- Biden has nominated Michael Ratney, a career diplomat, as US ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
- A former US official said Saudis usually expect a politically appointed man with military ties and may be offended by this choice.
- Relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia are currently at a new low.
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The election of President Joe Biden as US ambassador to Saudi Arabia is likely to be seen as a disappointment or even an insult to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a former US official told Insider.
Last Friday, Biden nominated Michael Ratney for the post following the departure of General John Abisayd, a former head of US Central Command, from Riyadh last year.
The nomination comes at a low point in US-Saudi relations, with Biden clearly distancing himself from the country and Crown Prince Mohammed – also known as MBS – trying to punish him back.
David Schenker, who was Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs at the State Department from 2019 to January 2021, told the Insider of Ratney: “He is a very capable diplomat, he has served in important positions, he has paid well. and was detained with great respect. “
“But we have seen a lot of stress in US-Saudi relations and that will not help.”
Michael Ratney, then US Consul General in Jerusalem, seen in Jerusalem on June 4, 2015. AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP via Getty Images)
Historically, most US ambassadors to Saudi Arabia have been politically appointed with deep military ties, such as Abizaid.
Other former ambassadors include Joseph Westphall, a former deputy secretary of the US military, and James Smith, a former executive director of arms maker Raytheon.
But Ratney, a well-respected Arab-speaking diplomat, was the first foreign service official to join the post since Charles Freeman in 1989.
Therefore, Saudi Arabia may be offended by Ratni’s appointment, Schenker said. A fundamental principle of the two countries’ relationship is the US guarantee of Saudi Arabia’s security: the United States maintains a large military base in Riyadh and sells millions of dollars in weapons to the Saudis each year. Ratney’s election could show Riyadh that Biden is not as concerned about Saudi Arabia’s security as his predecessors.
Schenker also said that the post of Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States is often filled with leading figures such as Khalid bin Salman, brother of MBS, and Princess Rima bint Bandar, cousin of MBS and current ambassador. Riyadh would expect the same type of profile in return, Schenker said.
“Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Washington is a princess. They will see this as a decline in relations,” he said. “They will understand this in this context.”
Crown Prince Mohammed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on April 28, 2021. Saudi Royal Council through Getty Images
Ratney’s nomination comes at a busy time for the Saudi-American partnership.
The Biden administration has publicly warned MBS of widespread human rights abuses and has given up US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen.
For its part, MBS ignored Biden’s phone calls and US requests to increase oil production and said he did not care what Biden thought of him.
Saudis are also irritated by the weak US response to attacks by Iranian-backed Hussein rebels in the Arabian Peninsula, as Saudi Arabia expects the United States to ensure its security.
However, after the announcement, political experts praised Ratni’s appointment and his abilities.
“If anyone can navigate the mess between the United States and Saudi Arabia, it’s Ratney. He will at least give an honest assessment of how (or not) US-Saudi interests and values combine. What Biden is doing is another matter, “tweeted Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Ratney is currently the dean of the language program at the State Department’s External Service Institute. He previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Levant Affairs and Israeli-Palestinian Affairs at the State Department.
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