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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia's King Salman has personally greeted senior officials from Persian Gulf nations as they arrived at an air base for a summit tomorrow. But when President Barack Obama arrived today, he was greeted not by the king but by a lower-ranking royal.
According to Mustafa Alani, a security analyst at the Gulf Research Center, the move was intended to send a message that the Saudis have little faith in Obama.
U.S. relations with Gulf allies have been strained by differences over Iran, Syria and Yemen -- and by Obama's complaints that allies aren't carrying their weight.
Obama huddled privately with King Salman today as Defense Secretary Ash Carter appealed to other Gulf nations for more economic and political support for Iraq. It's an appeal that Obama plans to make personally in talks with Gulf leaders at the regional summit. In addition to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar (GUH'-tur) are participating.
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207-c-19-(Mark Smith, AP White House correspondent)-"pleased with Obama"-AP White House Correspondent Mark Smith reports President Obama got a less than full welcome in Saudi Arabia. (20 Apr 2016)
<<CUT *207 (04/20/16)££ 00:19 "pleased with Obama"
164-c-18-(Mark Smith, AP White House correspondent)-"and political support"-AP White House Correspondent Mark Smith reports while the president's in Saudi Arabia, Defense Secretary Carter has been urging Gulf Arab states to aid war-torn Iraq. (20 Apr 2016)
<<CUT *164 (04/20/16)££ 00:18 "and political support"
APPHOTO SAUK119: President Barack Obama and Saudi Arabia's King Salman walk to President Obama's motorcade after meeting at Erga Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, April 20, 2016. The president began a six day trip to strategize with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia, England and Germany on a broad range of issues with efforts to rein in the Islamic State group being the common denominator in all three stops. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (20 Apr 2016)
<<APPHOTO SAUK119 (04/20/16)££
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