Saudi King Abdullah greets Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice before their meeting in Riyadh. (Saudi Press Agency Via Associated Press)By Glenn KesslerWashington Post Staff Writer
KUWAIT CITY, Jan. 16 -- A group of eight Arab nations on Tuesday joined the United States in issuing a veiled warning to Iran against interfering in Iraq's affairs but offered only tepid support for President Bush's new plan for stabilizing Iraq.
The statement was written in diplomatic jargon and did not mention Iran by name or even cite concerns about Iran's nuclear program. It warned against "destabilization" of the Persian Gulf, expressed support for the "principle of noninterference" and said it did not want Iraq to become "a battleground for regional and international powers," code for Iran and the United States.
The statement was written in diplomatic jargon and did not mention Iran by name or even cite concerns about Iran's nuclear program. It warned against "destabilization" of the Persian Gulf, expressed support for the "principle of noninterference" and said it did not want Iraq to become "a battleground for regional and international powers," code for Iran and the United States.
Saud, at a news conference with Rice, described the situation in Iraq as a "morass," which he said "serves no one. It serves no neighboring country, no regional power and no international power."
He added that Iraq "is an old historic country with a civilization that goes back thousands of years. I cannot for the life of me conceive that a country like that would commit suicide."
He added that Iraq "is an old historic country with a civilization that goes back thousands of years. I cannot for the life of me conceive that a country like that would commit suicide."
Sounds to me like things are getting very heated up-Saudi news reports suggested that the message requested mediation in the growing battle of nerves between the United States and Iran. Iran denied the report, and Rice and Saud both said there was "no need" for mediation. No need for mediation? True Bush's mind is already made up he wants the Civil War to keep on going and then in '08 he will leave the whole bag in his predecessors lap! What a guy!
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