Saudi Arabia "Doesn't Care" If White House Angered As US Urges 'Ally' To Ease Tensions
Hours ago, in the latest sign that tensions between Riyadh and Tehran are set to spiral into a full blown diplomatic crisis of historic proportions, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Ahmad Al-Jubeir announced that the kingdom has cut diplomatic ties with the Iranians. The Iran mission was ordered to leave Saudi Arabia within 48 hours.
Al-Jubeir went on to accuse Iran of stoking sectarian violence in the region (a contention that represents the worst kind of hypocrisy) and suggested Riyadh may need to do more to counter the expansion of Iranian influence.
As we put it, this an exceptionally serious situation that could well mushroom into a direct conflict between the two countries which are already on opposite sides of multiple regional proxy wars.
Washington is caught in the middle. Saudi Arabia and the US have a “special” relationship that neither side is keen on damaging while the Obama administration has been walking on egg shells vis-a-vis the Iranians in order to ensure that the “historic” nuclear accord doesn’t end up falling apart in Obama’s last year in The White House.
On Sunday, Washington responded to Saudi Arabia's decision to cut diplomatic ties with Iran by encouraging diplomatic engagement and calling for leaders throughout the region to take "affirmative steps" to reduce tensions, Reuters reports.
"We're aware of reports that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has ordered the closure of Iranian diplomatic missions in the Kingdom," an Obama administration official said.
"We believe that diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences and we will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions."
Not to put too fine a point on it, but when it comes to sectarian tensions, the Saudis really don’t care what Washington thinks. Here’s the latest out of Riyadh:
- SAUDI DIPLOMATS EVACUATED FROM IRAN AFTER EMBASSY ATTACK ARRIVE IN DUBAI ON WAY HOME-AL ARABIYA TV
- SAUDI ARABIA DOES NOT CARE IF IT HAS ANGERED THE WHITE HOUSE, SOURCE FAMILIAR WITH SAUDI GOVERNMENT'S THINKING SAYS: RTRS
- SAUDI ARABIA'S POSITION TOWARD IRAN IS 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,' SOURCE FAMILIAR WITH SAUDI GOVERNMENT'S THINKING SAYS: RTRS
Make no mistake, this dispute is going to get far worse before it gets better which means the Obama administration will have to make a choice: stick with the Saudis in order to preserve the prevailing Mid-East order and ensure that the "special" relationship between Washington and Riyadh isn't damaged, or finally take the plunge and side with the Iranians with whom the administration is desperate to establish a cordial relationship after years of mutual distrust and hostility.
This also comes at a decidedly inopportune time as the White House weighs whether or not to impose a fresh set of sanctions on Tehran in response to the test-firing of a next generation surface-to-surface missile back in October. Now, any new sanctions will likely be viewed by the Iranians as a kind of underhanded way of supporting the Saudi position.
Needless to say, all of this has implications for the mutliple regional proxy wars unfolding across the Mid-East.
Finally, don't forget that the Saudis are a major buyer of US arms and contributed mightily to a 35% increase in foreign arms sales in 2014.
(4 votes)
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Don't underestimate the role of the Saudis in this. They along with the other Gulf monarchs are America's "masters", as well as Israel. They recieve substantial military protection and oil money, which is then recycled into US financial markets. The Saudis and Gulf monarchies are not at all pawns in this game, the American, Arab, and Iranian peoples are.
First Obama deliberately destabilizes most of the MENA, and now he's urging them to reduce tensions! What a putz.
but, but,but obama has spoken the dimwit liar
It's a perfect cover for the US to ratchet up tensions in the ME. SA can be the rogue state not willing to listen to the diplomacy of the US and all the stupid murican sheeple eat it all up. Shit, it can't be the US, it's them Shiites and Sunnis. They been battling for 1000s of years. Pay no attention to where the weapons are coming from. Don't look at who has actually attacked countries directly killing 100's of thousands of people. Don't think about all the training of moderate rebels, and weapons deals. Nope It's camel humper vs. camel fucker.
And the sheeple lap it up.
and Gold? up $1.50 WTF?
No worries. it will be deep in the red by market open. I'm looking for $1045 to break by week's end.
.. and here we go...
Never thought I'd say these words, but David Rockefeller, whomever you are, you are absolutely right. Now, if I could only find work!
