From Arab Nationalism to Opec, Second Edition: Eisenhower, King Sa'ud, and the Making of U.S.-Saudi Relations

What accounts for the dramatic rise of Saudi Arabia as a key ally of the United States in the Middle East? Though the answer has a lot to do with oil, a full explanation requires studying the nature of American power in the postwar world. From Arab Nationalism to OPEC reexamines the relationship between Eisenhower and King Sa'ud and the Anglo-American changing of the guard in the Middle East. Nathan J. Citino explores the way the U.S. attempted to use corporate investment as a strategy for appeasing Arab nationalism and securing oil resources vital to waging the Cold War, and the consequences of this policy for relations with both Saudi Arabia and Great Britain, the traditional imperial power in the Gulf. The Arabian-American Oil Company left a deep imprint on Saudi Arabia following the death of its founder, King 'Abd al-'Aziz. His heirs, King Sa'ud and Prince Faysal, pursued clashing visions for the modern Saudi stateand battled against Arab nationalist threats at home and abroad Those threats receded with the birth of OPEC, which in important ways marked the fulfillment of U.S. goals in the Middle East and not, as some have claimed, an end to Western control of Mideast oil. From Arab Nationalism to OPEC provides a framework for understanding the transition from British imperial hegemony to an American capitalist order in the Middle East and the historical antecedents of the leading role of the United States in the Gulf War.

"A must read for scholars seeking to understand the origins of American relations with Saudi Arabia. Thorough... masterful... careful... compelling." --Douglas Little

"An important contribution to the literature on U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia and the Middle East in general." --American Historical Review Indiana University Press

"An exceptionally well-researched and meticulously documented study of the evolution of both American policy and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia during a tumultuous period in Middle Eastern history." --Journal of American History Indiana University Press Indiana University Press

"Impressively well researched... will be of interest to anyone working on postwar U.S. relations with the region." --International Journal of Middle East Studies

"A welcome addition to historical studies of U.S. oil diplomacy and of U.S.-Saudi relations." --Middle East Policy

As OPEC approaches its 50th anniversary, the paperback edition of Nathan J. Citino's well-received study advances a challenging, revisionist interpretation of U.S.-Saudi relations and OPEC's historical significance. Citino re-examines the relationship between President Eisenhower and King Sa'd in the context of the transition from British imperial hegemony to an American capitalist order in the Middle East. He shows how the political realignment that resulted in OPEC ensured that wealth and power subsequently remained in the hands of oil-producing governments. Using American and British archives, corporate records, and Arabic sources, this work reinterprets the foundations of U.S. Middle East policy, the modern Saudi state, and the global politics of oil.

Nathan J. Citino is Associate Professor of History at Colorado State University.

Contents

Illustrations follow page 111

Preface to the Second Edition

Acknowledgments

Note on Transliteration

Maps

Introduction

1. A Dutch Uncle: The U.S. and Buraym, 1952

2. Old Soldiers: Eisenhower and 'Abd al-'Azz ibn Sa'd, January-November 1953

3. Reaching a Crossroads: The U.S. and King Sa'd, December 1953-November 1955

4. A Tangled Skein: Suez, December 1955-December 1956

5. We Have Here an Opportunity: The Eisenhower Doctrine, January 1957-July 1958

6. We Might as Well Believe in Arab Nationalism: OPEC and the Modern Saudi State, August 1958-December 1960

Conclusion

List of Abbreviations

Notes

Bibliography

Index