THE IMPACT OF THE US ON THE ARMAMENT PROCESS IN THE CONTEXT OF SAUDI ARABIA'S SECURITY PERCEPTIONS IN THE POST-COLD WAR PERIOD

Year 2019, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 376 - 390, 30.01.2019

Mevlüt Akçapa

Abstract

In recent years Saudi Arabia has attracted attention with the increase in arms purchases. Alterations in the security perception of the Riyadh administration with regional developments in the Arab Spring and beyond. This is one of the reasons for this increase. The strategic relationship with the US is the most important factor shaping Saudi Arabia's armament process. Taking into account, factors such as the US shaping the balance of power in the Middle East, the security of Israel and the control of energy resources, the US gives priority to the armament of Saudi Arabia, which is its ally. The Obama administration's agreement with the Saudi administration in 2010, over a 60 billion dollar weapon agreement, strikingly demonstrated the extent of the defense-based strategic relationship between the two countries. After Obama, Trump also confirmed the strategic relationship between the two countries by signing the largest arms agreement in the US history in Riyadh. Factors such as changes in the regional equation, the Saudi Arabia-Iran competition, and threats from Iraq and Yemen affect the security concerns of Saudi decision-makers. The study analyzes the extent and nature of the US influence in Saudi Arabia's armament process.

Keywords

Saudi Arabia, USA, Armament, Weapon Agreement, Security

SOĞUK SAVAŞ SONRASI DÖNEMDE SUUDİ ARABİSTAN’IN GÜVENLİK ALGILAMALARI BAĞLAMINDA SİLAHLANMA

Abstract

Suudi Arabistan son yıllarda silah alımlarındaki artışla dikkat çekmektedir. Arap Baharı ve sonrasında yaşanan bölgesel gelişmelerle beraber Riyad yönetimin güvenlik algısındaki değişim; bu artışın sebeplerinin başında gelmektedir. ABD ile kurduğu stratejik ilişki Suudi Arabistan’ın silahlanma sürecini şekillendiren en önemli unsurdur. ABD, Orta Doğu’daki güç dengesinin istediği biçimde şekillenmesi, İsrail’in güvenliği ve enerji kaynaklarının kontrolü gibi faktörleri hesaba katarak; ittifak ilişkisi içinde olduğu Suudi Arabistan’ın silahlandırılması konusuna öncelik vermektedir. Obama yönetiminin 2010 yılında Suudi yönetimiyle tek seferde imzaladığı 60 milyar dolar üzerindeki silah anlaşması, iki ülke arasındaki savunma temelli stratejik ilişkinin boyutunu çarpıcı bir şekilde ortaya koymaktadır. Obama sonrasında Trump da, Riyad'da ABD tarihinin en büyük silah anlaşmasını imzalayarak iki ülke arasındaki stratejik ilişkiyi teyit etmiştir. Bölgesel denklemde meydana gelen değişimler, Suudi Arabistan-İran rekabeti, Irak ve Yemen kaynaklı tehditler gibi faktörler de Suudi karar alıcıların güvenlik kaygılarını etkilemektedir. Çalışmada, Suudi Arabistan’ın silahlanma sürecindeki ABD etkisinin boyutu ve niteliği analiz edilmektedir.

Keywords

Suudi Arabistan, ABD, Silahlanma, Silah Anlaşması, Güvenlik

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