{"id":17102,"date":"2022-03-22T19:19:32","date_gmt":"2022-03-22T18:19:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/?p=17102"},"modified":"2022-03-22T19:19:44","modified_gmt":"2022-03-22T18:19:44","slug":"arabia-saudyjska-i-zea-odmawiaja-poparcia-usa-przeciwko-rosji-poniewaz-usa-odmawiaja-poparcia-ich-przeciwko-iranowi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/arabia-saudyjska-i-zea-odmawiaja-poparcia-usa-przeciwko-rosji-poniewaz-usa-odmawiaja-poparcia-ich-przeciwko-iranowi\/17102","title":{"rendered":"Arabia Saudyjska i ZEA odmawiaj\u0105 poparcia USA przeciwko Rosji, poniewa\u017c USA odmawiaj\u0105 poparcia ich przeciwko Iranowi"},"content":{"rendered":"

Od wybuchu kryzysu w Ukrainie ZEA i Arabia Saudyjska unika\u0142y zaj\u0119cia wyra\u017anego stanowiska w konflikcie i poparcia stanowiska USA, ich g\u0142\u00f3wnego sojusznika, jak mo\u017cna by\u0142o od nich oczekiwa\u0107. Oficjalne o\u015bwiadczenia wydane przez oba te kraje by\u0142y dyplomatycznie sformu\u0142owane i wzywa\u0142y obie strony do rozwi\u0105zania swoich r\u00f3\u017cnic przez dialog.<\/a>[1]<\/a>\u00a0To pow\u015bci\u0105gliwe stanowisko by\u0142o tak\u017ce widoczne w artyku\u0142ach redakcyjnych pa\u0144stwowych gazet w tych krajach, kt\u00f3re powstrzymywa\u0142y si\u0119 przed pot\u0119pieniem Rosji i jej dzia\u0142a\u0144. W miar\u0119 up\u0142ywu dni stawa\u0142o si\u0119 coraz ja\u015bniejsze, \u017ce te dwa kraje odmawia\u0142y pot\u0119pienia Rosji z powodu narastaj\u0105cych militarnych i ekonomicznych zwi\u0105zk\u00f3w z ni\u0105 i z powodu oceny, \u017ce Rosja prawdopodobnie stanie si\u0119 wybijaj\u0105cym si\u0119 mocarstwem w nowym porz\u0105dku \u015bwiata, kt\u00f3ry kszta\u0142tuje si\u0119 obecnie. Arabia Saudyjska i ZEA g\u0142osowa\u0142y za pot\u0119pieniem Rosji na Zgromadzeniu Og\u00f3lnym ONZ 2 marca 2022 r., ale ZEA wstrzyma\u0142y si\u0119 od g\u0142osu 25 lutego na Radzie Bezpiecze\u0144stwa, co widziano jako akt odmowy stani\u0119cia po stronie USA.<\/p>\n

Innym powodem stanowiska zaj\u0119tego przez te kraje jest fakt, \u017ce ich stosunki z administracj\u0105 prezydenta USA Joego Bidena by\u0142y napi\u0119te od pocz\u0105tku, podobnie jak ich stosunki z administracj\u0105 Obamy. Jest tak z powodu postawy Bidena wobec saudyjskiego nast\u0119pcy tronu, ksi\u0119cia Muhammada bin Salmana, a szczeg\u00f3lnie z powodu jego \u0142agodnej postawy wobec Iranu i jego stara\u0144 o podpisanie z Iranem nuklearnego porozumienia, podobnego do tego, kt\u00f3ry sformu\u0142owa\u0142a administracja Obamy w 2015 r. W miar\u0119 jak post\u0119powa\u0142y rozmowy nuklearne mi\u0119dzy Iranem a USA w Wiedniu i strony\u00a0 podobno zbli\u017ca\u0142y si\u0119 do zawarcia umowy, napi\u0119cia mi\u0119dzy USA a pa\u0144stwami Zatoki nieustannie wzrasta\u0142y. Faktycznie, Arabia Saudyjska i ZEA s\u0105 coraz bardziej rozczarowane USA, bo uwa\u017caj\u0105, \u017ce opu\u015bci\u0142y one swoich sojusznik\u00f3w i lekcewa\u017c\u0105 narastaj\u0105ce zagro\u017cenie dla nich ze strony Iranu.<\/p>\n

