Saudi Arabia Expands Its Power As U.S. Influence Diminishes -- David Ignatius, Washington Post
Over this year of Arab Spring revolt, Saudi Arabia has increasingly replaced the United States as the key status-quo power in the Middle East — a role that seems likely to expand even more in coming years as the Saudis boost their military and economic spending.
Saudis describe the kingdom’s growing role as a reaction, in part, to the diminished clout of the United States. They still regard the U.S.- Saudi relationship as valuable, but it’s no longer seen as a guarantor of their security. For that, the Saudis have decided they must rely more on themselves — and, down the road, on a wider set of friends that includes their military partner, Pakistan, and their largest oil customer, China.
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My Comment: After the fall of their ally in Egypt (Mubarak), Saudi Arabia has clearly changed their approach on how they do businsess in the region .... and more specifically .... their relationship with the U.S.. With trillions in oil reserves and flushed bank accounts .... Saudi Arabia has the means to assert themselves more forcefully in the Middle East. But on the "how and who" they will engage with .... that is something that only time will tell.
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