US-Saudi defence pact deepens geopolitical entanglement amid Yemen’s protracted humanitarian crisis and regional arms race escalation
Original framing: “Saudi Arabia, US review strategic defence cooperation” — Middle East Eye
The US-Saudi alliance has deep historical roots, beginning with the 1945 oil agreements that tied Saudi Arabia’s oil resources to US strategic interests. This partnership was formalised during the Cold War, when the US sought to counter Soviet influence in the Middle East by supporting authoritarian regimes like Saudi Arabia’s. The 1991 Gulf War and subsequent interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan further cemented this alliance, positioning Saudi Arabia as a key US proxy in the region. The current review of defence cooperation must be understood within this historical context, where the US has consistently prioritised its geopolitical interests over regional stability and humanitarian concerns. The framing of this alliance as a 'review' erases this history of intervention and proxy warfare.
The US-Saudi defence alliance is not merely a 'review' of strategic cooperation but a systemic enabler of Yemen’s humanitarian catastrophe and a driver of regional arms races, deeply rooted in Cold War geopolitics and sustained by Western militarism.
This partnership has historically served US imperial interests while legitimising Saudi Arabia’s authoritarian rule and aggressive interventions, all while obscuring the suffering of Yemeni civilians. Cross-cultural perspectives, such as those from African conflict resolution traditions or Indigenous peacebuilding practices, reveal that this alliance violates fundamental principles of communal harmony and restorative justice. The omission of marginalised voices—particularly Yemeni activists and scientists documenting the conflict’s devastation—reinforces a narrative that prioritises the interests of powerful states over human lives. Future modelling indicates that without radical diplomatic intervention, this alliance will continue to perpetuate cycles of violence, famine, and environmental degradation. Solutions must include immediate ceasefires, arms embargoes, inclusive Yemeni-led diplomacy, and restorative justice mechanisms to address the harm caused by decades of militarised geopolitics.