Widomym znakiem napi\u0119tych stosunk\u00f3w tych pa\u0144stw Zatoki z USA jest ich naleganie na zachowanie porozumienia mi\u0119dzy OPEC+ krajami (w\u015br\u00f3d kt\u00f3rych jest Rosja)<\/a>[2]<\/a>\u00a0oraz powstrzymanie si\u0119 przed zwi\u0119kszeniem produkcji ropy naftowej. To wywo\u0142uje niezadowolenie administracji USA, kt\u00f3ra chce, by zwi\u0119kszy\u0142y produkcj\u0119 w nadchodz\u0105cym okresie w celu zatrzymania wzrostu cen ropy, co szkodzi gospodarce USA i Europy.<\/a>[3]<\/a>\u00a0Gniew Arabii Saudyjskiej i ZEA na USA ujawni\u0142 si\u0119 3 marca 2022 r., kiedy ambasador Emirat\u00f3w w Waszyngtonie, Jousef Al-Otaiba, powiedzia\u0142 w niezwykle szczerej wypowiedzi, \u017ce USA i Arabia Saudyjska \u201eprzechodz\u0105 test stresu.”<\/a>[4]<\/a>\u00a0Tego samego dnia ameryka\u0144skie pismo \u201cAtlantic\u201d opublikowa\u0142o wywiad z saudyjskim nast\u0119pc\u0105 tronu, Muhammadem bin Salmanem, w kt\u00f3rym m\u00f3wi\u0142 on bardzo otwarcie o stosunkach swojego kraju z USA. Na przyk\u0142ad, powiedzia\u0142, \u017ce nie interesuje go opinia Bidena o nim i \u017ce nikt nie ma prawa ingerowa\u0107 w wewn\u0119trzne sprawy Arabii Saudyjskiej ani niczego jej dyktowa\u0107. Napomkn\u0105\u0142 r\u00f3wnie\u017c, \u017ce Arabia Saudyjska jest gotowa zredukowa\u0107 swoje zwi\u0105zki z USA i wzmocni\u0107 zamiast tego stosunki z Chinami.<\/a>[5]<\/a>\u00a0Napi\u0119cia wzros\u0142y 8 marca, kiedy poinformowano, \u017ce bin Salman i nast\u0119pca tronu ZEA, ksi\u0105\u017c\u0119 Muhammad bin Zajed, odm\u00f3wili zaakceptowania telefonu od Bidena o podniesieniu produkcji ropy naftowej.<\/a>[6]<\/a><\/p>\n

Doniesienia w kolejnych dniach wskazywa\u0142y na dalsze pogorszenie si\u0119 stosunk\u00f3w, 15 marca \u201eWall Street Journal\u201d donosi\u0142, \u017ce Arabia Saudyjska rozwa\u017ca akceptowaniu yuan\u00f3w zamiast dolar\u00f3w za niekt\u00f3re dostawy ropy naftowej, co wzmocni\u0142oby chi\u0144sk\u0105 walut\u0119 i podwa\u017cy\u0142o dominacj\u0119 dolara na globalnym rynku naftowym.<\/a>[7]<\/a>\u00a016 marca brytyjski premier Boris Johnson odwiedzi\u0142 Arabi\u0119 Saudyjsk\u0105 i ZEA w pr\u00f3bie przekonania ich do zwi\u0119kszenia produkcji ropy, by obni\u017cy\u0107 ceny. Dochodzi jednak wiele informacji, \u017ce ta wizyta nie by\u0142a sukcesem i oba kraje wyja\u015bni\u0142y, \u017ce b\u0119d\u0105 trzyma\u0107 si\u0119 porozumienia OPEC+.<\/a>[8]<\/a>\u00a0Dwa dni p\u00f3\u017aniej, 18 marca, syryjski prezydent Baszar Al-Assad z\u0142o\u017cy\u0142 oficjaln\u0105 wizyt\u0119 w ZEA i zosta\u0142 ciep\u0142o przyj\u0119ty. Uwa\u017ca si\u0119 t\u0119 wizyt\u0119 jako rodzaj wyzwania wobec USA, kt\u00f3re sprzeciwiaj\u0105 si\u0119 przywr\u00f3ceniu legitymacji Assadowi.<\/a>[9]<\/a>\u00a0Emiracka gazeta \u201cAl-Arab\u201d stwierdzi\u0142a, \u017ce przes\u0142aniem dla USA danym przez t\u0119 wizyt\u0119 jest, \u017ce ZEA formu\u0142uje swoje stanowisko w oparciu o w\u0142asne interesy bez brania pod uwag\u0119 opinii Ameryki, tak samo jak Ameryka zajmuje stanowisko w oparciu o w\u0142asne interesy i bez brania pod uwag\u0119 opinii ZEA.<\/a>[10]<\/a><\/p>\n

