The United States sends a delegation to Saudi Arabia headed by Joint Chiefs of Staff General David Jones on September 28th, 1981, following Iran's initial victories over Iraq in the war that began in 1980, and the occupation of part of the Basra area by Iranian troops.

Jones reportedly conveys to the Saudis that the turn of the war has raised concerns in Washington that the House of Sa'ud may fall.

Crown Prince Fahd and his nephew Prince Bandar bin Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, a son of Defense Minister Sultan bin Abdul Aziz and former fighter pilot educated in America and Britain, welcome the American delegation at Dhahran Airport.

The 32-year-old Bandar, whose relationship with the US begins under President Jimmy Carter's administration, during which he formed strong ties with administration officials Hamilton Jordan and Robert Strauss, is then promoted to the position of commander of a squadron of jet fighters.

Bandar is eventually able to convince the US government to supply Saudi Arabia with American-manned AWACS radar planes, after first working to assure a reluctant Congress that the planes would not in any way be used against Israel.

Promoted by the royal family to the position of ambassador to the US, Bandar reportedly acts as an intermediary between Iraq and CIA director William Casey so that Iraq can obtain highly classified troop information about Iranian troop movements during the war.