IF ONLY ALL TESTS WERE THIS EASY:

3.) Should the United States support Saudi democratic reform and human rights?

Saudi Arabia gets a lot of bad press for its poor human rights record. Critics point to the kingdom's restrictive laws toward women, including the prohibition against women driving and the guardianship system, under which any woman requires her male guardian's permission to marry or divorce, seek education or employment, travel, or even open a bank account. But Saudi Arabia's poor human rights record extends beyond women's rights. Saudi authorities continue to implement harsh punishments, including flogging, amputation, and public executions. The recent case of blogger Raif Badawi is but one example. Torture, sectarian discrimination, restrictions on religious freedom, and exploitation of migrant workers remain problems.

US policy toward Saudi Arabia has favoured stability, and US criticism of internal Saudi policy is generally muted. Will the next president continue the policy of quiet critique, or will he or she favor a more proactive stance against authoritarian restrictions on democracy, human rights, and the rule of law? Should US allies share our values, or only our goals?

4.) How should the United States assess Saudi Arabia's radicalism problem?

Saudi Arabia rests upon a compact between the monarchy and conservative religious leaders, some of whom promote a strict Salafi interpretation of Islam that is sometimes used to legitimize violence or terrorism. The US Treasury Department has designated Saudi religious charities like the International Islamic Relief Organization and the al Haramain Foundation as financiers of terrorism. Saudi nationals carried out the highest percentage of suicide attacks on US forces in Iraq, and Saudis are believed to be the leading group of foreign fighters joining the Islamic State.

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