And he considered - in his talk to the "Scenarios" program (10/13/2022) - that there is a fierce American campaign against Saudi Arabia, as America is in an offensive position through which it wants to send a message to its allies that it cannot compete with the most powerful country in the world, expecting that the American position will cause excessive amounts of money. There is a rift in its relationship with Saudi Arabia.
This came as a result of a move that angered the United States, as the “OPEC Plus” alliance announced last week to reduce crude oil production by about two million barrels per day, starting next month.
Immediately after this announcement, American criticism of Saudi Arabia erupted, and the White House even warned of its consequences.
The White House said that it would consult with Congress on adopting measures to curb what it called OPEC's "control" of energy prices, in reference to the revival of the NOPEC bill that gives US courts the power to consider lawsuits filed against member states of "OPEC Plus" on charges of monopoly and price control. .
political deadline
In this regard, the expert in oil and energy affairs, Mustafa Al-Bazarkan, explained that there are media leaks that the US administration asked OPEC Plus to postpone its decision for a month, but it did not comply with that, considering that this deadline is evidence of the political repercussions of the decision and the American desire to postpone it until after the elections.
He pointed out that America believed that the strategy it imposed on the European Union countries by getting rid of dependence on Russian gas would succeed in putting pressure on Saudi Arabia.
As for the American side, Jim Crane, a researcher in energy studies at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, said that the American people are greatly upset by economic inflation, and Saudi Arabia has long been considered a country that promotes stability in the oil markets and was taking the American interest in its decisions, unlike this time.
And he went on to say that many in Washington consider that Saudi Arabia and Russia are working within the broader OPEC Plus alliance, noting that Saudi Arabia is taking decisions against America and in defense of Russian interests.
It is noteworthy that these developments came at a time when US President Joe Biden is facing widespread internal criticism ahead of the midterm elections for members of Congress, who have waved a bill known by the acronym "NOPEC", which means "preventing monopolistic cartels in the production and export of oil."
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki also noted that "the Biden administration has concerns about the potential repercussions and unintended consequences of the legislation, particularly in light of the Ukraine crisis."