| The United States and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed a long history of strong economic and security ties for over half a century. As the events of the late 1970s and 1980s fundamentally shifted the balance of power in the Middle East, the U.S.-Saudi relationship shifted with it. The economic cooperation between the two nations, sustained by organizations such as Aramco and the Gulf Cooperation Council, ensured that the two countries remained strong trading partners heading into the 1980s, despite the setbacks of the 1973 oil boycott. Regional security threats and internal dissent within the Kingdom encouraged the sale of American military hardware during this period as well. Both nations would reap the benefits of these two factors of the U.S.-Saudi relationship following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in late 1979. Washington and Riyadh worked together to support the Soviet resistance groups, especially the religiously motivated mujahidin, through massive programs designed to fund and arm the rebels. The precedent of strong working relations between the two countries ultimately proved critical to the success of the Afghan resistance forces. |
