The deteriorating security situation in Iraq and the swift territorial advance of the extremist Sunni militia the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) present an extraordinarily complex set of local, regional and even global challenges for both Saudi Arabia and the United States.
Where is the situation in Iraq going? What are the perceptions of the crisis in Washington? What levers in Iraq and Syria do Saudi Arabia and Washington have? Will their respective responses to this crisis be aligned, coordinated or even complementary?
To help make sense of these issues and questions, Steve Clemons, Washington editor-at-large of the Atlantic joined Richard Wilson, President, Saudi-US Trade Group, for a video discussion. Mr. Clemons, a frequent contributor on MSNBC and a respected Washington analyst, spoke from Aspen, Colorado on the sidelines of the Aspen Ideas Festival. He offers his views about the Obama administration’s options in the region and why the U.S. must work closely with the Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia, to find a solution.
SUSTG is pleased to present this video conversation in two parts, both embedded below.
PART TWO:
