OPEC+ nations have decided that they would reduce the levels of oil production. This has resulted in many questions being raised about U.S. relations with other nations, especially in July President Biden visited Saudi Arabia. There have also been calls from congressional Democrats who are asking that the Washington-Riyadh alliance be reassessed, especially regarding weaponry and defense technology sales.
Human rights advocates have been very critical of the relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, especially following the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
The meeting in July between Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was seen as a necessary evil as they were hoping it would lead to larger oil output by OPEC. This would also help lower gas prices within the U.S.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the number two Democrat in the Senate, wrote in a tweet that from the questions relating to 9/11, to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, to now working with Russia to increase oil prices, the royal Saudi family has not been an ally to the nation and that it was time for their foreign policy to move forward without that alliance.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), also said that this was an attempt to increase gas prices and also noted that they should consider putting a stop to all military assistance to Saudi Arabia.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a vocal critic of Biden’s energy policies, told The Hill that critics of the Saudi government are “upset because having consciously made ourselves dependent upon them, they’re not bending to our will” despite Biden taking office “promising an adversarial relationship.”
During the campaign trail, Biden had been critical of Saudi Arabia and had pledged that there would not be any more backing for Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates in Yemen. However, in August they proceeded with the sale of $5 billion in arms to go to those two OPEX nations.
