AP: Saudi Arabia, Iran Cooperating on Crises

[Eugene]

Saudi Arabia, Iran Cooperating on Crises
Saudi Arabia and Iran cooperating to try to ease crises in Iraq,
Lebanon, Saudi FM says

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 30, 2007
By ABDULLAH SHIHRI Associated Press Writer

(AP) Saudi Arabia and Iran are working together to try to calm the crises in Iraq
and Lebanon, the Saudi foreign minister said Tuesday, despite Washington's efforts
to isolate Tehran and limit its influence in the Middle East. The mediation is an
unusual step by two rivals, Saudi Arabia and Iran, that compete for regional
influence.

President Bush has rejected calls that the United States win Iran's help in easing
Iraq's bloodshed and resolve the political crisis in Lebanon that erupted into
violence last week. Instead, he has vowed to break what he called Iranian support
for militants in both countries.

Saudi Arabia's willingness to work with Iran likely indicates the growing alarm in the
kingdom's leadership over the two simultaneous crises, which have inflamed Sunni-
Shiite tensions throughout the Middle East.

-snip-

Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal of largely Sunni Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that Iran
had apprached his country to "cooperate in averting strife between Sunnis and Shiites
in Iraq and Lebanon."

-snip-

Full article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/30/ap/world/mainD8MVLIS80.shtml

[happyslug]

1. Iran and the House of Saud have agreed on how to divide Iraq?

Saudi Arabia gets the Sunni triangle nd most of Baghdad, Iran gets the Shiite Southeast. You may see to "Independent" Countries, but each will be a satellite of either Arabia or Iran. This may explain Turkey's call for its own intervention into Iraq, I can see Iran and the House of Saud giving the Northern Oil Fields to the Sunni Baghdad satellite. Turkey is going to object to that, Turkey will want those oil fields for themselves UNLESS the House of Saud does something about the Kurds infiltrating Turkey from Iraqi Kurdistan.

[The Stranger]

5. It will be the Neocon Republic of Iraq and will have Paul Wolfowitz installed as its leader.

[roamer65]

2. Partition of Iraq WILL happen one of two ways:

1. Through a regional war.

OR

2. Through peaceful negotiations.

Let's all hope this is a start of a peaceful process!!!

[oblivious]

3. Hmm, Iran cooperating with Saudi, Syria, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Armenia

That's not very consistent with the propaganda about Iran isolating itself, worrying its neighbors, and so forth.

[Jacobin]

4. At least a couple of governments

are talking instead of blowing shit up.

I'll bet Smirky is hopping mad.

[kitty1]

6. I'ts a win win situation all around for the countries of the ME....

to cooperate and negotiate rather than deal with a civil war that won't benefit anyone. I'm sure they can all come to some kind of arrangement that works over time. There won't be a miracle remedy but at least there could be progress.
Now of course, this will ruin Junior's plan to control the ME, carve up the resources between him and the other Western nations and make sure those Petro dollars stay in use rather than the Euro. I'm sure Israel isn't too excited about all these peace talks between factions either.
If Europe isn't on board totally, this won't work for Bushco at all.
I think the Saudis seem fed up with the U.S.government and the mess that is in Iraq right now. It's every man for himself over there it seems and past allegiances don't mean much.