Saudi Arabia's New Strategic Paradigm

The divergence in U.S. and Saudi interests that began with the events of 9/11 has reached a critical stage with the launching of the U.S.-Iranian diplomatic engagement. Saudi Arabia cannot accept a new regional landscape in which its archenemy, Iran, has more room to project power, so Riyadh is undergoing a doctrinal shift in its foreign policy behavior. As the world's largest exporter of crude oil, Saudi Arabia has always been a major global player, but it is only now assuming a foreign policy posture independent of Washington. Still, there are limits to how far the Saudis can go.