Soviet Perceptions Of The Oil Factor In U.s. Foreign Policy by Herbert L. Sawyer

Author:Herbert L. Sawyer [Sawyer, Herbert L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Europe, Former Soviet Republics, Russia & the Former Soviet Union, Political Science, General
ISBN: 9780865319820
Google: qA92AAAAMAAJ
Publisher: Avalon Publishing
Published: 1983-01-15T01:35:56+00:00

The United States and Saudi Arabia

As in the case of U.S.-Pakistani and Sino-American affairs, so too the interests of the United States and Saudi Arabia were not identical. However, the two countries obviously had some common goals, including limiting Soviet influence in the Middle East-Gulf region, and maintaining stability in the area. These interests led to a commitment by Washington and Riyadh to build up the Saudi military establishment.

Throughout most of the 1970s, the U.S.-Saudi military relationship was a growing one, both in magnitude and scope, especially intensifying after the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the 1973—1974 oil embargo. Between 1970 and 1978, U.S. military sales agreements with Saudi Arabia increased dramatically from something under $200 million in 1970 to $4.2 billion in 1978 (a 21-fold increase). The high point for the period was reached in 1976 when sales amounted to $5.8 billion, dropping sharply to $1.85 billion the following year, but then rising again to the $4.2 billion figure in 1978.127 The latter figure was doubled in 1981 by one arms agreement alone--the $8.5 billion combined airborne warning and control planes (AWACs) and F-15 enhancement package (missiles, extra fuel tanks, and tanker aircraft, all of which enhanced the capabilities of the F-15s), which the United States Senate refrained from rejecting by the narrow vote of 52 to 48. 128

Although during the 1970s the high point came in 1976, perhaps the most dramatic and significant development in the U.S.-Saudi arms relationship during the 1970-1978 period came in 1974. The value of arms agreements in that year was 2.5 times higher than in the previous year, representing the largest annual increase in the entire period. The significance of this development consisted not only in the magnitude of the percentage increase, but also in that such a large increase came in the year immediately following a war initiated by the Arabs. That fact, however, did not prevent Washington from concluding major arms agreements with a leading Arab nation, thereby underscoring the importance of Saudi Arabia for the United States. In terms of actual deliveries, the growth was steady throughout the entire period, increasing from $100 million in 1970 to $2.3 billion in 1978.129

As for the scope of the relationship, it was broad both in terms of the institutions involved and what was undertaken. Moreover, some of the equipment transferred, specifically military aircraft, was among the most advanced in the U.S. arsenal. As early as 1973, both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy were involved in an extensive program to strengthen Saudi defenses.130 in addition, in 1975 the Department of Defense (D.O.D.) contracted with a non-governmental corporation (the Vinell Corporation of Los Angeles) to train the Saudi National Guard.131 Also, in 1976 D.O.D. notified Congress that Saudi Arabia had contracted for a $1.6 billion construction, maintenance and training program, which represented the final phase of the Saudi Air Force modernization plan.132

Regarding the nature of some of the equipment, in 1973 Saudi Arabia requested F-4 fighter-bombers (Phantoms), which were the latest American aircraft available at the time.

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