in the arab and muslim worlds, saudi arabia is considered to be pro-western and pro-american, and it is certainly a long-term ally of the united states. however, this and saudi arabia's role in the 1991 persian gulf war, particularly the stationing of us troops on saudi soil from 1991, prompted the development of a hostile islamist response internally. as a result, saudi arabia has, to some extent, distanced itself from the us and, for example, refused to support or to participate in the us-led invasion of iraq in 2003.