President Bush, on 8/1/05, congratulating King Abdallah on assuming the Saudi throne:
“On behalf of the United States, I congratulate my friend, King Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, on assuming the Saudi throne and the position of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. We wish Saudi Arabia peace and prosperity under his leadership. I have spoken today to the new King, and the United States looks forward to continuing the close partnership between our two countries.” [Emphasis added]
But “close partnership” is an understatement; Professor Juan Cole places the Saudi-American relationship in a historical context.