Since ascending to the throne 2½ years ago, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud has asserted a much more aggressive and assertive foreign policy than his predecessors. It is clear that Salman is a risk-taker. What is less clear is how successful he has been. The kingdom is bogged down in an expensive quagmire in Yemen, outmaneuvered by its rival Iran, and has broken the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Traditional alliances have fractured and opposition to Saudi policies is building on both sides of the Atlantic.

Traditional Saudi foreign policy since King Faisal has been reactive and cautious. The kingdom was risk averse. National security policy was often done by clandestine means; force was avoided. Kings were decisive but careful not to overextend their capacity. 

Salman, however, was quick to intervene in Yemen in early 2015 to prevent Houthi rebels backed by Iran from taking control of the country. The war has become a humanitarian catastrophe for the Yemeni people and a military stalemate for the Saudi coalition. Cholera has broken out in 21 of Yemen's 22 provinces with over a quarter million cases reported. The fighting is barely changing the front line.

It is also a very expensive war for the king. The first nine months of operations cost over $5 billion. Now monthly military operations cost close to $700 million, according to one estimate. There are other hidden expenses in paying for the support of states such as Sudan that provide troops for the war.