Security

The recent visit by the Saudi crown prince to Washington turbocharged prospects for U.S.-led mediation on Sudan, but the case for skepticism remains compelling.

The U.S.-Saudi deal prioritizes nuclear pragmatism, transparency, and U.S. oversight to preserve a critical strategic alliance and maintain technological preeminence in the face of escalating competition from Moscow and Beijing.

As the Gulf states pursue defense localization and seek to reduce dependence on the United States and Europe, Ankara offers cost-effective technology and a model of how to build capacity.

The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a joint declaration cementing U.S. interest in nuclear cooperation, but they have yet to settle the more divisive issues, mainly domestic enrichment.

The protracted presence of aircraft carrier strike groups has only partially restored U.S. deterrence and comes with significant economic and strategic costs.

Undersea cables are necessary for the rapid movement of information that the Gulf’s AI ambitions require, but they are uniquely vulnerable to disruption and sabotage.

Saudi Arabia seeks a U.S. security umbrella strong enough to deter Iran but a diplomatic posture measured enough to avoid provoking Iran unnecessarily.

Washington and Riyadh must decide whether confronting the domestic political challenges of testing the United States’ QME doctrine or seeking an off-ramp makes more sense.