America rightly expects more from our allies, but so also should American allies expect our reciprocity when they do extraordinary things for us.
Such is the case of Saad al Jabri, a former Saudi Interior Ministry officer.
As the BBC's Frank Gardner reports, al Jabri was the longtime aide-de-camp to former Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. In that role, al Jabri was instrumental in guiding the Sunni kingdom's war against al Qaeda since 2003 — a war that ended decades of Riyadh's quiet support for the terrorist group and helped prevent numerous attacks.
The atrocities the Saudis helped prevent included a 2010 plot to blow up cargo airliners over American cities. That was all down to a Saudi GID intelligence service agent who had infiltrated the group's operational planning center.
Without American allies such as al Jabri, dozens and perhaps hundreds of Americans would be dead.
Today, however, al Jabri has been forced into self-imposed exile in Canada. Making matters worse, two of al Jabri's children are being held as hostages in Riyadh in an effort to pressure al Jabri into returning to the kingdom. What's going on here?
Well, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is trying to lock down anyone who might pose a threat to his rule. And al Jabri's association with Mohammed bin Nayef makes him a key target here, even if he has no agenda against Mohammed bin Salman. When, in 2017, Mohammed bin Salman seized his position as crown prince, Mohammed bin Nayef and his inner circle were defined as threats to the new order. A crackdown, sometimes brutal but more often quiet, has purged Mohammed bin Nayef and his followers from the halls of power.
But let's be clear. The United States can and should accept Mohammed bin Salman's consolidation of power. He's no King Abdullah of Jordan, but he's here to stay. And for all his flaws and penchant for assassinations, the crown prince is Saudi Arabia's best hope for societal modernization and a diversified economy. That means the crown prince is also America's and the world's best hope that Saudi Arabia doesn't implode into an Islamic State-style caliphate of Salafi fanaticism. And in recent days, the crown prince has begun to show a new sense of realism. In the Yemeni civil war, for example, it is now Iran that is the clear obstacle to a much-needed peace accord.
Yet, what is happening to al Jabri cannot stand. That man put his life (Saudi officials right up to Mohammed bin Nayef's rank were regularly targeted for al Qaeda assassination) and position (taking on Salafi extremists in the royal court) on the line. He chose to do what would save American and other innocent lives.
The least the Trump administration should do is pick up the phone and ask our ally Mohammed bin Salman to honor our other ally, Saad al Jabri. If necessary, the U.S. can vouch for al Jabri never returning to Saudi Arabia or kingdom politics. But if the crown prince doesn't want to play ball, the administration should warn him that America has other means of leverage to employ. This is a serious concern demanding serious American action.