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Moderate Arabs Will Stop Iran? Think Again

(Ha'aretz) Zvi Bar'el - In the military exercises Iran held this week in the Persian Gulf, the Revolutionary Guards' navy dropped mines, practiced blowing up ships, photographed underwater targets and carried out exercises in electronic warfare and the operation of Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles. The exercise was witnessed by a high-level military delegation from Qatar. Voices opposing Iran sanctions have been raised in Saudi Arabia. Former head of Saudi intelligence Turki al-Faisal, who heads the King Faisal Institute of Global Strategic Studies, said in an interview to al-Arabiya that "the ties between the Gulf states and Iran are historic ties that are built on interests, blood relationships and proximity," and that despite the Iranian threat to neighboring countries, this could not be compared with the Israeli threat. Thousands of Iranian companies fill office buildings in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, whose trade with Iran amounts to some $12 billion. American policy relies on the assumption that the "moderate" bloc of Arab states, especially the Gulf states, are likely to curb the influence of Iran in the region. Iran, however, is conducting a sophisticated policy that may actually succeed in enlisting Arab states on its side. The "moderate bloc" is therefore likely to be a slogan invented at the White House that will not necessarily yield much practical benefit vis-a-vis Iran.
2010-04-28 09:20:43
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