Riyadh's Leader, Former Israeli Security Official: Saudi 'Paper Tiger,' Has Weapons but Cannot Use Them
Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
Analysis
Named sources
Context piece
- An former Israeli National Security Council official, Jacob Nagel, described Saudi Arabia as a "paper tiger" despite its wealth and weaponry.
- Nagel argued that Saudi Arabia lacks the military capability to defend itself, citing its struggles against the Houthi movement.
- He suggested Saudi Arabia's pursuit of new alliances with Turkey and Pakistan is a diplomatic maneuver to pressure the United States, stemming from disappointment with American support.
Saudi Arabia, despite its significant wealth and advanced weaponry, is essentially a "paper tiger" lacking effective military capabilities, according to former head of Israel's National Security Council, Prof. Jacob Nagel. In a radio interview, Nagel stated that the kingdom possesses substantial arms and funds but is militarily incapable of defending itself.
You have to understand that Saudi Arabia, despite all its wealth and armaments, is essentially a 'paper tiger.' They have a lot of weaponry and large funds, but militarily, they are unable to 'withstand a situation.'
He pointed to Saudi Arabia's ongoing conflict with the Houthi movement as evidence of its military shortcomings. Nagel observed that the kingdom has failed to achieve its objectives despite having sophisticated assets, suggesting that these assets are not easily deployable or effective in practice. This perceived weakness, he argued, necessitates external economic assistance.
Nagel also expressed skepticism about the potential impact of new defense agreements between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan. He doubted that Turkey would commit its naval forces to intervene against the Houthis on Saudi Arabia's behalf, deeming such a scenario unrealistic. This leads him to believe that Saudi Arabia is actively seeking alternative alliances due to serious financial and security concerns.
I don't see Turkey sending its navy to attack the Houthis just because the group attacked Saudi Arabia. That is completely inconsistent with my realistic view of the region.
Furthermore, Nagel suggested that Saudi Arabia's recent diplomatic moves, including a surprising agreement with Iran, are driven by fear and vulnerability towards Iran and its regional proxies. He believes the kingdom's possession of advanced equipment and intelligence capabilities is undermined by an inability to effectively utilize this power on the ground. Consequently, Nagel views discussions of new alliances with Pakistan or Turkey with considerable skepticism.
Therefore, Nagel believes that Saudi Arabia is looking for other alternatives.
He posited that Saudi Arabia's engagement in these new alliances is primarily a diplomatic maneuver aimed at pressuring the United States. Nagel indicated that Saudi Arabia is disappointed with the U.S. stance, particularly regarding the perceived shortage of Western-supplied missiles and interceptors. By signaling a willingness to seek support elsewhere, the kingdom aims to convey that it will not face the "Shia axis" alone.
The problem with Saudi Arabia is that they have the most sophisticated equipment, aircraft, and intelligence capabilities, but do not know how to use this power effectively on the ground.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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