Saudi Arabia is trying to strike a deal with the US that would force the US to protect the Islamic kingdom in the event of an attack. It looks like the talks between King Abdullah and Joe Biden, who will be visiting the Gulf region in July 2022, have been going on for a while.
In exchange for the US military’s protection, Saudi Arabia would be willing to soften up on Israel, even if Jerusalem won’t give Palestinians any rights.
The pact is likely to fall short of the NATO-style guarantee that was initially sought by the Crown Prince, but could mirror treaties Washington has with Asian states or Bahrain – where the US Navy Fifth Fleet is based.
Washington could also sweeten any deal by designating Saudi Arabia a Major Non-NATO Ally, a status already given to Israel, a US source told Reuters.
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