Zack, Jenn, and Alex debate whether the US should continue to treat Saudi Arabia as a close partner given its atrocious human rights abuses and the declining US dependence on Middle Eastern oil. In the second half of the show, Jenn interviews Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) about his proposed strategy for a new US approach to the Persian Gulf.

References:

Read Sen. Murphy’s Foreign Affairs piece on a new Middle East strategy

Read Alex’s profile about Sen. Murphy’s foreign policy views.

Alex also wrote about how Biden didn’t follow through on his promise to punish MBS.

CNN reported that the Biden administration never considered sanctioning MBS.

In 2018 Alex conducted an interview with an expert on why the US wouldn’t end its relationship with Saudi Arabia over the Khashoggi murder.

You can read America’s intelligence report on the Khashoggi murder.

Hosts:

Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), senior correspondent, Vox

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), White House reporter, Vox

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