It goes back further than that, all the way back to 1940's and the meeting between FDR and the King of Saud: https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?sr

It goes back further than that, all the way back to 1940's and the meeting between FDR and the King of Saud: https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/files/2015/01/Merlin_425808.jpg&w=1484 https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://... > They eventually came to an agreement that centered around U.S. support and military training for Saudi Arabia, then a fledgling country surrounded by stronger nations, in return for oil and political support in the region. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/01/27/the-first-time-a-u-s-president-met-a-saudi-king/?utm_term=.3858fe84d5ec https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/01/27...