WASHINGTON–Ahead of President Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism, authored an op-ed for Foreign Policy to lay out why the United States needs to rethink its relationship with Saudi Arabia.

On the foreign policy establishment’s ill-conceived rationale for maintaining the status quo U.S.-Saudi relationship, Murphy said: “The foreign-policy consensus in Washington is that we should continue to ignore Saudi transgressions because of a presumed realpolitik—a strategic necessity to keep Saudi Arabia on our side. When the chips are down, the realists argue, we need Riyadh to pick us—and continue to supply oil at an affordable price for our economic well-being.”

“Well, since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, the chips have been undoubtedly and firmly down. And not only has Saudi Arabia failed to deliver—for all intents and purposes, it has picked the other guys,” Murphy added.

As oil and gas prices skyrocket, Murphy highlighted Saudi Arabia’s failure to expand oil production as a strategic decision: “[T]he United States has pleaded with Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies such as the United Arab Emirates to pump enough additional oil to significantly lower global prices and reduce Russia’s revenue for its brutal campaign in Ukraine. The government in Riyadh has refused over and over. Instead, it has kept production below capacity and prices high. And it’s not as if Riyadh is hard up for revenue. In the first quarter of 2022, Saudi Arabia reported a $15 billion government surplus and oil revenues 58 percent higher than during the same quarter last year.”

On President Biden’s trip, Murphy said: “If this trip is going to be worth it, the United States needs Saudi Arabia to make real commitments to improve its human rights record, provide justice for political dissenters and their families, and end the war in Yemen…Biden should make clear that without real commitments on these key issues, the United States’ willingness to continue as Saudi Arabia’s security partner is at risk. Because if nothing changes, we will continue to bear a significant moral and strategic cost for our close alliance with the kingdom while getting too little in return.”

Murphy concluded: “I sincerely hope the crown prince reverses course and decides to increase Saudi Arabia’s oil production to stabilize the global economy. His refusal to do so, and instead side with Russia at this defining moment, is just the latest reminder of the myriad ways that Saudi Arabia continues to operate against U.S. national interests. Often, Saudi and U.S. interests align. And when they do, we should be partners. But at this moment—in this national emergency—Saudi Arabia’s clear decision to choose our adversary over us is more than enough proof that our relationship must change.”

You can read the full op-ed here.

###