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| Iraq |
| The despicable submission of Saudi Arabia |
| 2003-02-22 |
| Source is Khilafa.com... In a spacious fifth-floor conference room at Egypt's leading think tank, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States delivered a message that surprised some of Cairo's most prominent intellectuals and analysts. The ambassador, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, said Arabs would blunder by actively backing French and German efforts to forestall a war against Iraq. The Bush administration's contentions that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction and has cultivated links with al Qaeda have substance, they recalled him saying, and Arabs should acknowledge that war is inevitable and begin jockeying for a role in shaping postwar Iraq. "Once we join the club, then we can negotiate what Iraq will be like after the war," Bandar was quoted as saying. "But without being part of the club, then we have no role in the day after." Hopefully, it's too late for that... After months of impassioned opposition to a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and attempts to inspire President Saddam Hussein's exile or a coup d'etat by his military, Egypt, Jordan and other Arab states friendly to the United States have begun to privately endorse the gist of Bandar's views, although with less enthusiasm and candor. With war viewed as imminent, these Arab governments have begun taking steps to prepare for its aftermath. "It's gonna happen. Let's see how bad we can screw it up..." While Syria remains ardently opposed to a U.S. war to destroy Hussein's government, Egypt has markedly softened its opposition and stated that the decision is out of its hands. Jordan's monarch, King Abdullah, concluded as long ago as July that war was inevitable and has moved to prepare his country for its outcome. Saudi Arabia's rulers remain divided but, as Bandar indicated, increasingly have turned their attention to what happens afterward. By screwing around like they have, the Soddies have managed to forfeit a place at the table, though they'll try hard to grab one. Egypt's in the same position. Jordan has been on board since early in the game, mainly because King Abdullah saw the results of his father's butt-buddying with Sammy last time around. That had to hurt. Syria realizes that they're the other Ba'athist regime, a lot more overtly involved with international terrorism than Sammy is. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #5 Yes, but King Hussein knows Saddam better than even Chiraq does. |
| Posted by: Dishman 2003-02-23 00:48:30 |
| #4 Jordan's monarch, King Abdullah, concluded as long ago as July that war was inevitable and has moved to prepare his country for its outcome. July? He knew in July? But we're in a Rush to War(tm)! He musta known afore we did! |
| Posted by: ereynol 2003-02-22 21:03:39 |
| #3 The arabs and especially the Saudis are 12 count 'em 12 years too late. They had a chance to clean up their neighborhood and they blew it. Now the US is stepping in and being the big bad guy because these corrupt "leaders" could not on their own get on some dirty clothes and start shoveling up the big pile of dog s--t that somebody left in the neighborhood. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-02-22 11:53:01 |
| #2 This article exemplifies how different the Arab world is from Europe. These leaders exist in the real world of pure power politics. The respect American power, accept its exercise as the way the world works and adapt to the new reality. The Franco-German dillydallying and faux moralizing is not really respected. Assuming we have the will to follow through on Iraq, we'll be in a strong position to squeeze the other players as some of us hope. The French will be irrelevant. |
| Posted by: JAB 2003-02-22 11:21:00 |
| #1 The are right in one way: "But without being part of the club, then we have no role in the day after." The role they will have in the long term is precisely that of Iraq's: Arabia will be shorn of its present kleptocracy and reformed into at least a 19th century federated democracy. Saud delenda est... and welcome to the club. |
| Posted by: Tom Roberts 2003-02-22 10:33:34 |