Because we're the holders of the title of "Western friend" as started by the British before and around WWI. A short, but wrong, answer is "Because of T.E. Lawr

Because we're the holders of the title of "Western friend" as started by the British before and around WWI. A short, but wrong, answer is "Because of T.E. Lawrence and journalism". It's a slog ( I didn't actually even finish it ) but there is always "A Peace to End All Peace" ( ISBN-13: 978-0805088090 . I grew up in oil business country, and one of my high school friends had a massive picture of his Dad shaking hands with, I think King Faisal in the living room.