Within a year of being crowned king in 1932, Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, founder of modern Saudi Arabia, had signed an exclusive concession with Standard Oil, run by the US oil giant Chevron.
In return, the US would enter a formal military alliance with the kingdom, to protect it from rivals. Thus was established a pattern of relationships that continues today: the West props up Saudi repression to maintain ‘stability’ – meaning access to regional oil and gas – while the Saudis use their oil wealth to buy protection wherever needed.
