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The Bush administration would prefer that Americans remain in the dark over the Saudi role in undermining efforts to stabilize Iraq. The reason: the Saudis have become leading agents of terrorism in Iraq.
| Bad boys, Soddies. Treading the thin edge, are we? |
U.S. interrogators have uncovered disturbing information that Saudi nationals were behind a string of car bombings against targets in Baghdad over the summer. The targets included UN special envoy to Iraq Sergio de Mello and Shi’ite leader Ayatollah Mohammed Baqr Al Hakim. The Saudi effort, U.S. sources said, appears to be sponsored by senior members of the royal family who have concluded that Iraq has become a vital strategic interest for Riyadh. The sources said these Saudi royals aim to control the Sunni minority in Iraq and destabilize the Shiite majority in southern Iraq, particularly in the Basra region. As a result, the kingdom has encouraged Saudi volunteers to fight U.S. and aligned forces in Iraq. Despite pledges to the United States, Saudi Arabia has done virtually nothing to prevent hundreds of mujahadeen, or Islamic lunatix holy warriors, from crossing the northern border into Iraq. Washington believes that part of the Saudi effort has been coordinated with Saddam loyalists.
| We've seen commentary in the Arabian press that this swarm is caused by the Soddies cracking down on the jihadis in the wake of the Riyadh bombings... |
Meanwhile, some Saudi princes have sent tens of millions of dollars to support Wahhabi activities in Kurdish-dominated northern Iraq. The beneficiary of this relationship is the Al Qaida-aligned Ansar Al Islam. Ansar, which promulgates Wahhabi ideology, has received direct funding from Saudis.
| That's a causus belli, if we want it to be... |
Ansar has resumed attacks on U.S. and aligned Kurdish forces in northern and central Iraq. In one development, the Saudi-sponsored World Assembly of Muslim Youth said it would resume activities in northern Iraq. Saudi Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al Sheik heads the group. |