[media-credit name=’JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]A nationally renowned analyst said Tuesday that strained U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia are on the mend since Sept. 11, 2001, after a longstanding relationship with the Middle East giant.

Tom Lippman, a distinguished author, journalist and a former U.S. bureau chief at The Washington Post, spoke Tuesday at Grainger Hall. He now works at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.

"We were there to make money, keep the oil flowing and have the Saudis on our side during the Cold War," Lippman said. "It all worked until about 1980."

In the summer of 1979, Lippman said there were several paramount events where the United States reached a turning point with Saudi Arabia after it "unleashed the extreme right" and created many problems that remain in the country.

Entering Saudi Arabia today, Lippman said the first appearance portrays a longstanding developed nation, but hides the history.

"You are immediately struck by what I call 'Riyadh-Phoenix syndrome'– you enter one of the world's most-up-to date modern airports, fountains and go into a city that looks like Phoenix with McDonalds and Starbucks," Lippman said. "It's very deceptive — what you see is not what you get."

Lippman added the nation has achieved a remarkable state of modernity in a very short-time period due in large part to the United States' involvement only 70 years ago.

"When the first Americans arrived, they had to bring everything with them," Lippman said. "There was no Enlightenment, there were no [philosophers], there was no Industrial Revolution, there was no creation of an industrialized working class among the Saudis."

Lippman added the country raced to become a modern society with an 80-20 split of urban to rural areas after being nearly 90 percent rural in the 1930s.

Chronicling the U.S. oil involvement and influence with U.S. corporate interests, Lippman explained how the United States introduced telecommunications, commercial airplanes and a standardized time system.

"After 9/11 there was a period of real strain in the relationship, but a few things have stabilized it," Lippman said. "Like the 9/11 Commission's finding that the Saudi government had not funded the terrorists."

Lippman explained how U.S. interest in the nation has declined and plummeted in 2001 and how Saudi Arabia is now looking to "get us back into the game."

However, Sahar Taman, a Madison community member who attended the lecture, questioned Lippman's point of view on the development of the nation.

"They would have to stretch hard to read you, while you may think they have extremist thoughts, I would say much of what you have said is extremist [from their perspective] as well," Taman said. "You need to look at it from another point of view. It really can't be this one sided."

Lippman countered by pointing to the rapid transformation of the society while maintaining religious and family coherence.

UW junior Josh Hirsh said the information was delivered accurately, but had an edge.

"I thought [the speech] was good, it was a little one-sided with his views on their social capabilities," Hirsh said. "I thought most of what he said was correct but just not delivered in the best manner."