The United States and Saudi Arabia have not always had the most pleasant relationship. Since the terrorist attacks on American soil in 2001, there has been a deep-seated mistrust of Saudi intelligence and what they may or may not have known about the Saudi hijackers that took part in the 9/11 attacks. That relationship was tested again last year during the Arab Spring when the United States and Saudi Arabia found themselves on opposite sides of the protests.
But this week was a testament to just how critical the relationship between the two countries has become. The terrorist plot to carry a bomb onto a United States-bound jetliner was foiled, in large part, because of the cooperation between Saudi and American intelligence forces. And it has become clear that if the United States is going to be successful in rooting out terrorism in Yemen, they will need the help of the Saudis.
Robert F. Worth, a correspondent for The New York Times, wrote about this crucial relationship for the paper.
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