Democrats Take on Saudi Arabia, UAE After OPEC+ Cuts Oil Production

The move comes less than three months after Biden’s controversial visit to Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s de facto leader, a trip widely considered to be the administration placing boosted oil production ahead of human rights considerations

By Ben Samuels, HAARETZ   6.10.22

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greets President Joe Biden with a fist bump after his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Friday.Credit: Bandar Aljaloud /AP

WASHINGTON – Democratic lawmakers have expressed outrage at OPEC+’s decision to cut oil production by two million barrels per day, calling for a dramatically redefined U.S.-Saudi Arabia relationship amid the Biden administration’s months-long efforts at repairing ties with Riyadh.

The move from the oil producing cartel, meant to spur a recovery in prices that had fallen to roughly $80 a barrel from more than $120 in early June, comes despite pronounced pressure from the Biden administration in hopes of aiding the global economy and lower fuel prices five weeks before the midterm elections.

The White House announced it was “disappointed by the shortsighted decision by OPEC+ to cut production quotas while the global economy is dealing with the continued negative impact of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine” after enlisting its most senior officials to push Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait to vote against cutting production.

The move also comes less than three months after Biden’s controversial visit to Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s de facto leader, a trip widely considered to be the administration placing boosted oil production ahead of human rights considerations.

Members of Congress have roundly condemned both OPEC members and its non-OPEC allies over the move — condemnation that the Biden administration has indicated it will consider.

Several key House Democrats — Reps. Tom Malinowski, Sean Casten and Susan Wild — have already introduced legislation aimed at removing U.S. troops and missile defense systems from Saudi Arabia and the UAE over the move.

The missile-defense systems in question have been essential in repelling Iran and Iranian proxy attacks on Gulf states, and U.S. and Israeli officials have advocated for a regional defense system building upon and incorporating these systems.

“OPEC’s slash in oil production this week should be called out for what it is: an attempt to enhance Russia’s ability to wage an illegal war against Ukraine, and an attempt to meddle in US politics. It is time for us to reconsider our military support for the region,” Casten said. “If Saudi Arabia and the UAE want to help Putin keep oil prices high, they should look to him for their defense,” Malinowski added.

Rep. Ruben Gallego, who chairs a House Armed Services subcommittee, added that the U.S. should “take back” Patriot missile-defense batteries in Saudi Arabia, and Rep. Ro Khanna called on the U.S. to stop supplying Saudi Arabia with weapons and air parts.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal condemned the move as Saudi Arabia siding with Russia, describing it as “a deeply offensive blunder [that’s] unconscionable at this moment in world history. There must be consequences,” calling for a prompt far-reaching review of the U.S.-Saudi relationship that touches upon military sales and security aid.

Other Senate Democrats, meanwhile, highlighted how this decision only stresses the need to cut American energy dependency on the Gulf. “We must end OPEC’s illegal price-fixing cartel, eliminate military assistance to Saudi Arabia and move aggressively to renewable energy,” Sen. Bernie Sanders said.

Sen. Chris Murphy, who chairs the Senate subcommittee on the Middle East, called for a “wholesale reevaluation” of the U.S.-Saudi relationship, directly calling Biden’s July visit into question, while Sen. Ed Markey will re-introduce his OPEC Accountability Act legislation, saying “we must hold OPEC and its allies accountable for colluding to hike energy prices on working families, while accelerating our clean energy future to free ourselves from its profiteering grip once and for all.”

Sen. Dick Durbin went as far as to say “the royal Saudi family has never been a trustworthy ally of our nation. It’s time for our foreign policy to imagine a world without their alliance.”