Iran Deal – Sentiment Turns Positive In Middle-East

5 Comments

1. 

   Oui on November 26, 2013 at 2:22 pm

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   Iranian nuclear deal strains Obama’s relations with big Jewish donors

   (The Hill) – The Iran nuclear deal has put new strains on President Obama’s relationship with Jewish donors, a pillar of Democratic fundraising. The U.S.-led agreement— endorsed by France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia — has attracted criticism from Democratic allies of Israel, including Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.).

   The timing of the pact set the stage for awkward moments at a scheduled Democratic fundraiser in Beverly Hills, Calif., Monday night. Obama attended an event, hosted by Haim Saban, an Israeli-American media mogul.

   Obama attacked the issue head-on, telling about 120 donors who paid $16,200 per person to attend the dinner at Saban’s sprawling estate that the agreement with Iran opens “the prospect that we’ll be able to, through peaceful, diplomatic means, remove this cloud that has hovered over the Middle East that had the potential and continues to have the potential of triggering a nuclear arms race in the most volatile region of the world.”

   Saban drew applause when he told the donors, gathered in his back yard in a heated tent bathed in orange/gold light, according to a pool reporter, that “the president’s commitment to Israel’s security has never been stronger.”

   “And if the Iranians are at the negotiating table today, make no mistake about it, it is only as a result of President Obama’s resolve in striking down the most strict sanctions ever,” Saban added.

   List of Likud Campaign Donor Prospects, ‘Bibi’s Foreign Legion’

2. 

   Oui on November 26, 2013 at 2:24 pm

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   Does anyone offer an explanation for the Saudi transformation from extreme anger to words of support?
   This leaves Saudi ally Israel standing alone in the bitter cold.

   I can only suspect an olive branch from Palestine handed by Secretary John Kerry to Saudi FM Prince Saud al-Faisal.

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     kafkananda on November 26, 2013 at 3:37 pm

     There are a lot of cross currents vying for resolution in the Saudi mindset right now.

     First off and what I understand little of, is the internal House of Saud familiar dynamics. I wonder if some in the inner circle think Prince Bandar is kind of a rogue actor. They must be getting some feedback that continuing to support the Syrian Wahhabi rebels will be increasingly frowned upon as the specter of US intervention (on THEIR side!) has, basically, disappeared.

     Of course, a lot of the ‘Saudis hate it too’ was just good ole well prepared hasbara to soften the obvious single pointed focus on who it is exactly that is against peace breaking out.

     As long as the US was giving total cover to Israel, the House of Saud had a wide field in which to position themselves. With the US now starting to rein in the Israelis (if we can call not being bullied/bought to start a stupid war AGAIN, ‘reining them in’), the Saudis are more concerned with the blowback of aligning with the Israelis.

     The ‘no WMDs in the Middle East’ is a powerful unifying
     theme for both the Arab/Persian street and the Sunni/Shia divide. We know who the ‘out’ party is in this equation.

     EVERYBODY is trying to figure out what the new situation means and how it will shake out. The first reactions from the old guard will naturally be WTF? After folks have talked about it for a few days, it probably became clearer to adopt a more ‘wait and see’ attitude. You just don’t know who your friends are going to be come next year.

3. 

   Oui on November 26, 2013 at 2:26 pm

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   from my diary – Obama On Path Towards Grand-Slam In Diplomacy

   If John Kerry and Sergey Lavrov illustrate their determination …
    STEP 1 –  Resolve CW issue on Syria
    STEP 2 –  Arms embargo and a political solution for Syria
    STEP 3 –  Resolve nuclear issue of Iran with president Rouhani
    STEP 4 –  Finalize a peace treaty between Israel and Palestine

   Obama made a courageous decision stepping away from 35 years of biased US policy on the Middle East. Angry Arab states Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar plus Turkey and Israel. Praise from Russia, Iran and Iraq (Maliki).

4. 

   Oui on December 11, 2013 at 7:31 pm

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   Gulf Arabs urge foreigners out of Syria, drawing regime ire

   Kuwait City (AFP) – Gulf Arab states demanded foreign militias quit Syria and said President Bashar al-Assad must have no future role. Adopting a firm stance on Syria, the GCC “strongly condemned the continued genocide that Assad’s regime is committing against the Syrian people using heavy and chemical weapons”.

   It called “for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syria,” in a clear reference to Iran-backed Shiite militias from Iraq and Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement which are supporting Assad’s troops against Sunni-led rebels.

   The GCC backed the opposition National Coalition’s decision to attend a Geneva peace conference, saying the January 22 meeting should lead to the formation of a transitional government with extensive executive powers and in which Assad would have no role.

   “Pillars of the Syrian regime whose hands had been stained by the blood of the Syrian people must have no role in the transitional government or Syria’s political future,” the oil-rich nations said in their summit’s closing statement.

   In response, Syria strongly condemned the “inflammatory rhetoric of the Council’s statement on Syria, particularly as countries in the Council… support and practice terrorism”.

   “Those who participated today in the summit in Kuwait, first among them the Saudi regime, have contributed in large part to the killing of Syrians and the destruction of their country,” said the foreign ministry.