Title page
Contents
Summary 2
Introduction and Issues for Congress 5
Background: U.S.-Saudi Cooperation and Saudi Policy Priorities 6
U.S.-Saudi Security Cooperation and Commitments 7
What is the nature of U.S.-Saudi security cooperation? 7
What security commitments has the United States made to Saudi Arabia? 10
What type of mutual security commitment is under consideration? 10
Saudi Arabia's Policy Toward Israel and the Palestinians 11
What is the nature of Saudi Arabia's relationship with Israel? 11
What has Saudi Arabia said about the Palestinian issue in relation to normalization? 11
What might Israel and Saudi Arabia negotiate and what factors might shape Saudi-Israeli agreements? 13
U.S.-Saudi Civilian Nuclear Cooperation 14
What are Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear energy plans? 14
What nonproliferation commitments has Saudi Arabia made? 15
What is the status of U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation and what might be considered? 16
Saudi Transformation Initiatives and U.S. Partnership 17
What are Saudi Arabia's domestic economic goals and what progress has the kingdom made toward them? 17
What is the status of U.S.-Saudi economic and technology cooperation? 18
Potential Policy Considerations for Congress 19
Potential Merits and Risks of Proposed Agreements Individually or in Combination 19
Potential Implications for U.S. Global Strategy and for U.S. Foreign and Defense Policy Programs 20
Threats to Saudi Arabia and Saudi Defense Capabilities 20
Possible Reactions from Adversaries, Rivals, and Partners 21
Israeli and Palestinian Politics 22
Saudi Influence on Normalization Beyond the Middle East Region 23
U.S. Regional and Global Nonproliferation Policy 23
Public Opinion and Saudi Arabia's Political Future 24
Technology Transfer 25
Human Rights Issues 26
Potential Process Considerations for Congress 26
What form might security commitments and defense agreements take? How might Congress shape their content and oversee implementation? 27
What elements might a mutual defense commitment agreement contain? 29
How has Congress considered other mutual defense commitment agreements and other bilateral agreements? 30
How could Congress conduct oversight of U.S.-Saudi negotiations and agreements and shape their implementation? 31
How might Congress review security cooperation with Saudi Arabia under existing and potentially new agreements? 31
How might Congress shape and review a possible nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia? 32
How adequate is the information available to Congress when reviewing any proposed agreements? 33
How sufficient is the timeline for legislative review and consideration of proposed agreements? 33
Appendix A. Additional CRS Resources 34
Appendix B. Selected Examples of U.S.-Saudi Security Commitments and Considerations 35
Appendix C. Saudi Arabia and Israel: From Rejection to Conditional Normalization 38
Author Information 40
Disclaimer 40