With the expected re-election of President Bill Clinton in the coming US elections on November 4, 1996 for a second term, Ambassadors in Washington are bracing themselves for a continuity of US foreign policy in world affairs that will be consistent with the last four years of Clinton's term.

One of the only country expecting trouble on two fronts is Saudi Arabia.

On the first front, the National Security Agency is re-assessing its policy on Saudi Arabia given the two terrorist attacks that took place in November 1995 and June 1996. That re-assessment does not question the strong ties that both countries enjoy but rather looks at alternative solutions to problems and alternative plans of actions in case the situation worsens. The fact that this is taking place is extraordinary by itself and not at all unexpected considering the importance Saudi oil reserves and oil flow are to world economies.

The second front deals with the effectiveness of Bandar bin Sultan as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. An Ambassador's role in a host country represents the pinnacle of relations between the two countries and in most cases the Ambassador is a conduit and a facilitator that is able to build strong ties and maintain them strong for the benefits of the host and guest countries alike. In the case of Saudi Arabia, Bandar's expiring style and take-from-Paul-to-pay-Peter type of diplomacy has placed Saudi Arabia in an awkward and ineffective position that will scar the relations for a long time.

Add to this angle the health of King Fahd and the dislike Bill Clinton has for Bandar on a personal level (Bandar snubbed Clinton when he was Governor of Arkansas by refusing to meet twice and totally forgetting to meet the third time--Read Bandar bin Sultan) and you have a formula whereby Saudi Arabia needs to rely on a new Ambassador who will be able to communicate the King's wishes some of which borders on the insane (King Fahd recently asked for 24 hour secret service protection for his son Abdul Aziz when he visits Washington. His son has no official title and comes to Washington on private visits). When Bandar leaves politics, Washington will breath a sigh of relief.

Ambassador Wyche Fowler recently left to Saudi Arabia with the specific task of seeking to understand the depth and importance of Saudis' displeasure and discontent. This major step towards completing or complementing the US policy of protecting the oil reserves will lead eventually to a new reassessment that may have different recommendations and a different point of view. The arrival of Ambassador Fowler in Saudi Arabia is making the royal family very nervous and no one is more nervous than Prince Naef bin Abdul Aziz , the Minister of Interior Affairs and the brain behind the largest purchase of torture equipment in the world.

On the other hand, Prince Salman, another Sudeiri and Governor of Riyadh, the bastion of Wahabbism, is keeping himself available to the ailing and sickly King Fahd. He spends most of his time by his side and is slowly extracting concessions that are consolidating his hold onto power to the detriment of Prince Sultan, the Minister of Defense. US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Raymond Mabus sent a scathing report to the State Department last year blasting Prince Sultan and the disastrous results should Sultan become King. Sultan was not amused by this and given the dislike Fahd has for him, he has written himself off as the King to follow Abdullah. If Sultan is out and Bandar is becoming ineffective in Washington (Taking FBI Freeh to meet King Fahd was a mistake that his uncles have not forgotten yet), then we expect dramatic changes in the political scene in Saudi Arabia that will shake the traditional communication pipelines.