Arabski politolog i posta\u0107 medialna, 'Abd Al-Bari 'Atwan, redaktor gazety online Raialyoum.com, napisa\u0142, \u017ce ZEA i Arabia Saudyjska, g\u0142\u00f3wni sojusznicy Ameryki w Zatoce, zacz\u0119li buntowa\u0107 si\u0119 przeciwko jej hegemonii i stopniowo zbli\u017caj\u0105 si\u0119 do osi rosyjsko-chi\u0144skiej, kt\u00f3rej wp\u0142ywy rosn\u0105. Ich odmowa zaakceptowania telefon\u00f3w od Bidena, powiedzia\u0142, by\u0142a ni mniej ni wi\u0119cej jak \u201cpoliczkiem\u201d, co wskazuje, \u017ce te kraje \u201czacz\u0119\u0142y zrzuca\u0107 ameryka\u0144sk\u0105 szat\u0119 i opiera\u0107 swoje stosunki z supermocarstwami, a szczeg\u00f3lnie z USA, na zasadzie r\u00f3wno\u015bci i wzajemnego szacunku, zamiast podporz\u0105dkowania si\u0119 i poddania\u201d, jak by\u0142o dot\u0105d.<\/a>[11]<\/a><\/p>\n

Napi\u0119te stosunki tych dw\u00f3ch kraj\u00f3w z USA znalaz\u0142y tak\u017ce odzwierciedlenie w ich prasie. W artyku\u0142ach twierdzono, \u017ce ju\u017c od roku Ameryka jest wroga wobec Arabii Saudyjskiej i ZEA, i traktuje je z arogancj\u0105 i z\u0142o\u015bliwo\u015bci\u0105, i \u017ce te kraje nie s\u0105 sk\u0142onne d\u0142u\u017cej tego tolerowa\u0107. G\u0142\u00f3wnym powodem tych napi\u0119tych relacji i odmowy obu kraj\u00f3w stani\u0119cia po stronie USA w ukrai\u0144skim kryzysie, napisano w artyku\u0142ach, by\u0142o lekcewa\u017cenie przez Ameryk\u0119 narastaj\u0105cego zagro\u017cenia, jakie Iran stanowi dla ich bezpiecze\u0144stwa, i jej naleganie na kontynuowanie rozm\u00f3w, by odnowi\u0107 porozumienie nuklearne z Iranem mimo ich niepokoju. W artyku\u0142ach twierdzono nast\u0119pnie, \u017ce od kiedy Biden obj\u0105\u0142 urz\u0105d prezydenta, USA by\u0142y niepewne i ug\u0142askuj\u0105ce w swoich kontaktach z Iranem. Jako przyk\u0142ady wymieniaj\u0105 decyzj\u0119 odwo\u0142ania decyzji o okre\u015bleniu Hutich jako organizacji terrorystycznej, ignorowanie atak\u00f3w Hutich na Arabi\u0119 Saudyjsk\u0105 i ZEA, oraz anulowanie umowy o sprzeda\u017cy samolot\u00f3w F-35, obiecanych ZEA przez poprzedni\u0105 administracj\u0119.<\/p>\n

W \u015bwietle tego wszystkiego, napisano w artyku\u0142ach, Arabia Saudyjska i ZEA uwa\u017caj\u0105, \u017ce nie mog\u0105 d\u0142u\u017cej liczy\u0107 na USA i umieszcza\u0107 swoich interes\u00f3w i bezpiecze\u0144stwa w ich r\u0119kach, i zacz\u0119\u0142y rozwija\u0107 zamiast tego stosunki z Rosj\u0105 i Chinami. USA nie mog\u0105 oczekiwa\u0107, \u017ce b\u0119d\u0105 je popiera\u0107 i wr\u0119cz wezm\u0105 udzia\u0142 w ekonomicznej i dyplomatycznej wojnie Ameryki z Rosj\u0105, skoro Ameryka odmawia stani\u0119cia po ich stronie przeciwko gro\u017abie, jak\u0105 stanowi \u201cRosja tego regionu\u201d czyli Iran. „[Obrona] interes\u00f3w [sojusznik\u00f3w] musi by\u0107 wzajemna lub w og\u00f3le nie powinna istnie\u0107\u201d \u2013 napisano.<\/p>\n

[Ci\u0105g dalszy tekstu \u2013 fragmenty niekt\u00f3rych z tych artyku\u0142\u00f3w \u2013 nie jest spolszczony]<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The following are translated excerpts from some of these articles.<\/p>\n

