Using money, weapons or its oil power, Saudi Arabia will intervene

[Cheetah786]

Saudi will intervene in Iraq if US withdraws-aide

29 Nov 2006 11:10:32 GMT
Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Using money, weapons or its oil power, Saudi Arabia will intervene to prevent Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias from massacring Iraqi Sunni Muslims once the United States begins pulling out of Iraq, a security adviser to the Saudi government said on Wednesday.

Nawaf Obaid, writing in The Washington Post, said the Saudi leadership was preparing to revise its Iraq policy to deal with the aftermath of a possible U.S. pullout, and is considering options including flooding the oil market to crash prices and thus limit Iran's ability to finance Shi'ite militias in Iraq.

"To be sure, Saudi engagement in Iraq carries great risks -- it could spark a regional war. So be it: The consequences of inaction are far worse," Obaid said.

The article said the opinions expressed were Obaid's own and not those of the Saudi government.

"To turn a blind eye to the massacre of Iraqi Sunnis would be to abandon the principles upon which the kingdom was founded. It would undermine Saudi Arabia's credibility in the Sunni world and would be a capitulation to Iran's militarist actions in the region," he said.

U.S. President George W. Bush will meet Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Jordan on Wednesday to discuss a surge in Sunni-Shi'ite violence in Iraq.

Bush has said he does not support calls for a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, but he is expected soon to receive proposals for possible changes in U.S. policy in Iraq from a bipartisan panel.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil producer and exporter and a close U.S. ally, fears Shi'ite Iran has been gaining influence since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq toppled Saddam Hussein's government.

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney held talks with Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh on Saturday. Details were not disclosed.

Obaid said Cheney's visit "underlines the pre-eminence of Saudi Arabia in the region and its importance to U.S. strategy in Iraq."

He said if the United States begins withdrawing from Iraq, "one of the first consequences will be massive Saudi intervention to stop Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias from butchering Iraqi Sunnis."

Obaid listed three options being considered by the Saudi government:

- providing "Sunni military leaders (primarily ex-Baathist members of the former Iraqi officer corps, who make up the backbone of the insurgency) with the same types of assistance", including funding and arms.

- establishing new Sunni brigades to combat the Iranian-backed militias;

- or the Saudi king "may decide to strangle Iranian funding of the militias through oil policy. If Saudi Arabia boosted production and cut the price of oil in half ... it would be devastating to Iran ... The result would be to limit Tehran's ability to continue funnelling hundreds of millions each year to Shi'ite militias in Iraq and elsewhere."

[Asim Aquil]

lesser of the two (/three if you include Iran) evils.

The US can't force peace onto Iraq. The fact is if the Sunni mullahs and the Shia Mullahs unitedly just requested a cease-fire and peace... It would work.

[Cheetah786]

Originally Posted by Asim Aquil

lesser of the two (/three if you include Iran) evils.

The US can't force peace onto Iraq. The fact is if the Sunni mullahs and the Shia Mullahs unitedly just requested a cease-fire and peace... It would work.

problem isnt shia and sunni problem is wahabies and uncle losing there grip on the Muslim world.house of saud is been trying to create a divide between muslims if they care so much for sunnis why all there money is invested in west.its ok for sunnies to go hungry.or die cause of american bombing.

[Asim Aquil]

The House of Saud are actually a bunch of spoilt kids masquerading as religious people. They got to keep the Wahabbi community in Saudi Arabia chilled out otherwise there will be a total revolt.

Of course in the future if we let Iran and Saudi at it, there will be a power struggle between the two. But for now they CAN (to quote condi) make a "cessation of all hostilities" there.

If big papa Wahabbi and big papa Khomoeni jointly request an end to Shia/Sunni violence, I bet it'd work. The clergies are almost demigods for those who have such extreme practices of Islam. They'd listen.

[Cheetah786]

Originally Posted by Asim Aquil

The House of Saud are actually a bunch of spoilt kids masquerading as religious people. They got to keep the Wahabbi community in Saudi Arabia chilled out otherwise there will be a total revolt.

Of course in the future if we let Iran and Saudi at it, there will be a power struggle between the two. But for now they CAN (to quote condi) make a "cessation of all hostilities" there.

If big papa Wahabbi and big papa Khomoeni jointly request an end to Shia/Sunni violence, I bet it'd work. The clergies are almost demigods for those who have such extreme practices of Islam. They'd listen.

i agree with ya 100000000% but it isnt the big papa from both side thats paying the price so both dont care.human life now a days means nothing to Most and thats a shame prophet would have never ever tolerated this but obviously these people arent following the islam are they killing each other and for what:wall:

[ali ahmad]

i agreewith asim..if saudi arabia and iran have given a roleto play in peace process they can do a trick....

but in this case american intrests may not be fullfilled...
they wll not request iran to do so