In the weeks afterward, however, it was revealed that the blockbuster sale was in fact "a bunch of letters of interest or intent," according to Bruce Riedel of the Brookings Institution. Between 2011 and 2015, Saudi Arabia was the destination for nearly 10% of all U.S. arms exports. The news of Riyadh wavering on the THAAD deal comes amid increasing scrutiny on Saudi Arabia over the disappearance and alleged killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. His current research includes regional security developments relating to Europe, Eurasia, and East Asia as well as U.S. foreign and defense policies, © Copyright 2020 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved, The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. Turkey has already bought the S-400, earning rebuke from the US Congress and creating concerns within the NATO alliance. When Turkey acquired the S-400, the White House immediately canceled plans to provide the NATO ally the premier U.S. F-35 strike fighter. They should also dissuade the Saudis from pursuing Putin’s poison pill of buying Russian surface-to-air missile system, the S-400. Richard Weitz is Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Political-Military Analysis at Hudson Institute. Countries should avoid such a perilous path. But Trump administration officials told The Post they worried the THAAD price would now increase as US willingness to agree to co-production provisions Saudi Arabia has requested in the contract will decrease. A bipartisan group of lawmakers voted Thursday to halt the Trump administration's push to circumvent Congress and expedite $8.1 billion in arms sales to Gulf countries by declaring an emergency. Perhaps more concerning for US officials is Saudi Arabia's continued interest in the Russian-made advanced S-400 air-defense system. While the Syrian opposition in Astana is represented by rebel fighters, the Saudi-Arabia High Negotiations Committee that represents the opposition in simultaneous peace talks in Geneva is formed mainly of politicians. The pair were reportedly detained in connection with a July 2016 coup attempt against Erdogan, according to local media and an official cited by Agence France-Presse. October 12, 2019 Topic: Security Region: Middle East. Indeed, the new S-400 may be substantially less effective than advertised. Saudi Arabia is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East. Iran and Saudi Arabia have fought proxy wars over influence in the Middle East for decades, but Iran's recent victories in Iraq and Syria may have tipped the competition in Tehran's favor, compelling Riyadh to position itself closer to the U.S.-Israeli alliance. The Saudis and other Gulf states have an urgent need for U.S. protection and cannot wait to assimilate complex Russian hardware and train their forces to use them. The Pentagon had made the correct decision in sending four 360-degree AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radars to bolster the Saudi air and missile defenses, along with another Patriot air defense system and U.S. support personnel. That year saw widespread gains by the Syrian military and its allies, who ultimately retook Aleppo, once Syria's most populous city and a commercial center, from rebels in December 2016. The new radars and Patriot, along with the Defense Department’s preparations to deploy additional defensive measures will help deter and defeat such destructive Iranian attacks. By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Business Insider Shortly after Russia's entrance into the Syrian conflict, a Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 that allegedly crossed into Turkish airspace near northern Syria in November 2015. Other countries, including Qatar, India, and Iraq are likewise reportedly considering purchasing Russia’s advanced surface-to-air interceptors. The Saudi monarch's landmark visit to Russia followed Putin's successful courting of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has also opposed Moscow's presence in Syria. The Pentagon insists that the sophisticated intelligence collection capabilities of the S-400 would endanger U.S. aviation systems to operate in its vicinity. ", "We believe that all the armaments we have from the Untied States of America are paid for. Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received his Russian counterpart in Ankara to boost relations, align their positions on Syria and secure a contract for the S-400 Triumf missile defense system. Russia Sells Military Weapons to Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Both Former Foes in Syria | World. "Saudi Arabia is set to intensify relations with Russia in all the spheres, including in the military field," said the Saudi top diplomat. Blog Brand: The Buzz Tags: Saudi Arabia Russia Arms Exports Missile Defense Qatar Saudi Arabia Should Be … Saudi Arabia's security forces have relied on U.S. equipment, training, and service support for decades, officially as a counterbalance to Iranian military influence in the region, and to help protect the Kingdom from extremist attacks. Russia is set to close major arms deals with two nations, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, once vehemently opposed to Moscow's presence in the Middle East. A map shows areas of control in Syria between August 30 and September 14. In a historic visit to Moscow, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday to discuss oil, Iran's growing sphere of influence in the Middle East and the ongoing conflict in Syria, in which Moscow and Riyadh back opposing factions. "I'm sure your visit will boost the ties between our countries.". "We aim to strengthen our relations in the interests of peace and security, in the interests of developing the world economy," Salman responded. Besides depriving a country of access to U.S. weapons, training, and other security benefits, buying Russian arms exposes a state to dire financial peril. "Like any military purchase," the official added, "there are negotiations happening which we hope will conclude in the quickest means possible.". Related: Russia, not the U.S., is now calling the shots in the Middle East with Iran and Iraq, "This is the first visit by a Saudi Arabian monarch in the history of our relations, and that in itself is a landmark event," Putin said, welcoming Salman in a grand ceremony, according to Al Jazeera. Turkey also joined Russia and Iran in establishing talks between the Syrian government and the opposition in Kazakhstan's capital city, Astana. "You will have some misunderstandings. The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act penalizes countries, corporations, and individuals that engage in “significant transactions” with Russia’s military-industrial complex. Now it seems that some of those deals remain up in the air, and the Saudis have their eyes on a rival's wares. Khashoggi went into the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul on Tuesday to get a document needed for his wedding and has not been seen since. Pool/Getty Images, "We hear the rumors about what happened," he said when asked about the missing journalist. India also recently agreed to buy the air-defense system during a summit earlier this month — a deal that raises the prospect of US sanctions on New Delhi. Russian defense technologies are incompatible with the U.S. weapons systems that preponderate in the arsenals of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and, increasingly, India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Swedish Defence Research Agency assesses the system’s effective range as only 20 km against low-flying missiles like those that attacked Saudi Arabia. "Intensive contacts are taking place between the military delegations and specialists from both countries and a wide range of intended types of armaments from Russia are being discussed, including Iskander missile systems," he added.