O'Dickhead says to Michele..."okay, what do you suggest I do tomorrow once I finish 18?....meet with the AG as planned to fuck over the Second Amendment or, is this Saudi Arabia thing more important?
Saudi Arabia is going to find themselves on a short string if they keep fucking with Obama's bois!
Do. Or do not. There is no try
Seems finally the boomerang is getting back. Pew, they did not know it was a boomerang when they threw it?
Like the old saying "Don`t fight the FED"
In this instance..."Don`t fight the Valerie"....Which side will the Iranian communist Jarrett force her toady Obama to choose?.....
Putin has got to be salivating over this . . .
We are heading for WW3 and then wait for a disclosure that will rock the entire world......
http://beforeitsnews.com/conspiracy-theories/2016/01/top-secret-alien-ph...
a disclosure that will rock the entire world......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEDJN_4r4eI&t=5s
where would Saudi source ammo after a week of fighting? I don't think Russia or China make that size...
Hey, Saudi muslims just beheaded other muslims for being too radical...
Something is wrong about your rationale.
true. They should use lethal injection, like civilized people. The dead people like it better.
The wrong part is the "too radical" part.
Muslims beheading muslims? There is nothing wrong about it altogether. This is just their culture, they have to do that just like we want to eat turkey on thanksgiving.
The farce is complete. And the question of who Washington will side with is 100% legit. Although the neocons are always howling for Iranian blood, thinking people in positions of influence are starting to realize that the Saudi thing just hasn't worked out and it would probably be better to hook up the Persians who at least have a civilization.
Of course Riyadh doesn't care if they've.angered DC. DC needs oil at USD40 a barrel to keep the US economy from melting down just in time for the 2016 election.
Wall Street is sick of zero interest rates. Investors want higher yields on the bonds they are being asked to buy to finance all those equity buybacks. Even they know that with debt burdens as high as they are, they can't have high interest rates and high oil prices at the same time, unless they want another 2008.
Making even Wall Street your bitch is quite a feat, but the House of Saud have pulled it off---for now anyway.
Saudi Arabia is going to give a fuck big time - they don't realize their screwing with Obama's home boys.
Who gives a fuck what the Saudis think. Kill each other for Allah's sake, please.
Saudi Arabia thinks it can play with the big boys, the USA and Russia. Even Iran is a match for it. Once the oil money dries up, either due to natural or a few well placed missles, it will tumble like a house of cards.
Seems they are long for umrican companies and youropean land.
Maybe they play their own game and can exist without sticking a finger in the ground and oil spilling out right now.
We have grown a monster, kept it in sight growing.
How long before Ras Tanura and Kharg Island are up in flames?
You must remember that Saudi Arabia was built on nothing but FUCKING luck !
read between the lines when the 'MICs' can sell pakistan billions dollar contract for f-16s and close their eyes as pakistan deploys its nuclear weapons program under the carter adm., reagan adm., ghw bush adm., and clinton's.
brzezinski, kissinger, albright, etel., [perle, wolfowitz, berger, frank, schumer, 33% SCOTUS, mueller, cohen, etc.,etc., all fucking foreign ashkenazi jewish agents and all dual citizens,... running the country for decades.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Barlow
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/oct/13/usa.pakistan
now if the ussa sides with the saudi's they are caught in a web of lies, and if they side with iran the saudi's will dropp the $$$ and trade in Yuan which is basically the end of ussa hegemony, unless iran fills the slot
or, wait until they both blow the fuck out of each other with the saudi's using pak's nukes with alittle help from israel...
anyone...?
I am surprised the Saudis are ignoring Obama. He did threaten not to fellate the Saudi king if they broke off relations with Iran, but I am guessing he left the back door open.
You can bet that America will be on the wrong side.
A plague on both of their houses! A wise prince would be able to seize the moment and forge a settlement between these two petulant houses. Can Putin emerge as the wise prince?
<-- CabalA$$LickerLiarAddictObamma : 'I see no wrong , I hear no wrong, I speak no wrong'
(of , for & by our allies, becuz 'they are just another part of me' mj)
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I believe Saudi Arabia considers itself to be a superpower (like india)
with most of weapons purchased from others (USA)
has a huge stockpile of arms
& prob'ly they have nuclear bombs gifted by Pakistan
(They funded Paki nuke program)