President Barack Obama sat down Wednesday with King Salman of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh. The meeting comes at a time of difficult relations between the two countries. The Saudi government has concerns about the U.S. nuclear deal with Iran and the Obama administration policy toward the Syrian civil war. Obama has said Saudi Arabia has not done enough to fight terrorism in the Middle East. He called the Saudis “free riders,” suggesting they gain from United States security efforts without sharing the responsibility. Another issue is the possible release of U.S. documents that might point some blame at Saudi officials for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Saudi officials strongly deny this. The president and King Salman shared friendly comments at the start of their meeting Wednesday at the Erga Palace. The president thanked the king for his “hospitality,” and for organizing a six-nation Gulf summit meeting on Thursday. “I and the Saudi people are very pleased that you, Mr. President, are visiting us in the kingdom,” King Salman said.
