Obama in Saudi Arabia

In a few hours, President Barack Obama will arrive in Saudi Arabia to offer his condolences on the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, and to meet the king’s successor, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. While such a visit may be “protocol,” it is also a sign of the importance of the Saudi-American relationship at this pivotal moment and its perseverance amid the storms and changes encompassing the region.

Obama himself chose to visit Saudi Arabia instead of just sending his deputy, Joe Biden. By doing so, he interrupted his tour of India on Tuesday and decided to return via Riyadh.

The Saudi-American relationship has matured in the areas of defense, security and regional affairs during Obama’s presidency, despite the errors and disagreements that have sporadically tarnished it. One such error occurred when Obama first visited the kingdom toward the start of his term in 2009. During this visit, he asked King Abdullah to take steps to normalize relations with Israel. The American media relayed that the king answered by telling Obama that whoever asked him to make this suggestion was seeking to sabotage the American-Saudi relationship.

Saudi-Israel relations were not normalized, and over the years the setbacks in the peace process and worsening regional situation have changed young statesman Obama. His method of dealing with international leaders has improved. An equal and strategically necessary partnership is the most accurate way to describe relations between Washington and Riyadh. Today, this partnership involves unprecedented defense, security and regional cooperation in crises spanning the issues of Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Gulf security and combating nuclear proliferation.

One American official says that American-Saudi relations are at their best and praises Saudi Arabia for keeping the Gulf house in order and revitalizing the Gulf Cooperation Council. He also described the kingdom as a vital partner in the fight against the Islamic State. When Secretary of State John Kerry visited Saudi Arabia last Sept. 11 asking for help combating the Islamic State group, King Abdullah responded with a clear and frank commitment to the fight against terrorism, laying the foundations for a broad alliance against the Islamic State group and putting an end to a decade of marginalization in Iraq under Nouri al-Maliki.

American officials see Saudi Arabia as having the most important role, regionally and internationally, in combating the Islamic State group because of its political and religious influence. Current circumstances necessitate a close relationship between the two allies. A flurry of diplomatic activity between Washington and Riyadh preceded and followed Kerry’s visit, including visits to the American capital by prominent Saudi figures like Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, President of General Intelligence Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud and Minister of the National Guard Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah. From America’s side, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, chief counterterrorism advisor Lisa Monaco and chief negotiator with Iran Wendy Sherman all visited Saudi Arabia.

The term “friendship” does not convey the complete meaning of relations between the U.S. and the new leadership in Riyadh. King Salman’s relationship with Washington goes back more than four decades. The administration has dealt with him as governor of Riyadh who aided in the capital’s qualitative transition towards modernity, and then as a defense minister and a crown prince. Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, on the other hand, is an unwavering partner of Washington in the fight against terrorism. Washington holds him in high esteem and relies on his efforts when reviewing its regional policies from Syria to Yemen.

The meeting between Obama and King Salman will signal that the American-Saudi relationship has matured into a factor of regional stability. King Abdullah’s two-decade commitment to a strong partnership with the United States, despite differences in opinion on issues like the Iraq war, has guaranteed that the two allies will continue working together to establish a regional order that will stop the spread of militias and end the state of fragmentation in the Near East.