U.S.-Saudi Need to "Recalibrate" relationship, According to Saudi Intelligence Chief
PRINCE TURKI BIN FAISAL, FORM. SAUDI INTELLIGENCE CHIEF: There's going to have to be between us in Saudi Arabia and the ECC countries, a recalibration of our relationship with America. How far we can go with our dependence on America, how much can we rely on steadfastness from American leadership. And I don't think that we should expect any new president in America to go back to the, as I said, the yesteryear days when things were different.</s>ANDERSON: Well, Saudi Arabia's long-time intelligence chief and big political player, Prince Turki bin Faisal, telling CNN that the kingdom and United States will likely never go back to their ties of the past, his words coming just hours after the two countries' leaders met in Riyadh on Wednesday. Now, U.S. President Barack Obama wrapped up a summit with other Gulf leaders there a few hours ago. We were discussing this at the top of the hour. He encouraged them to do more to help stabilize the Middle East, but Mr. Obama was more abrupt in a recent interview with The Atlantic magazine saying, quote, "free riders aggravate me." That was taken as a reference to the Gulf and other nations for leaving Washington to pick up their slack when it comes to defense. Remember, these comments come as the plunging price of oil is throwing a wrench in the kingdom's finances. But they're also part of what some see as the American president's long-term shift away from Saudi Arabia, including what's perhaps been taken in Riyadh as the biggest insult of all, the nuclear deal with their main rival Iran. So, is this just a rough patch in a long marriage or more likely a breakup? Joining me now from Riyadh, Salman al-Asari is the founder of the Saudi-American Public Relations Affairs Committee. And in providence, Rhode Island for you this evening, former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Chas Freeman. Thank you, both, for joining us. Salman, let's begin with your reaction to Prince Turki's words there. Is he making too much of what's going on here? I mean you know, the fact is, both countries still do need each other, right?</s>SALMAN AL-ANSARI, SAUDI-AMERICAN PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Right. Hi, Becky and hi Charles and hi to all the viewers of CNN around the globe. I personally believe this summit where the GCC members and the GCC presidents have met Obama, I think it proves the fact and the reality that the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States have been and remain partners in stability, security, and growth. It's something that no one can underestimate. That's my personal belief when it comes to the historic relationship between the GCC members and the United States. Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries are not seen anymore as only oil exporters. They are actually there to stabilize the region and stabilize the global security and make sure that the global security go line by line with all what same countries would love to see it. And I believe that the historic relationship will remain and will always be unshakable because of the fact that we are very strategic.</s>ANDERSON: Get your point.</s>AL-ANSARI: ...not only in terms of economy, but also in terms of geopolitical themes.</s>ANDERSON: OK. Chas -- let me stop you there, sir. Chas, is that how you see it so far as this relationship is concerned, at present? Because I have to say, and Prince Turki alluding to, there has been some serious concern by people, not just in this region but in Washington, about what's going on here.</s>CHAS FREEMAN, FRM. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI ARABIA: Well, I think Prince Turki used the word recalibrate the relationship. And I think that's an accurate assessment of what has to be done. During the Cold War, we had a common interest in opposing godless Soviet communism. That's gone. We had a peace process in the Holy Land. That's gone. We had no agenda, we Americans had no agenda of our own in the Gulf. Now we do. So the basis of the relationship has shifted fundamentally, but we do have strong, common interests, which will keep us in a partnership, but it will be a reduced and more difficult partnership than in the past.</s>ANDERSON: Well let me just replay for you both, gentlemen, what we started our show with tonight, what Mr. Obama had to say towards the end of the Gulf summit. Have a listen.</s>OBAMA: We remain united in our fight to destroy ISIL, or DAESH, which is a threat to all of us. The United States will help our GCC partners to make ensure that their special operations forces are interoperable and GCC nations will continue to increase their contributions to the fight against ISIL.</s>ANDERSON: Well, that seems like a pretty low-level technical agreement to me, making sure special forces know how to work together. It seems almost like a stalemate at this meeting. No big commitments, Salman, no big changes. Is that what happened here?</s>AL-ANSARI: OK. Definitely we have to be realistic when it comes to the challenges that are faced here in the Middle East. The Middle East is getting into huge complexity that can never be explained in one interview. But what I would like to say is, there are common interests between the two countries and when it comes to the Syrian issue, yes, the Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries and most of the countries in the Middle East have been fed up with so many red lines that have been drawn for the Syrian issue, but President Obama has never been committed to imply what he said that he was going to. So when it comes to that -- the issue, I believe that the main issue in the region is the fact that there is no clear understanding of Middle Eastern affairs by the President Obama, which is something that has been very clear the moment we have seen how Iraq has been handed to Iran on a silver platter. And when we have seen the issue in Syria... ANDERSON; Let me put that to Chas, then -- hang on, Salman. Chas, there is no understanding of Middle Eastern affairs by Obama or his administration I think is perhaps is what Salman is saying, correct?</s>FREEMAN: Well, I think this is part of the problem between the two countries. This has become very personalized. I think that's a mistake. As I suggested, and I believe Prince Turki was arguing, our interests have shifted. We still have some very important interests in common, but we've lost many others. From the American point of view, we need Saudi Arabia. We need it for the stability of global energy prices, we need it as a place we must be able to overfly to remain a global powerwith global power projection capabilities, and ultimately we need it as a spokesman in the world of Islam. And I think I would not belittle the agreement to work against DAESH, because to the extent that Saudi Arabia contributes on the theological or ideological level, it makes a unique contribution that is far beyond special forces or anything military. So those points remain. We also have a strong relationship, a robust relationship, in the common fight against terrorism where Saudi Arabia plays an important role. And so I don't think we're talking about a divorce, but we're talking about a marriage in which there's a considerable amount of bickering. And the two sides are deciding, or I think, attempting to restore a measure of public peace even if they continue to quarrel a bit behind the scenes.</s>ANDERSON: OK. At least that appears to be the headline that they would like. Look, Chas, we're going to need to pretty briefly. So to you first and then to Salman. Washington has become less and less dependent on Saudi for its oil needs, we know that. But the kingdom still has a lot of pull over market prices. In the past, Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members sent prices surging with oil embargoes in protest of American policies, some of you watching viewers may remember the oil crisis back in 1973, which was really chaotic at the time. There's no suggestion that is on the cards at all. But could Saudi Arabia stamp its feet like that again, Salman? Riyadh used to getting what it wants, isn't it?</s>AL-ANSARI: Yeah. But like at the same time, like the mainstream of the public or the political fabric here in Saudi Arabia, thinks of the concept of with challenge comes opportunity. So we are really having this challenge to make us rely on other resources that are not related to oil which is great. And we are going to have the national transformation plan to be up in the 25th in just like a couple days from now. So I think and I believe yes, we are having a lot of challenges when it comes to our economic atmosphere and the climate of economy here in Saudi, but I believe that with challenge comes opportunity and we will be relying heavily on privatization, we will be relying heavily implementing governance policies and we will be relying a lot on the concept of accountability that has been really spread out among all the ministries and we have seen how the deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman been up with the rhythm of modernizing the country and making it more efficient and self-dependent in such a way that reduce the dependency on oil and all that petroleum kind of resources.</s>ANDERSON: And I'm going to have to stop you there, sir, because I have to take a break at this point. But thank you. Apologies, I really got to take a very short break at this point. But to both of you, great stuff. Good analysis. And we will continue to cover this story clearly here on Connect the World. Thank you both. The latest world news headlines are just ahead. Plus, volatility is the order of the day on the oil market. We're going to bring you the latest from the CNN Money pumps. Stay with us.