dollar donations. Netanyahu's severe criticism of the US over the Iran nuclear deal, is partly explained by the states circumstances.
Israel will never allow the US to form an alliance with Iran which could substitute Saudi Arabia. However, the US administration will diversify her strategic alliances in the Middle East for the best interests of America. It is evident after the rebuke to Israeli apprehensions against the Iran nuclear deal and lifting of sanctions against Iran. the US is surely looking for a new partnership with Iran in it's so called strategic realignment in the Middle East.
On one hand it would allow the US policy managers in the Middle East to put a leash on Saudi Arabia, while on the other, provide greater strategic leverage to project influence in the entire region, if Iran is willing to play ball. It is also in the Iranian interests to counter their arch rivals in the Middle East by at first affording maybe limited and hidden cooperation to the US, which may in later years bloom out to be a strategic partnership, proving beneficial for both countries.
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