Saudis Sing It Too: Bomb Bomb Iran

[DUIC]

Over at The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg says that the “most consequential news from the Middle East today” is Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s promise to keep oil prices under $100 a barrel. Why does this matter? Argues Goldberg:

Because it clears the way for an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. I’m not suggesting coordination between Israel and Saudi Arabia on this, any more than I would ever suggest that Superpacs coordinate with presidential campaign staffs. I’m merely noting that one factor that inhibits Israel from striking at Iran is fear that an attack will cause Iran to retaliate against Persian Gulf shipping (among other things), which would cause oil prices to skyrocket, which would, of course, generate a fair amount of anger directed against Israel.

The “blame Israel first” crowd continues to interpret the Iran-US crisis as an example of a sinister Israel lobby pushing the US into a war to serve the ambitions of the Jewish state. Not only does this analysis miss the vital US interests at stake in the region and the threat Iran poses to a balance of power the United States needs, it misses the reality that for several years now some of the strongest, most consistent pressures on Washington to act against Iran have come from the Arab world.

The Arab Lobby’s strong pressure for war against Iran is a major factor in French, British and even German hawkishness as well in this crisis.

But the blame Israel firsters don’t care; if we have a war with Iran they will know who to blame.

http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/02/07/saudis-sing-it-too-bomb-bomb-iran/

I am seeing a lot of Israel Firsters rhetoric out there, implying that opposing Iran's nuclear weapons programs amounts to being an "Israel Firster".

[Lawlbringer]

1. Some would say that KSA is anti-Iran

for no other reason than the fact that Iran is Shi'a.


Everyone has an agenda, make no mistake about it. But yeah, it looks like the war chorus is adding a few more voices.

[DUIC]

2. You can ascribe any motive to people

I would believe that KSA is opposed to Iran's nuclear ambitions on the face of it. No other motives are required other than Iran having nuclear weapons within striking distance of their backyards.

[Lawlbringer]

3. Fair enough.

But it's hard to escape the past. Saudi Arabia has felt threatened by Iran, and during the Iran/Iraq war, the Saudis gave a whole hell of a lot of money to Iraq (we..uh...kinda did too >.&lt because of the Sunni/Shi'a rift.

Religion and Oil, the two main points of conflict in the region are just going to make all of this worse.

[madrchsod]

4. israel has enough nuclear weapons to turn iran into glass

the fall out would poison the rest of the iran and the land downwind. for what? to stop iran from getting nuclear weapons that they may or not be able to use? it`s truly a shame that the people of israel are to afraid to speak out against their government or they actually believe they are in danger.

[jody]

5. The Saud family sits on a powder keg with Shia Islam their blood enemies since the seventh century.

Like all governments controlled by a handful of people, whether monarchs, dictators, or corporatists they are always in constant peril of overthrow and the guillotine.