Saudi-American relations 1968-78 : a study in ambiguity

Odah, OS

Abstract

The decade 1968-78 saw three major developments in
Middle East politics these were the Arab defeat in the
Six-Day War in 1967, the British withdrawal from East of
Suez in 1971 and the Yom Kippur War of 1973 These events
stimulated the United States increasingly to involve itself
in regional politics in an attempt to maintain stability
and continued access to oil As a major oil producer and
the one with the largest proven reserves, Saudi Arabia
sought to ensure its security by trading oil for American
assistance.. This thesis examines Saudi-United States
relations from the Six-Day War to the Camp David Agreement
of 1978 and the collapse of the Shah's regime in Iran and
concludes that Saudi Interests were not obtained but rather
those of the U.S.. secured. The thesis looks in particular
at Saudi security interests, American arms sales and the
political tensions produced by the pervasive Arab-Israeli
conflict. It draws extensively on official documentation in
both Arabic and English, while recognising the highly
personal nature of Saudi political reaction to the
constraints and opportunities of the period under review..
In the final analysis Saudi leaders paid a very high price
for a very limited commitment to their own security while
the U..S.. was able to maintain and enhance its political
commitment to the state of Israel.

Citation

Odah, O. Saudi-American relations 1968-78 : a study in ambiguity. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Aug 16, 2011
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 16, 2011
• Award Date: Jan 1, 1988