IQ2 U.S."The Special U.S.-Saudi Relationship Has Outlived Its Usefulness" (Debate)

Over 70 years ago, in 1945, U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and King Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia met onboard the USS Quincy. A close relationship between the two countries has been maintained ever since, with oil and military and intelligence cooperation at its foundation. But the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. shale revolution, human rights concerns, and diverging interests in the Middle East, have all put strains on this relationship. And with the election of Donald Trump, it faces even more uncertainty. While Saudi Arabia welcomes a president who takes a harder line on Iran, what will be the repercussions of Trump’s temporary ban on the entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, several of which are Saudi allies? Has this special relationship outlived its usefulness, or is it too important to walk away from? Join KGOU this Sunday at noon foranother compelling debate from IQ2 U.S.