Despite Absence of King Salman Obama Hosts Saudi Princes at White House

President Barack Obama on Wednesday went out of his way to praise two of Saudi Arabia's top leaders before meeting privately with them at the White House and played down the absence of King Salman, who pulled out of the visit last week.
Obama said they would discuss how to build on a ceasefire in Yemen and work toward "an inclusive, legitimate government" in Saudi Arabia's impoverished neighbor, where Iran-supported Houthi rebels have been under attack by a Saudi-led coalition.
King Salman decided abruptly to skip the White House meeting and a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council at the president's Camp David retreat in Maryland outside Washington on Thursday.
The Gulf Cooperation Council includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman.