US President Barack Obama plans to travel to Saudi Arabia in March on a mission to smooth tensions with Washington's main Arab ally over US policy on Iran's nuclear programme and the civil war in Syria, a newspaper reported.| They dissed a Congressional delegation on their visit; maybe the Saudis will let him meet with the lead janitor at the Ministry of Tourism. Hope somebody on the President's staff speaks Tagalog. |
| The man grew up in Indonesia; it's not that far away. |
"This is about a deteriorating relationship" and declining trust, said a senior Arab official in discussing the need for the summit, which was pulled together in recent days, the newspaper reported.
A White House spokeswoman declined to comment.
Relations have been tested on a number of fronts. Members of Saudi Arabia's ruling family threatened a rift with the United States to protest against perceived American inaction over Syria's civil war, which has killed more than 100,000 people, as well as the recent US outreach with Iran.
King Abdullah is also to use the meeting to question Obama on why he decided against airstrikes in Syria, which Saudi and other Arab officials believe strengthened Assad, the newspaper reported.
"The meeting in many ways will get back to basics," said a Saudi official briefed on the meetings, according the Wall Street Journal. "Why did Obama do it the way he did it?"
I suspect the language was a tad stronger than that.
US and other security officials said earlier this week that "moderate" Syrian rebel factions were receiving light arms supplied by the United States.
The Arab Spring as well as a November agreement between Iran and other world powers that curbs parts of Tehran's nuclear programme, has angered Saudi Arabia, along with other Arab states and Israel.
Obama's visit comes after a mission to Riyadh by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Jawn must've really grovelled to get his boss an appointment.