(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Michael Singh - Amid outrage over the Khashoggi assassination and concern over mounting humanitarian problems in Yemen, U.S. partnerships in the Gulf - and particularly the U.S.-Saudi relationship - has faced new scrutiny. In my view, it would be a serious mistake to jettison our partnership with Saudi Arabia or with our other Gulf allies. First, there is a defensive element to these alliances, in order to maintain influence over these states' choices, and to ensure they remain stable. Second, working through allies is the clearest way to secure our interests in the Middle East while shifting resources to other regions. Third, severing our partnerships in the region would force these states to look elsewhere for arms and other support, and increase the incentives for other external powers to deepen their involvement in the region. The writer, Managing Director of The Washington Institute, testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on February 6, 2019.
2019-02-08 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive