When King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia visited President Barack Obama Tuesday at the White House, the American president met with a world leader who is of consequence on the global scene. Whether the challenge is climate change, homelessness resulting from man-made and natural disasters, the fight against religious extremism, a just resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict or stabilizing crude oil prices, King Abdullah has offered his out-stretched hand of partnership to the world. President Obama should reach out to the reform-minded King and form a new partnership with the Saudi monarch that takes into account the new challenges of the 21st century. King Abdullah can be a true partner for President Obama because this popular Saudi monarch has those rare qualities sorely missing in today's leaders: honesty and reliability. King Abdullah says what he means and means what he says. For example, on the issue of good governance within the Arab world, he does not shy away from telling his fellow Arab leaders about their shortcomings because he is viewed as the wise elder-statesman of the Muslim world. On Feb. 14, 1945, President Roosevelt laid the foundations of US-Saudi relations with King Abdullah's father, King Abdul Aziz, on board the USS Quincy. That relationship was — for the most part — based on energy and security. Saudi Arabia would provide an uninterrupted flow of crude oil to the US while America's security umbrella would guarantee the security of Saudi Arabia. Sixty-five years later the challenges facing both the US and Saudi Arabia require a new strategic bargain between Washington and Riyadh. While the presidents of the US, Russia and China wield tremendous military, political and economic power, King Abdullah can arguably play an equally significant, albeit different, role from President Obama, Russian President [Dmitry] Medvedev or Chinese President Hu Jintao. On at least four key issues King Abdullah wields more influence than China and Russia. First, a Marshall plan for Gaza and the West Bank. While much of the press has focused on the recent flotilla incident off the waters of Gaza, the broader issue is how the Gaza Strip can be decoupled from the terrorists of Hamas. In partnership with the US, the King can lead this Marshall plan (emaar-al-amal in Arabic, or the hope of rebuilding) that can be the prelude to the two-state solution envisioned by President Obama. Second, King Abdullah is committed to tackling the pressing issue of global climate change and has offered billions in research to help save our planet. The King views the challenge of global warming in the context of mankind's moral obligation to save the earth. It is no surprise that according to his daughter, the King's favorite music is the sound of rain. The King is an environmentalist at heart. President Obama cannot have a better partner than King Abdullah to tackle the scourge of carbon emissions. Third, fighting extremism and the cancer of religious inspired terrorism is something the Saudi monarch has no rival on the global stage. Shortly after becoming King, he delivered a speech in Makkah about his vision for the Muslim world: “Fanaticism and extremism cannot grow on an Earth whose soil is embedded in the spirit of tolerance, moderation and balance. Good governance can eliminate injustice, destitution and poverty.” While opponents — religious zealots with little or no education — use Islam as a tool to attack the West, King Abdullah believes that “We are progressives (taqaddumiyun) by virtue of our Islam”. In short, as the custodian of Islam's two holiest sites, the King has the religious authority to challenge the extremists within the Muslim world. Imagine for a moment what the consequences would be if, instead of King Abdullah, the Muslim world was led by [Iranian leader] Mahmoud Ahmadinejad when the Dutch cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad came out. Indeed, as Iran's despotic rulers create the arc of instability in the region, King Abdullah has created an arc of stability; one the American president would be wise to acknowledge, embrace and promote. Fourth, establishment of a rapid response force to respond immediately to natural disasters worldwide is a concern near and dear to the Saudi monarch. He sees homelessness as inexcusable, and here, too, President Obama can offer US logistical support in creating a Saudi-US joint disaster relief team to help victims around the world. Is Saudi Arabia a genuine democracy? No. Nonetheless, President Obama does not need a democratic Saudi Arabia to tackle some of the issues his partner can offer. While some may express frustration with the pace of the King's reform agenda, there is little doubt that it is anchored in a vision never before seen from the royal family. In recognition of the enormous potential a new strategic bargain between the US and Saudi Arabia offers, King Abdullah should be invited to lay out his vision of peace, stability and religious tolerance to a joint session of the US Congress. – SG * S. Rob Sobhani, Ph.D., is president of Caspian Energy Consulting and author of the book “King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia: A Leader of Consequence.” This is an edited version of the article reproduced from The Hill newspaper. __
