ANALYSIS: Is it time for the US and Saudi Arabia to combine efforts on Iran?
Monday, 10 July 2017
The
new administration in Washington has chosen to stand alongside its Arab allies
to voice a clear message. This is how this message reads: The regime in Iran is
domestically repressive and resorts to flagrant human rights violations, and
expansionist outside of its borders, wreaking havoc across the Middle East and
beyond.
To
take the next needed step, an all-out strategy is necessary to rein in Tehran
and confront its belligerence inside the country and beyond.
Far
too long the international community has failed to recognize the fact that the
regime in Iran is controlled by aggressive fanatics that will literally stop at
nothing to seek their interests, while knowing their internal status is
extremely fragile.
Important
lessons
While
it is high time for the United States to lead the West and Saudi Arabia to lead
the Arab world in this initiative, there is no need to launch yet another
devastating war in the Middle East. The past 16 years have taught us many
important lessons:
-
The war in Afghanistan toppled the rule of Taliban and the al-Qaeda safe haven,
and yet the lack of a legitimate post-war strategy allowed Iran take complete
advantage of this void.
-
The invasion of Iraq was unnecessary and again played into the hands of
Tehran’s regime, providing it the opportunity to spread its devious mentality
of fundamentalism, sectarian extremism and terrorism.
-
The Arab Spring has reiterated to us that without an alternative opposition, no
regime change will render any positive outcome. The current state of Libya is
an unfortunate reminder.
- Most important of all, the international
community is coming to understand that a policy of engagement and appeasement
vis-à-vis the regime in Iran will only further fuel instability. Take the cases
of Syria and Yemen,
for example, where Iran has allocated enormous manpower and
financial/logistical resources to create the mayhem it thrives on.
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