Not an Enemy, Not Quite an Ally: America’s Reset with Saudi Arabia…and the Middle East

Last week, the Biden Administration released the official conclusion that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.  It also detailed a host of measures to penalize the Saudis.  Critics were unhappy there were no direct penalties for MBS.  But the administration made it clear to the Saudis that the free ride they were getting with Donald Trump was over.  Importantly, it all appeared to be part of a well-thought out broader Middle East policy that has regional analysts commenting that not only is Biden no Trump, he’s also learned the lessons of the Obama years and is approaching things differently–in a good way.  We discuss with Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Forty-Year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion and Collective Memory in the Middle East, Kori Schake of the American Enterprise Institute and David Sanger of the NY Times.  Join us.