veteran’s corner    

Tom Krabbenhoft

The last 100 plus years oil has become as important as beans, bullets and bread in military planning. And it’s also the blood of any strong economic body.

Recently our President went to Saudi Arabia to ask, beg or negotiate for more oil production.

The Saudi/ US relations have plummeted. The dynamic of this friendship has had many twists and turns of late. FDR and the Saudi King Ibn Saud met on a navy ship the USS Quincy, on Valentine’s day in 1945.

FDR stopped on his way back from the historic Yalta conference where leaders of the free world carved up the lands in conflict to shape the future. He had a vision to realize US and Saudi relationships were vital to the US’s future. So much so FDR was very ill and he only had weeks to live when they met.

FDR and King Saud were cut from totally different clothes. FDR had traveled the world, had been elected four times to lead the most powerful nation in the world while spending his life negotiating.

The Saudi King had never been on a boat, never left the Saudi Empire except to visit Iraq once. He had fought for power his entire life. He was an absolute monarch, backed by Wahhabi clerics. He sent his two sons to the US in 1943 and they reported back that indeed the US was the most powerful country.

Although for the many disagreements the two polar opposites found much common ground. A Saudi, US oil and protection agreement was reached. This has been honored throughout the Saudi lineage and many US presidents. Presidents have always courted the Saudis.

This relationship has become icy. The Saudi government has lost power and prestige. This is due to other countries increased oil production. Financially with low prices and decreased production their economic strength has declined.

Many things have set this decline in motion. The Arab spring. The Arab was an attempt to bring freedoms to the Mideast. The long time leadership (Hosni Mubarak) in Egypt, Libya fell directly. A few other countries had ripple effects roll uncomfortably through. Saudi Arabia was one of these.

Our US, Saudi relationship is in need of a resetting.

My own interest in this region was sparked in 87. A Saudi Prince was coming to inspect and receive a briefing on a FISTV vehicle. He was very rude and arrogant and insisted they had dozens of them. (ITVs yes, FISTVs no). One soon finds out there are dozens if not hundreds of Saudi Princes.

I’ll write more about oil and the anniversary of the raid called Black Sunday.

Ideas, questions or comments contact me at 11btwk@gmail.com.