Saudi Arabia is learning an expensive lesson: Ideology is no substitute for strategy.

Saudi Arabia is learning an expensive lesson: Ideology is no substitute for strategy.

Riyadh rejected normalization with Israel, putting ideological considerations ahead of strategic interests.

Instead, it turned toward Turkey and Pakistan for defense arrangements. Impressive signatures, impressive ceremonies, impressive promises. But what good is a defense pact if it cannot protect you when missiles start flying?

Meanwhile, relations with Washington cooled as Trump pushed for normalization.

Now the Houthis are hitting Saudi targets, and Riyadh is discovering that alliances on paper don’t necessarily stop missiles in the sky.

Have they forgotten Saddam Hussein?

During the First Gulf War, Saddam fired missiles at Saudi Arabia. Without American intervention, Kuwait might have been just the appetizer. Saddam’s appetite was certainly bigger.

America helped protect Saudi Arabia then. Yet decades later, Riyadh still struggles to distinguish between its ideological enemies and its actual security threats.

Israel is not Saudi Arabia’s enemy. Iran and its proxies pose a far more direct threat to Saudi security.

Imagine if Riyadh had invested in a strategic alliance with Israel and America instead of chasing regional defense arrangements of uncertain value.

Israel has military capabilities, intelligence, technology, and a proven ability to confront common threats.

But ideology keeps getting in the way.

Saudi Arabia would rather shake hands with unreliable partners than shake hands with Israel.

And that is the tragedy of allowing ideology to blind strategic judgment.

You cannot defend your country with ideological slogans. And you cannot intercept missiles with diplomatic handshakes.

(Brother Rachid on X)