Fear and loathing in House of Saud

[Jefferson23]

By Pepe Escobar ( October 11, 2013 )

Every sentient being with a functional brain perceives the possibility of ending the 34-year Wall of Mistrust between Washington and Tehran as a win-win situation.

Here are some of the benefits:

The price of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf would go down; Washington and Tehran could enter a partnership to fight Salafi-jihadis (they already did, by the way, immediately after 9/11) as well as coordinate their policies in Afghanistan to keep the Taliban in check post-2014; Iran and the US share the same interests in Syria; both want no anarchy and no prospect of Islamic radicals having a shot at power. An ideal outcome would balance Iranian influence with a power-sharing agreement between the Bashar al-Assad establishment and the sensible non-weaponized opposition (it does exist, but is at present marginalized); With no more regime change rhetoric and no more sanctions, the sky is the limit for more trade, investment and energy options for the West, especially Europe (Iran is the best possible way for Europeans to soften their dependence on Russia's Gazprom);

remainder: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/World/WOR-02-111013.html

[freshwest]

1. Interesting piece. Thanks. This may explain some of the RWNJ's motives:

That's when the Russia-US agreement on Syria's chemical weapons
intervened. The House of Saud as a whole freaked out - blaming not only
the usual suspects, UN Security Council members Russia and China, but
also Washington.

Bush and Murdoch are the House of Saud's best buddies. The RWNJs and nihilists in the USA, Bachmann, McCain, Nordquist, Romney, Rand, et al have always claimed that Obama is bringing Sharia Law, and all of that. But look at their friends.

It'll take me a while to digest on what the piece says and how it affects America. PBO is doing remarkable things abroad, but he has our best interests, and those of the world, at heart.

[Jefferson23]

4. You're quite welcome, and last I read, Obama does not want further sanctions ( a good thing)

on Iran...but the issue will be convincing Democrats like Pelosi on this one..they receive
political pressure to do otherwise but we'll see. Of course the Republicans want more
sanctions, not less.

[dipsydoodle]

2. Anything which screws with the petrodollar recycling scam

would of course always be welcome.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

3. Very interesting.

Thanks for posting.

Found this quite peculiar:

Incredibly as it may seem, even Ayman al-Zawahiri - as in al-Qaeda central - has issued a proclamation banning the killing of Shi'ites.

Though, I'm sure it's purely for political convenience.

This too:

And the Israeli-Saudi axis will keep blossoming. Few in the Middle East know that an Israeli company - with experience in repressing Palestinians - is in charge of the security in Mecca. (See here and here (in French)). If they knew - with the House of Saud's hypocrisy once more revealed - the Arab street in many a latitude would riot en masse.

[Jefferson23]

6. The last paragraph you highlighted is spot on...and speaks about

the control they seek in the ME, and of course the hypocrisy most likely
as Escobar states would indeed bring about riots by the Arab citizens.

Smarmy bunch.

Since Obama has stated publicly that he wants no further sanctions
on Iran, I take that to mean he is seeking a very different initiative.

I hope it stays that way.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

7. Me too.

It's time for normalizations.

[snagglepuss]

5. .