Obama heads to Riyadh for talks on Islamic State, defense
WASHINGTON- U.S. President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Ash Carter will talk next week with leaders in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries about the fight against Islamic State militants and other defense issues, a White House official said on Thursday.
The United States and its Gulf partners have had differences over how best to address conflicts in the region - particularly those with Iran.
An article in The Atlantic last month brought some of that tension into the open, including comments from Obama about "free riders" - countries that don't "carry their weight" in conflicts.
