Originally posted on The Middle East Monitor, March 12, 2021
Saudi Arabian Prince Abdul Rahman Bin Musaed Al-Saud said on Wednesday that the Kingdom has many alternatives to the United States for arms deals. He made his comment in an interview on official Saudi television.
Bin Musaed pointed out that the US is a strong country and a superpower, but there are a number of alternative sources for much of what Saudi Arabia needs. He cited examples in recent history when the Kingdom bought weapons from Britain and France because of US restrictions on arms sales to the government in Riyadh.
The Saudi prince, who currently holds no official government positions, downplayed the Biden administration’s positions towards his country. He attributed them to electoral promises made by President Joe Biden who will, he believes, soon abandon them just like his predecessors.
Washington halted arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in February over their role in the Yemen war.
