U.S. Tensions Rise With Saudi Arabia

Could Saudi Arabia’s decision to send 2,000 troops to Bahrain hurt its relations with the United States? Things are already tense between the historically close countries, as Saudi Arabia is annoyed at the way the United States dropped support for Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak. “They’re not in a mode for listening,” a U.S. official says of communications with Saudi Arabia. Apparently, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulllah told President Obama he should support Mubarak, even if Mubarak began killing protesters. Obama ignored his advice. “They’ve taken it personally,” a source tells The New York Times, “because they question what we’d do if they are next.”