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President Obama Attempts To Mend US - Saudi Relations
ResumeFollowing a four-day trip through Europe, President Obama is traveling to Saudi Arabia for a brief visit that includes a meeting and a dinner with Kind Abdullah.
Saudi Arabia and the U.S. have long been close allies; however, recently the two countries have differed over a string of issues including the war in Syria, the conflict between the Egyptian military and the Muslim Brotherhood, and Iran’s role in the Middle East.
The president’s trip will serve as an effort to reassure Arab allies that, despite these and other concerns, the U.S. is not abandoning the Arab world.
NPR’s international correspondent Michele Kelemen joins Here & Now's Sacha Pfeiffer to discuss the president’s trip and the current state of U.S. - Saudi relations.
Guest
- Michele Kelemen, diplomacy correspondent for NPR. She tweets @MkelemenNPR.
This segment aired on March 28, 2014.