Haitham Al-Zubaidi, Editor Of Emirati Daily\u00a0Al-Arab<\/em>: U.S. Expects Us To Support It When It Abandons Us And Is Hostile To Us<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a scathingly critical article published March 7, 2022, Haitham Al-Zubaidi, chief editor and board chairman of the London-based Emirati daily Al-Arab, stated that, after a year in which the U.S. pursued a hostile and arrogant policy towards Saudi Arabia and the UAE, these countries have now realized that the correct option is to ignore it. He wrote:<\/p>\n

„Abu Dhabi abstained from the [UN Security Council] vote on condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine\u2026 We do not know exactly how America reacted to the UAE’s position, but on Thursday morning [March 3], the statements of the Emirati ambassador in Washington, Yousef Al-Otaiba, were more than clear when he expressed the UAE’s displeasure with the Biden administration’s stance…<\/p>\n

„At [this] fateful historic juncture, the U.S. administration has decided to largely relinquish its responsibility in the Gulf\u2026 It not only took this position on Gulf security, but displayed hostility towards the influential Gulf countries, hostility that is a free [gift to] Iran and plays into its hands of this country, of the political Islam organizations and of their well-known supporters.<\/p>\n

„Later that day, the Saudi news agency published the transcript of the interview with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman\u2026 [It was] an honest interview with\u00a0The Atlantic<\/em>\u00a0magazine, [in which he] settled scores with the Biden administration\u2026<\/p>\n

„[The UAE and Saudi Arabia] are America’s two main allies in the region. A year ago the Biden administration launched a media attack against them, yet they remained silent. We all remember the show of force made by the administration in its early days when it published the intelligence report on the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.<\/p>\n

„With unusual naivete, the [U.S.] administration started to differentiate between two Saudi leaderships, maintaining contacts with King Salman bin 'Abd Al-’Aziz while ignoring Crown Prince Muhamad bin Salman. The Biden administration’s hostility towards the UAE was subtler, but what can it mean [when the U.S.]\u00a0 torpedoes a strategic deal like the F-35 jets deal, or removes the Houthis of the list of terrorist organizations? The UAE, [in response,] took measures and changed some of the parameters of its regional and international policy, adopting a 'zero problems’ [policy], with focus on a broad [perception of] Middle East security, in which Israel plays a role. Abu Dhabi [also] increased its openness towards China and Russia. When the U.S. went even further [in its hostility], we saw the UAE’s abstention [in the Security Council vote] and\u00a0 the blunt statements made by Ambassador Al-’Otaiba, one of the people most versed in the ins and outs of U.S.-Emirati relations.<\/p>\n

„The scathing tone taken by the Americans for a year, their irresponsible arrogance towards their allies, their unjustified rapprochement with Iran [in an effort] to renew the nuclear agreement [with it] [all] indicate a cooling of the relations. But the scathing tone was also accompanied by the feeble American position that the world is witnessing, [evident in] the Taliban’s entry into Kabul [last] summer even before the Americans left it. What we saw [there] was reminiscent of the humiliating [American] withdrawal from Saigon in the 1970s. And in the autumn, the crisis with Ukraine began to emerge\u2026<\/p>\n

„America’s weakness [in the Ukraine crisis] was reflected in its inability to present a military option to deter [Russia], but a more serious aspect of its helplessness was the loss of control over global energy prices. After the pathetic attempt to propose the fairytale of the Qatari alternative and claim that the gas provided by Doha would make up for [the loss of] the Russian gas, the market reacted to the war with a significant rise in the price of oil.<\/p>\n

„The American helplessness was [also] manifested in the inability to persuade OPEC+ to increase [oil] production. OPEC+ has become a coalition [of countries] that are furious with America’s policy and reject [its] pressures and extortion. It is a coalition that understands how weak the U.S. has become and that it would be a mistake to count on Washington as a deterrent power with effective influence in the Gulf or as a power that can scare the Russians in Europe.<\/p>\n

„The interview given by Prince Muhammad bin Salman to the\u00a0Atlantic<\/em>\u00a0magazine [caused] a furor because of the character and the implications of his statements. But the storm [it sparked] on the ground was simple and straightforward: [the price of] oil now stands at $120 [a barrel]\u2026<\/p>\n

„[Now] the scathing Washington is [suddenly] at a loss for words. It promised to release at least half of its Strategic Petroleum Reserves,<\/a>[12]<\/a>\u00a0yet prices went up rather than down. The intelligence report on the Khashoggi affair and the plans for expanding NATO into Ukraine carry a serious lesson for the U.S., namely that it cannot take a hostile position towards a country [i.e., Saudi Arabia] and then expect this country to bail it out by increasing its oil production. [Ensuring] the security of the Gulf is not compatible with appeasing Iran. The [2019] attack on Abqaiq [in Saudi Arabia] and the drone [attacks] on the UAE are examples [of this]\u2026<\/p>\n

