Should the US drop Saudi-Arabia?

[politicus]

The Saudis tend to finance and/or back terrorists and radical Islamists, their whole social structure is anathema to freedom and they have horrible human rights record. The US alliance with the Saudis also prevents a normalisation of the relationship to Iran (also pretty horrible, but less so than the Saudis).

With growing US energy independence is it time to let go of the alliance with the worlds most corrupt and disgusting royal dynasty?

[King]

No. We're better off pretending to get along than officially fighting.

[dead0man]

Yes, of course.

[H. Ross Peron]

Yes, I'd rather we ally with a fellow Western Hemisphere democracy such as Venezuela for oil.

[PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald]

We should pursue regime change there and turn it into a democracy. That way we can have our cake and eat it too; we have a democratic ally and can still fight Iran.

[politicus]

We should pursue regime change there and turn it into a democracy. That way we can have our cake and eat it too; we have a democratic ally and can still fight Iran.

The sort of government you would get in a democratic Saudi-Arabia would be horrible.

[DINGO Joe]

No. We're better off pretending to get along than officially fighting.

As for oil, and US "independence", things are always more complicated than they seem

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/05/business/texas-refinery-is-saudi-foothold-in-us-market.html?pagewanted=all

[Antonio the Sixth]

Yes, of course.

[TDAS04]

Yes, of course.

[Indy Texas]

Yes, I'd rather we ally with a fellow Western Hemisphere democracy such as Venezuela for oil.

We already do.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

We should pursue regime change there and turn it into a democracy.

Sure, that would be easy.

[ingemann]

To the question: Seeing as Saudi Arabia is the most reliable and loyal ally of USA in the Middle East, I would say; No.

[Indy Texas]

To the question: Seeing as Saudi Arabia is the most reliable and loyal ally of USA in the Middle East, I would say; No.

?!?!

[AkSaber]

And the consequences of OPEC eliminating the petrodollar?

The needs of a U.S.--Saudi relationship is not a one-way street.

We should pursue regime change there and turn it into a democracy.

Sure, that would be easy.

But we'll be greeted as liberators.

[ingemann]

To the question: Seeing as Saudi Arabia is the most reliable and loyal ally of USA in the Middle East, I would say; No.

?!?!

It may seem weird, but if we look objective on the Middle East, SA are the country which have been most loyal to USA, they haven't sold American military secrets, technology or equitment to American enemies, they have in general supported American foreign policy objectives in the Middle East, and while private Saudi Arabians have supported anti-American terrorists, it's not the first time that an ally have looked the other way, while it's citizens have supported terrorism against their allies for political reason (see the support to IRA American by private American citizens).

[Bacon King]

To the question: Seeing as Saudi Arabia is the most reliable and loyal ally of USA in the Middle East, I would say; No.

?!?!

It may seem weird, but if we look objective on the Middle East, SA are the country which have been most loyal to USA, they haven't sold American military secrets, technology or equitment to American enemies, they have in general supported American foreign policy objectives in the Middle East, and while private Saudi Arabians have supported anti-American terrorists, it's not the first time that an ally have looked the other way, while it's citizens have supported terrorism against their allies for political reason (see the support to IRA American by private American citizens).

It's also worth pointing out that at least on unofficial channels the Saudis have a fairly strong working relationship Israel, mostly (if not entirely) due to their shared alliance with the United States

[DINGO Joe]

And the consequences of OPEC eliminating the petrodollar?

The needs of a U.S.--Saudi relationship is not a one-way street.

We should pursue regime change there and turn it into a democracy.

Sure, that would be easy.

But we'll be greeted as liberators.

Do Paulenites still speak of the petrodollar?  Is that still a thing?

[TNF]

Yes. We should remove all aid and support from the Saudi regime.

[AkSaber]

Do Paulenites still speak of the petrodollar?  Is that still a thing?

You make it sound like what OPEC does for the dollar is no big deal.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

America has never cared about alligning with oppressive regimes when it suited its interest.

Absolutist, Ancien-Regime France bought and paid for our Revolution with their last dime, litterally. Repressive Colonialist France and Great Britain as well as the Autocratic Russian Empire wore Germany down so the US could make the difference late in World War I. Stalinist USSR bought and paid for our victory over Nazi Germany with blood of 20 million Russians. Now we have Saudi Arabia serving our purposes in the Middle East.

When has America not relied on a repressive autocracy to help accomplish its major foreign policy objectives?

Should we drop Saudi-Arabia? Ah Yea. Will/Can we? No

Oftentimes foreign policy is not about what you want, or desire, but what you need.

[politicus]

Should we drop Saudi-Arabia? Ah Yea. Will/Can we? No

Oftentimes foreign policy is not about what you want, or desire, but what you need.

Whether the US really need Saudi Arabia was very much part of my OP. Its not nearly as self evident as it used to be, that the pros oughtweighs the cons regarding Saudi-Arabia.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

This is a pretty obvious yes.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Awful country, but they are a stabilizing influence overall in the region. Any replacement government would be horrible, most likely. So as long as Iran continues to be a threat, I can't endorse any change in our relations with the lesser evil of SA.

[Simfan34]

Yes. We should remove all aid and support from the Saudi regime.