Glad tidings ahead of Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia

CAIRO – 14 May 2017: The United States is close to completing a series of arms deals for Saudi Arabia totaling more than $100 billion, a senior White House official said on Friday, a week ahead of President Donald Trump's planned visit to Riyadh, Reuters said.

The official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the arms package could end up surpassing more than $300 billion over a decade to help Saudi Arabia boost its defensive capabilities while still maintaining U.S. ally Israel's qualitative military edge over its neighbors.

Perhaps President Donald Trump wants to change his discourse that he kept repeating during his presidential candidacy. Trump was known for his hostile statements against the Muslim world, but it seems that he wants to turn over a new leaf with the Muslims and Arabs. Choosing Saudi Arabia to be his first international trip has significant indications.

Former American presidents used to pay their first international visits to countries close to the United States like Canada or Mexico. Obama’s first visit was paid to Canada, and Clinton’s was to Canada too.

This visit comes amid Iran’s preparations for its 12th presidential election May 19, 2017. Many observers said the Trump Administration is not willing to improve its ties with Iran. Therefore, it will be a good chance for the Arab countries to be backed by the new U.S. administration against the Shiite Republic.

The Israel-based Jerusalem Institute for political affairs published an analysis on May 10 titled "The Rebuilding of the Strategic Partnership in the Middle East." According to this analysis, the Israeli writer shed light on Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia as a Sunni power in the region against the Shiite influence.

Usually, such top-ranking summits have hidden goals which are uncovered later.

Meanwhile, for the known and expected goals behind Trump’s visits to Saudi, Jerusalem and the Vatican, there are the U.S.-Saudi relationship improvement against terrorism in the region, Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, and reconciliation with the Vatican’s Pope after verbal misunderstandings between them earlier.