„Biden served many years in Congress and eight years as vice president to Barack Obama. He has no shortage of experience and knowledge. Therefore, his position on the security of the Gulf, on Iran and on [matters of] energy cannot be explained as anything but a deliberate policy. This impression is what motivates the positions of Saudi Arabia and the UAE towards the present [U.S.] administration. This administration understands only the language of being ignored, a language [that says], 'I don’t care what Biden wants to know about me.’<\/a>[13]<\/a>\u00a0What the U.S. President needs to know is now conveyed to him through diplomatic messages in the Security Council and through indications like the amount of oil in the market, and its price. All other details are up to Moscow in Ukraine.”<\/a>[14]<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The
The West refuses to hear about „the crimes of the Iranian militias” (Al-Iqtisadiyya, Saudi Arabia, March 21, 2022)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Emirati Daily\u00a0Al-Khaleej<\/em>: U.S. Accuses Russia Of The Crimes It Commits Itself<\/strong><\/p>\n

An editorial of the Emirati state daily\u00a0Al-Khaleej<\/em>\u00a0accused the U.S. and the West of hypocrisy, saying that they denounce Russia for violating the sovereignty of Ukraine, while they themselves have often violated the sovereignty of other countries: „When the war broke out in Ukraine there was much talk about the violation of international law. Voices in the West spoke of this violation by Russia and of the need to punish it because its actions threatened global peace and security\u2026 These accusations are based on the claim that Russia violated the sovereignty of another country and declared war on it in contravention of the principles governing international relations\u2026<\/p>\n

„If sovereignty is a sacred right that constitutes the accepted foundation of international relations, and countries regard it as the basis for their mutual relations, as required by international law \u2013 and also by the UN Charter, which likewise emphasizes the principle of sovereign equality \u2013 then the [Western] superpowers [also] violate this principle, for their perception of international law is selective and arbitrary, and is determined by the interests of whichever country has the power\u2026<\/p>\n

„Even assuming that Russia did violate international law \u2013 despite the justifications it provided, which pertain to defending its national security, and despite the West’s disregard of its demands \u2013 [it must be said that] these [Western] countries have themselves violated and continue to violate international law and the sovereignty of other countries. They also keep silent about violations perpetrated by their friends and allies, and so the principle of sovereign equality collapses.<\/p>\n

„In this context we have the right to wonder: Where were international law and the principle of sovereign equality when the U.S. invaded Iraq and occupied it in 1993, destroyed its infrastructure, killed over a million Iraqis, sowed terror in the Arab region with no legal justification or international mandate, on the basis of false and misleading pretexts? Why did [the U.S.] occupy Afghanistan and ignite a war there that lasted 20 years? And before that, why did the war in Vietnam break out? Why was there an attempt to invade Cuba and why did [the U.S.] impose an embargo on it that continues to this day? Why were an embargo and sanctions imposed on Venezuela and other [countries]? Why was there a series of coups in many South American countries just because successive American administrations didn’t approve of their regimes? There are hundreds of other examples but no time or space to list them all.<\/p>\n

„The truth is that violations of international law are not limited to Russia, which, [moreover], explained its reasons [for invading Ukraine]. There are [additional] countries that do not feel obligated to respect the principles [of international law] in their international relations and believe they are entitled to impose their specific laws in accordance with their interests, however mistaken and baseless their excuses may be.”<\/a>[15]<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Biden
Biden tries to stop oil prices from soaring (Al-Arab, London, March 7, 2022)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Saudi Journalist: „When That Senile [President] Leaves The White House, The U.S. Will Rush To Restore Its Ties With Saudi Arabia”; We Are Strengthening Our Relations With Russia And China<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a March 11, 2022 column in the Saudi state daily 'Okaz, journalist Sa’ad Al-Sowayan referred to the blunt statements made by Crown Prince bin Salman about American-Saudi relations in his interview with\u00a0The Atlantic<\/em>. Al-Sowayan said that the message clearly conveyed in the interview was that Saudi Arabia would no longer tolerate American arrogance, and that there are alternatives to the kingdom’s relations with the U.S. He wrote: „What grabbed my attention [in bin Salman’s interview with\u00a0The Atlantic<\/em>] was his answers regarding Saudi Arabia’s relations with the U.S. and his own relationship with [President] Biden. These were forceful [statements], which clarified that Saudi Arabia has matured. It is no longer hostage to the Democrats’ arrogance and is not interested in relations with the U.S. if the latter is not prepared to treat it as an equal. Thanks to Vision 2030 and its implications, we are in a position to act freely in the international arena. Everyone has started courting us and wishes to strengthen relations with us. This interview will cause the Democrats to wring their hands in regret over the opportunities they missed [in the relations] with us. Saudi Arabia is no longer cowed by [the American] hostility\u2026<\/p>\n

„Biden must not be elected for another term in office, for he has simply neglected America’s interests. In fact, his foolish policy may prevent the Democrats from winning the presidency for decades to come. When that senile [president] leaves the White House, the U.S. will rush to restore its relations with Saudi Arabia, and at that point Saudi Arabia will be in a stronger position to determine the character of these relations.<\/p>\n

„Anyone who has been following the situation in the international arena in the last few years has noticed Saudi Arabia’s rapidly warming relations with Russia and China. The best thing about the relations with these two prominent countries is that their power is on the rise, and their relations with other [countries] are pragmatic, balanced and equal, based on shared interests. They do not try to impose their values and moral principles on others. Prince Muhammad [bin Salman] has hinted more than once that strengthening and developing the relations with these two powers, as alternative to the relations with the U.S., is certainly a viable option.<\/p>\n

„Saudi Arabia’s economic power, and the unity of the Saudi [people] around [bin Salman’s] leadership, widen [Saudi Arabia’s] options in the international arena, so much so that every country will be happy to form ties with it. The rapid development of culture and social openness in Saudi Arabia will stop anyone who from boasting about their values and behaviors and presenting them as proof of their social and cultural superiority over us.<\/p>\n

„I do not presume to set out Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy in this article; I leave this to the relevant authorities. But Saudi Arabia’s independent decision-making is important to me and to every Saudi citizen. I regard the Crown Prince’s latest interview as a strong indication that Saudi Arabia of the [2030] Vision refuses to be dictated to and that, from now on, we will not tolerate any kind of treatment but the treatment we deserve\u2026”<\/a>[16]<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong>Russian bear causes „Western influence” to erode (<\/em><\/strong>Al-Quds Al-Arabi<\/strong>, London, March 16, 2022)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lebanese Journalist In Saudi Daily: The Real Cold War Is Between U.S. And Its Allies; Allies’ Defense Of Each Other’s Interests Must Be Mutual, Or Should Not Exist At All<\/strong><\/p>\n

In two recent articles, Lebanese journalist Nadim Koteich, a columnist for the Saudi daily\u00a0Al-Sharq Al-Awsat<\/em>, explained that the UAE and Saudi Arabia feel the U.S. has abandoned them and cannot be relied upon, and have therefore turned to China and Russia. He even described the relations with the U.S. as a new cold war, and added that the U.S. cannot now expect these Gulf countries to support it in the Ukraine crisis. He wrote:<\/p>\n

„America’s traditional allies feel that [their] interests are being systematically ignored, and this makes them less willing to stand up as one and defend the interests of the U.S. There is no need to mention the security incidents and the strategic attacks on the interests of these countries, which were met with no more than condemnations on America’s part, or with cosmetic measures. This is where the real new cold war lies: between America and its allies, which are [now] ready and more willing to diversify their alliances and relations [with the powers] in the spheres of trade, economy and armament.<\/p>\n

„If the U.S. wants the Arab countries and Israel to firmly stand beside it and support its priorities and interests, it too must stand with them and support their priorities and interests. The main shared priority of these countries is a judicious handling of [the issue of] Iran’s nuclear program. As far as these countries are concerned, Iran is the Russia of the region, and it represents everything Russia represents for Europe and the U.S\u2026.<\/p>\n

„The Middle East has its own Russia. As long as the West is not party to [the efforts] to make Iran more rational, restrain its behavior and raise the price it must pay for its aggression, those who can now play a strategic role in resolving the West’s problems [i.e., Saudi Arabia and the UAE] will not stand by its side. That is the truth that emerges from the Ukraine crisis, which is reshaping the world, including the Middle East and its [foreign] relations\u2026”<\/a>[17]<\/a><\/p>\n

In another article, published on the Lebanese website Asasmedia.com, Koteich wrote in a similar vein: „’Simply, I do not care.’ This was Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s blunt response when\u00a0The<\/em>\u00a0Atlantic<\/em>\u00a0Editor[-in-Chief] Jeffrey Goldberg asked him whether Biden misunderstands something about him.\u00a0<\/a>[18]<\/a>\u00a0Regarding U.S.-Saudi relations, the Prince said, 'It’s a subject that depends on him [Biden]\u2026 It\u2019s up to him to think about the interests of America…Where is the potential in the world today? It’s in Saudi Arabia. And if you want to miss it, I believe other people in the East are going to be super happy.’ That’s what he said, clearly referring to the development of Saudi Arabia’s relations with China\u2026<\/p>\n

