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dkf

(37,305 posts)
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 04:12 PM Sep 2013

U.S. Moves on Syria, Iran Anger Saudi Arabia

RIYADH—The Obama administration's handling of overtures on Syria and Iran have outraged regional ally Saudi Arabia, which is signaling it wants to do more to boost the power of armed Sunni rebel groups on the ground in Syria as the U.S. pursues diplomacy.

Saudis fear that Syrian President Basher al-Assad will use the time afforded by U.S.- and U.N.-backed diplomacy on Syria "to impose more killing and to torture its people," Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said Thursday night in New York, in a warning that was overshadowed by the attention paid to the weekend's first public contacts in three decades between the presidents of Iran and the U.S.

Accordingly, Saudi Arabia wants "intensification of political, economic and military support to the Syrian opposition…. to change the balance of powers on the ground" in Syria, Prince Saud said in his remarks to the Friends of Syria group, a coalition of Western and Gulf Arab countries and Turkey that supports the Syria opposition against Mr. Assad. The state-run Saudi Press Agency carried a transcript of his remarks.

The Saudi government has had no public comment so far on the groundbreaking phone call Friday between U.S. President Barack Obama, whose country Saudi Arabia sees as the main military protector of its interests, and new Iranian President Hasan Rouhani, whose country Saudi Arabia sees as its main threat.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303643304579104910000148876.html

22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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U.S. Moves on Syria, Iran Anger Saudi Arabia (Original Post) dkf Sep 2013 OP
They should all smoke pot and it will work out. hrmjustin Sep 2013 #1
Then let them dirty their own hands for a change Warpy Sep 2013 #2
Peace with Syria and Iran would men less malaise Sep 2013 #3
The House of Saud needs to go in the dustbin of history. Comrade Grumpy Sep 2013 #4
Evidence that diplomacy with Iran and Syria is a good idea n/t Scootaloo Sep 2013 #5
I hope those who think Obama is a weak president... randome Sep 2013 #6
Why are we better off if Assad falls to Sunni extremists? dkf Sep 2013 #10
Wouldn't be the first time for a polar shift between US "allies" and "adversaries" in the region leveymg Sep 2013 #7
I think so. Our interests are diverging. dkf Sep 2013 #8
If anything like that happens, who could blame the Russians if they did a post-9/11 on Riyadh? leveymg Sep 2013 #11
Did a Saudi minister just complain about "torturing and Guy Whitey Corngood Sep 2013 #9
So is this a Sunni vs Shiite conflict in the eyes of the Saudis? KurtNYC Sep 2013 #12
I believe they also would benefit from a natural gas pipeline across Syria. dkf Sep 2013 #14
Saudi Arabia and Israel. roamer65 Sep 2013 #13
I wonder if the Saudis would live that down. dkf Sep 2013 #15
Saudis and Israelis too. Saudis can tell me nothing after 9/11. We went after the wrong demon. nt kelliekat44 Sep 2013 #16
This D Bag on the left is why we did nothing warrant46 Sep 2013 #20
maybe Saudi Arabia and Israel will get together and form an alliance to oppose JI7 Sep 2013 #17
Yeah, like the Saudis care about the Syrian people LittleBlue Sep 2013 #18
Saudi Arabia and Israel can go fuck themselves. n/t Cali_Democrat Sep 2013 #19
Well U.S. Iranian diplomatic relations could damage women's ovaries, Uncle Joe Sep 2013 #21
Just tell them we've been talking to Putin and HE had a great offer.... Junkdrawer Sep 2013 #22

Warpy

(110,913 posts)
2. Then let them dirty their own hands for a change
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 04:16 PM
Sep 2013

After all, we've sold them plenty of death over the years and trained their people on how to deliver it.

malaise

(267,823 posts)
3. Peace with Syria and Iran would men less
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 04:17 PM
Sep 2013

weapons for the Saudis and Israelis. The mendicants are pissed and I am shocked I tell yah.

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
6. I hope those who think Obama is a weak president...
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 04:44 PM
Sep 2013

...understand some of the complexities involved here. You can't simply say, 'Peace to all' without someone else rising up to oppose you.

I agree Saudi Arabia needs to take matters into its own hands instead of letting us meddle but they won't.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.
[/center][/font][hr]

leveymg

(36,418 posts)
7. Wouldn't be the first time for a polar shift between US "allies" and "adversaries" in the region
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 04:44 PM
Sep 2013

Maybe another one is overdue. Our current batch of "frienemies" in the Mideast have done nothing but allow their radicals to repeatedly attack us and have cost us a fortune in upkeep and capital accounts transfers.

We'd be better off if we just declared them supporters of international terrorism and freeze their US holdings as assets of enemy combatants.

 

dkf

(37,305 posts)
8. I think so. Our interests are diverging.
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 04:47 PM
Sep 2013

Frankly if the report re:Chechen attacks on the Russian Olympics are true, that may go for us as well.

leveymg

(36,418 posts)
11. If anything like that happens, who could blame the Russians if they did a post-9/11 on Riyadh?
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 06:08 PM
Sep 2013

The Russians are in much better shape today to protect their interests than they were when their southern regions were being carved up in the middle and late 1990s. The U.S. is no longer in a strategic position of unrivaled power where we can so easily restrain the Russians this time, and it no longer appears to be in our interest to help the Saudi paramilitary (al-Qaeda) strengthen and expand any longer.

Perhaps, there's a dawning realization along these lines that's occurring in both places,and more widely around the world?

Guy Whitey Corngood

(26,483 posts)
9. Did a Saudi minister just complain about "torturing and
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 04:48 PM
Sep 2013

killing people"? What's next The Taliban complaining about the lack of women's rights in another country?

KurtNYC

(14,549 posts)
12. So is this a Sunni vs Shiite conflict in the eyes of the Saudis?
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 06:18 PM
Sep 2013

Syria is 3/4s Sunni but Assad and the government is Alawi (Shiite sect). Iran is 92% Shiite.

 

dkf

(37,305 posts)
15. I wonder if the Saudis would live that down.
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 06:44 PM
Sep 2013

For the Israelis maybe that wouldn't be the worst thing to have a Muslim ally. I wonder if that would work out.

 

kelliekat44

(7,759 posts)
16. Saudis and Israelis too. Saudis can tell me nothing after 9/11. We went after the wrong demon. nt
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 06:45 PM
Sep 2013

Uncle Joe

(58,112 posts)
21. Well U.S. Iranian diplomatic relations could damage women's ovaries,
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 07:00 PM
Sep 2013

so that's something to think about.

Thanks for the thread, dkf.

Junkdrawer

(27,993 posts)
22. Just tell them we've been talking to Putin and HE had a great offer....
Sun Sep 29, 2013, 07:24 PM
Sep 2013

that ought to get them thinking....

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