Saudi Arabia Blames America for the Turmoil in Egypt
~by Bruce Riedel
~by Bruce Riedel
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| President Barack Obama meeting with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, seated left, June 29, 2010, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Ron Edmond/AP) |
In an unprecedented comment this weekend, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah blamed American "ignorance" for the crisis in Egypt. Without mentioning America by name, the king blamed Washington's "interference" in Arab politics for the last two years of turmoil.
In a scathing statement, the king urged Muslims to stand behind the Egyptian Army in fighting terrorism and extremism. Speaking in sorrow, Abdullah blamed outsiders ignorant of Arabism, Islam, and Egypt for senseless interference in the politics of the Arab world's most populous state. Clearly referring to President Obama's decision two years ago to push for Hosni Mubarak's ouster, the king suggested Washington played with fire and has now been burned.
The Saudis were shocked when Obama abandoned Mubarak, a close Saudi ally, in 2011. They saw a dangerous precedent for their own future. Since then the kingdom has been the leader of the counterrevolution in the Arab world, bucking up regimes in Bahrain, Yemen, and Jordan. The Saudis were early supporters of the coup in Cairo and have rallied their Gulf allies, Kuwait and the UAE, to promise $12 billion in aid to the military government that has ousted the Muslim Brotherhood. The UAE issued its own statement this weekend fully backing Abdullah.
Both the UAE and the kingdom see the Brotherhood as a menace. More importantly Abdullah fears that if democratic elections begin to flourish in the Arab world, then sooner rather than later Saudis will want elections and change in the kingdom itself.
The king called for the “ignorant” to come to their senses and stop interfering in Egypt. Criticizing the army crackdown, as Obama has done, only helps the "terrorists," the king argues.
In a scathing statement, the king urged Muslims to stand behind the Egyptian Army in fighting terrorism and extremism. Speaking in sorrow, Abdullah blamed outsiders ignorant of Arabism, Islam, and Egypt for senseless interference in the politics of the Arab world's most populous state. Clearly referring to President Obama's decision two years ago to push for Hosni Mubarak's ouster, the king suggested Washington played with fire and has now been burned.
The Saudis were shocked when Obama abandoned Mubarak, a close Saudi ally, in 2011. They saw a dangerous precedent for their own future. Since then the kingdom has been the leader of the counterrevolution in the Arab world, bucking up regimes in Bahrain, Yemen, and Jordan. The Saudis were early supporters of the coup in Cairo and have rallied their Gulf allies, Kuwait and the UAE, to promise $12 billion in aid to the military government that has ousted the Muslim Brotherhood. The UAE issued its own statement this weekend fully backing Abdullah.
Both the UAE and the kingdom see the Brotherhood as a menace. More importantly Abdullah fears that if democratic elections begin to flourish in the Arab world, then sooner rather than later Saudis will want elections and change in the kingdom itself.
The king called for the “ignorant” to come to their senses and stop interfering in Egypt. Criticizing the army crackdown, as Obama has done, only helps the "terrorists," the king argues.
Courtesy: The Daily Beast