„The crisis of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shed additional light on the deep changes taking place in the region. The UAE, which has assumed the rotating presidency of the Security Council, chose to abstain from the vote rather than support the decision to condemn Russia\u2026 Saudi Arabia conveyed signals in its own way. Following a phone call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Saudi King Salman bin 'Abd Al-’Aziz on February 10, 2022, the official Saudi news agency SPA released a statement which deliberately clarified that King Salman had stressed [to Biden] 'the importance of maintaining the equilibrium and stability of the oil market,’ and noted the role of the agreement between OPEC+ and Russia, which he described as 'historic,’ while reemphasizing the need to preserve it. The meaning of this is that Saudi Arabia is unlikely to increase [oil] production in order to lower prices.<\/p>\n

„If there really is a [new] cold war, then it is between the U.S. and its allies in the Middle East, whose trust in the U.S. is eroding. In 1994, in accordance with the so-called Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine surrendered its nuclear arsenal of 1,800 warheads, in exchange for security assurances agreed upon by the U.S., Britain and Russia. What has happened to Ukraine proves\u2026 that whoever tries to cover himself in an American blanket remains naked, as the late Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak allegedly said once.<\/p>\n

„The countries of the region have already experienced what is happening in Ukraine. The administration of the previous president, Donald Trump, didn’t lift a finger after the Iranian attack on the Saudi Aramco [oil] facilities in Abqaiq. The U.S. believed that the attack was directed [solely] against Saudi Arabia, and not against the U.S. and its interests, while discarding all the principles of Western defense of the kingdom [that have been established] since the Quincy Agreement between [Saudi Arabia’s] founder, king 'Abd Al-’Aziz Al-Sa’ud and American president Franklin Roosevelt in 1945.<\/a>[19]<\/a>\u00a0The U.S. also met almost none of the demands [for security assistance] made by the UAE following the Houthi attack on it, but sufficed with almost symbolic gestures, for the [American] missile destroyer [USS Cole, which Biden deployed to the UAE], was in the area anyway, and the [American] F-22 jets were supposed to land in each of America’s ally countries in the region, such as Jordan and Israel, so diverting them to Al-Dhafra air base in Abu Dhabi was [just] a gesture\u2026<\/p>\n

„The decision-makers in Israel stress that the U.S. treats them like children when it comes to the issue of Iran’s nuclear [program], and tells them what it thinks Israel’s interest should be, in contradiction to their own opinion. The Emirati and Saudi position on the nuclear agreement that is about to be signed [with Iran] is no different from Israel’s, and the gist of that position is that Iran’s role in undermining [the stability of] the region and cultivating militias that are unrestrained by the sovereign [authorities] in the countries where they operate, is just as dangerous as the nuclear [issue], if not more so. Moreover, this position regarding the nuclear agreement intensified following Russia’s nuclear brinkmanship since its invasion of Ukraine\u2026<\/p>\n

„Since [the time of] the Obama administration, America’s relations with the Middle East have been suffering from a severe erosion of trust\u2026, which is likely to continue after Biden’s [term in office], for reasons having to do with the perception of the status and importance of the region for U.S. interests\u2026<\/p>\n

