Behind the Saudi-U.S. Breakup

Furious over Obama's Mideast policy, the Saudis are shifting away from the U.S.—but where else will they turn?

Karen Elliott House

Oct. 24, 2013 | http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303615304579154161420868356

When Saudi Arabia this week rebuked the United States, using media leaks to send a message to the kingdom's longtime ally, the episode was no petty fit of pique. It reflected a calculated decision by the Al Saud rulers that their own survival requires distancing themselves from the very country that has protected the royal family for more than half a century.