Article: Saudi Arabia tries to shed ‘pariah status,’ remaking itself as a key middleman in global conflicts
Saudi Arabia, according to this article, is attempting to reshape its image and place in the global arena to a state centred on diplomacy and entertainment. Riyadh does have a history with diplomacy as it has hosted talks in Geneva and critical negotiations between Russia and the US in regards to the 2 ½ war in Ukraine. Recently, this month in fact, Saudi Arabia hosted talks in Jeddah between the US and Ukraine in regards to resource access and overall military support. Overall, Saudi Arabia has established itself as a cornerstone for diplomacy in recent years, especially with its relationship to the US as Washington’s closest strategic gulf state ally. Other than diplomacy, the kingdom is revving up their entertainment sphere with sports and entertainment as it has hosted numerous international music artists to promote tourism. This strategic rebrand contrasts previous perceptions of the gulf state with the 2018 murder of an American Washington Post columnist, as well as its messy human rights track record in relation to women. Recent advancements have been made to increase their social mobility, such as allowing women to drive in 2018, but there’s a lot to be done to properly shed the state’s past. With Trump in office, it is clear relations with Saudi Arabia will be a lot closer than with previous democratic leaders, notably the strained relations under Obama. All of these initiatives for the state’s rebrand are under Mohammah Bin Salman’s Vision 2030 plan. One thing missing from Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 seems to be its emergence as a geopolitical power and possible regional superpower in the middle east. It is well known that Riyadh, despite its grandeur oil production and economic capabilities, has had a strong national interest of regional hegemony through military capabilities. Saudi Arabia, as a strong ally of the US, has relied on American foreign policy and security when dealing with the region’s conflicts. Under Trump 2nd term, however, it is clear that his motive of holding other states accountable and reducing American involvement internationally will also apply to Saudi Arabia. So as to not upset Trump and its relations with the US, especially considering the strained relations in recent years under Obama, I think it is essential for Saudi Arabia to start making good on Trump’s request and leaning in on its own militaristic development instead of relying on the US. Of course this will take time, and for Saudi Arabia to become mostly self sufficient militaristically, that isn’t a quick development in the slightest, but you can connect this back to how Trump urges European countries to pay their share in NATO. Overall, the US under Trump urging for states to become more self-sufficient in terms of their security is the beginning of a potential shift in the way the US has had its capabilities sprawled across the globe in previous decades. Overall, if Riyadh truly seeks regional dominance, it cannot keep looking for the US as its sole supporter, it’ll need to either ditch this Vision 2030 or have Vision 2030 encompass a much larger effort of military self sufficiency.