After the recent execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr by Saudi Arabia, the Mideast once again risks devolving into sectarian chaos. A mob torched the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, prompting Saudi Arabia and a number of its Sunni allies to break diplomatic relations with Iran.
In response to the unfolding chaos, the Wall Street Journal responded by asking "Who Lost the Saudis?" — fretting that the lack of support from the United States could lead to the overthrow of the Saudi regime. This is a provocative query, reminiscent of the "Who Lost China?" attacks against President Harry Truman after the Communist takeover of mainland China in 1949. But it's the wrong question. Rather than wondering if Washington's support for Riyadh is sufficient, American policymakers should instead ask themselves the following question: Is it time for the U.S. to dump Saudi Arabia?
The moral case for the U.S. to question its close relationship with Saudi Arabia is clear. Saudi Arabia is governed by the House of Saud, an authoritarian monarchy that does not tolerate dissent, and the country consistently ranks among the "worst of the worst" countries in democracy watchdog Freedom House's annual survey of political and civil rights.