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The despicable submission of Saudi Arabia
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 2003-02-22 |
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