Saudis: "Americans are conspiring with Iran in Iraq..."

 

There is a belief amongst many of the Iraqi elite, as well as other Arab politicians, intellectuals and journalists, that the U.S. is conspiring with the Iranians on the issue of Iraq, and that there is a plot to divide the region. The allegation is that America is concluding a deal with its Iranian counterparts, to persuade Tehran to cooperate with America and the West on the subject of its nuclear program [in exchange for allowing the Iranians to politically intervene in Iraq]. This was already offered by the Iranians to the West, in particularly the Americans. Therefore Washington, according to those skeptical of U.S. intentions, does not see the harm in Nuri al-Maliki renewing his post for a second term, at the expense of other Iraqi components.... An Iraqi living in Washington, who is familiar with the decision-making circles there, tells me that those who are closely involved with the Iraqi issue, and specifically within Vice President Joe Biden’s team, are of Kurdish origin. Therefore, how can they not know the Iraqi area, and what is going on there? The source, although not a supporter of conspiracy theories, added that picture soon became clear: The Americans will hand over Iraq to the Iranians, .... As a senior Arab official told me: “Do you believe what they say, and ignore what is happening on the ground?” It is difficult for one to believe conspiracy theories easily. However, what is happening in Iraq today is highly serious, .... a fatal mistake on the part of the Americans, even if one assumes that their intentions are genuine. Washington’s fatal mistake was to accept Iranian interference, and to deal with it as inevitable. This helped to legitimize sectarian conflict in the region. If a country such as Lebanon, can cause a headache in the region for America,... how about Iraq?..."