DID WE JUST PUSH SAUDI INTO CHINA'S ARMS?
So how did the President's speech go today?
For those who are his loyal followers, it was a brilliant speech.
For those that appose him, he abandoned Israel.
For the Arabs, it didn't go far enough.
For Israel, it was a betrayal.
So, did anything really change?
YES!
For the first time the US stated the policy of the US will be based on the 1967 borders concept!
For Israel, that is a monumental change that only adds to the mounting bad news of the past four months.
So, is this the story of the day?
NO!
The story of the day was the perception by Saudi and our other Gulf State allies the US is abandoning them as well.
Many in the US will see the US taking a ' case by case' attitude with the events in the Middle East.
That is not how our allies, both Arab and Israeli will see the 'new US policy'.
What Saudi and Israel both have in common is the perception they have been abandoned.
Again, as I have said for months now, perception is reality in the Middle East.
So, what does this mean to the US?
There can be a clear winner in this new policy shift.
The problem is, it is probably not the US or its Allies.
The winners could and probably will be China and Russia.
Yep!
Sound crazy?
It's not!
If Saudi feels abandon, they will do two things.
1. They will reach out for new strategic partners, and in fact they already have.
China.
2. They will begin to realize the US's new attitude of ' we should not lead the world' will mean one thing to them; "it's time to cowboy up"!
Saudi's defense appropriations' will go into overdrive.
Don't be shocked if Saudi gets into the Nuclear Weapons development business quick!
In their eyes, Ali knows ( Lord Knows) the US will not do anything to stop it.
So, was the President's speech a success or a failure?
Time will tell, but we live in very interesting times!