„The Ukraine crisis has presented the U.S. with the challenge of changing its attitude towards the region and has revealed how significant China and Russia have become in the considerations of [America’s] traditional allies\u2026 The region is saying out loud that the U.S. has no moral status that entitles it to make decisions on behalf of its allies, and no economic status that entitles it to drag the economies of its allies after its lead, beyond the fair rules of mutual [trade]. The region is also saying that, the moment the U.S. rashly withdrew from the Middle East, Russia and China became Middle Eastern countries on the military, security, technology and infrastructure levels. Saudi Arabia is saying loud and clear:\u00a0[<\/strong>allies’ defense of each other’s] interests must be mutual, or should not exist at all.”<\/a>[20]<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* H. Varulkar is Director of Research at MEMRI.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a>[1]<\/a>\u00a0Twitter.com\/AnwarGargashm February 27, 2022;\u00a0Al-Khaleej<\/em>\u00a0(UAE), February 26, 2022;\u00a0Al-Riyadh<\/em>\u00a0(Saudi Arabia), March 2, 2022;\u00a0Al-Sharq Al-Awsat<\/em>\u00a0(London), March 3, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[2]<\/a>\u00a0OPEC+ is an entity comprising the OPEC countries plus ten other oil-exporting countries, among them Russia.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[3]<\/a>\u00a0Al-Riyadh<\/em>\u00a0(Saudi Arabia), February 28, 2022;\u00a0Al-Sharq Al-Awsat<\/em>\u00a0(London), March 1, 3, 2022; Raialyoum.com, February 28, 2022, March 1, 2022; Twitter.com\/HESuhail, March 10, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[4]<\/a>\u00a0Reuters.com, March 3, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[5]<\/a>\u00a0For the interview, see\u00a0Saudi Gazette<\/em>\u00a0(Saudi Arabia), March 3, 2022;\u00a0The Atlantic<\/em>\u00a0(U.S.), March 3, 2022, MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 9822 \u2013\u00a0Saudi Dailies Publish Full Transcript Of Saudi Crown Prince Bin Salman’s Interview With 'The Atlantic’: Wahhabi Islam Is Not Synonymous With Saudi Arabia; Social And Cultural Reforms Serve Our Interest; We Oppose A Weak Nuclear Deal With Iran; Israel Is Not An Enemy<\/a>, March 11, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[6]<\/a>\u00a0The Wall Street Journal<\/em>\u00a0(U.S.), March 8, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[7]<\/a>\u00a0The Wall Street Journal<\/em>\u00a0(U.S.), March 15, 2022. It should be noted that the website independentarabia.com claimed the same day, citing a knowledgeable Saudi source, that the\u00a0Wall Street Journal<\/em>\u00a0report was false and that this option was never discussed.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[8]<\/a>\u00a0Elaph.com, March 15, 2022;\u00a0Al-Sharq Al-Awsat<\/em>\u00a0(London), March 16, 2022;\u00a0Al-Arab<\/em>\u00a0(London), March 16, 17, 2022; raialyoum.com, March 17, 19, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[9]<\/a>\u00a0U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Washington was \u201cprofoundly disappointed and troubled by this apparent attempt to legitimize Bashar al-Assad, who remains responsible and accountable for the death and suffering of countless Syrians, the displacement of more than half of the prewar Syrian population and the arbitrary detention and disappearance of over 150,000 Syrian men, women and children\u201d (The New York Times<\/em>, U.S., March 18, 2022). He added that the U.S. did not support attempts to re-legitimize Assad or attempts by others to normalize relations with him. Alhurra.com, March 19, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[10]<\/a>\u00a0Al-Arab<\/em>\u00a0(UAE),\u00a0Al-Watan<\/em>\u00a0(UAE), March 20, 2021.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[11]<\/a>\u00a0Raialyoum.com, March 9, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[12]<\/a>\u00a0Apparently a reference to statements made by U.S. President Joe Biden in a February 24, 2022 press conference, in which he announced that the U.S. was „actively working with countries around the world to evaluate a collective release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserves of major energy-consuming countries.” See Whitehouse.gov, February 24, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[13]<\/a>\u00a0A reference to a comment made by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman in his March 3, 2022 interview with\u00a0The Atlantic<\/em>. Asked whether Biden misunderstands something about him, he answered that he did not care.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[14]<\/a>\u00a0Al-Arab<\/em>\u00a0(London), March 7, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[15]<\/a>\u00a0Al-Khaleej<\/em>\u00a0(UAE), March 10, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[16]<\/a>\u00a0’Okaz<\/em>\u00a0(Saudi Arabia), March 9, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[17]<\/a>\u00a0Al-Sharq Al-Awsat<\/em>\u00a0(London), March 8, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[18]<\/a>\u00a0The Atlantic<\/em>\u00a0(U.S.), March 3, 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[19]<\/a>\u00a0A memorandum of understandings signed by the two leaders on board the USS Quincy in February 1945.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[20]<\/a>\u00a0Asasmedia.com, March 7, 2022.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Od wybuchu kryzysu w Ukrainie ZEA i Arabia Saudyjska unika\u0142y zaj\u0119cia wyra\u017anego stanowiska w konflikcie i poparcia stanowiska USA, ich g\u0142\u00f3wnego sojusznika, jak mo\u017cna by\u0142o od nich oczekiwa\u0107. Oficjalne o\u015bwiadczenia wydane przez oba te kraje by\u0142y dyplomatycznie sformu\u0142owane i wzywa\u0142y obie strony do rozwi\u0105zania swoich r\u00f3\u017cnic przez dialog.[1]\u00a0To pow\u015bci\u0105gliwe stanowisko by\u0142o tak\u017ce widoczne w artyku\u0142ach […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17103,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[824,826,835,837],"tags":[869,881,885],"class_list":["post-17102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-specjalne-komunikaty","category-arabia-saudyjska","category-archiwum","category-kraje","tag-iran","tag-usa","tag-arabia-saudyjska"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17102"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17102\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17106,"href":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17102\/revisions\/17106"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.memri.org\/polish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}