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Biden nominated Michael Ratney, a career diplomat, to be US ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
A former US official said the Saudis usually expect a political appointee with military ties, and could be insulted by this pick.
Relations between the US and Saudi Arabia are currently at a new low.
President Joe Biden’s pick for US ambassador to Saudi Arabia will likely be considered a disappointment or even an insult to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a former US official told Insider
Last Friday, Biden nominated Michael Ratney to the post following the departure of Gen. John Abizaid, a former head of US Central Command, from Riyadh last year.
The nomination comes at a low point in US-Saudi relations, with Biden clearly distancing himself from the country and Crown Prince Mohammed — also known as MBS — reportedly trying to punish him back.
David Schenker, who served as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs at the State Department from 2019
