Why are the US and Saudi Arabia allies?

[Red Velvet]

Main reason for almost everything in this world is Money. If people are doing something you don’t understand, it’s probably because it’s more lucrative to do so.

Saudi Arabia bows down to the US in so many ways, not only in regards political allignement but economic. They have huge reserves of oil, being a world reference on that, while historically pricing it only on US dollars, elevating the currency status and relevance.

In exchange for the subservience, US gives a blind eye to the fact it’s one of bloodiest dictatorships in the world and that doesn’t need democracy to be brought upon them lol.M

Do you think Saudi Arabia likes Israel for example? Or they just tend to become more quiet about their dislike and more neutral as time passes in order to please external interests and be in good terms with the US?

That’s why there isn’t pressure about major political stances of the Saudis, because that authoritarian regime is positive to US interests. The most pressure you can see is for slow “liberalization” (ex: more opening to female basic rights) pushed by the US in order for that alliance not ruin their reputation when it comes as the “pinacle of freedom exporting it to other places”.

Because it becomes an argument whenever the US position themselves against any other minor authoritarian country that isn’t even in the same level of Saudi Arabia using the same argument that it is for the sake of their people’s freedom and “for their own good”. Gives opening for people to question that authority of the US to dictate what is freedom and what isn’t: “But don’t you support Saudi Arabia? Then who are you to say who would be a better leader for Libya/Venezuela/Iran/etc?”

Look for the changes Saudis recently made in order to please the West and protect their regime. Neither Saudi Arabia or the United States care about that stuff, but you gotta maintain the appearances. And currently the relationship is mutually beneficial for both.

If Saudi Arabia ever rebelled against the empire like Iran or so, I don’t think they would have the resilience of blacklisted Iranians, for example. Because it’s far more easy for the western media to paint the Saudis as “evil enemies of liberal values” for all the reasons you already mentioned from the 9/11 to strong laws restricting individual freedoms.

History is also decisive. Look at the Cold War to have an idea. Saudi Arabia was aligned with the capitalist bloc, while Iran was aligned with the socialist one. A lot of the Saudi Arabia vs Iran rivalry is projected into western people’s minds not even being about the Middle East and its background, but as a proxy war between US vs USSR. So there’s also pride involved.

So, I would guess as main reasons:

1. Tons of Oil involved + Saudi Arabia economics being friendly and positive to US interests
2. Saudi Arabia subservience in regards regional politics of the Middle East
3. Historical ties from Cold War, in which Saudi Arabia was part of anti-communist bloc