On May 15, former Saudi intelligence boss and ambassador in Washington, Prince Turki al-Faisal blasted Barack Obama administration’s policies on Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq and the Islamic Republic. Prince was speaking to foreign diplomats at the King Faisal Center for for Research and Islamic Studies to mark the 35th anniversary of Arab News.
Talking about Washington playing bully on behalf of the Zionist entity – Turki said that the Western pressure on Iran started on the wrong footing to begin with. “The stick and carrot approach will not work and there has to be a level playing field. You cannot ask Iran to play on one level while you allow Israel, India, North Korea and Pakistan (all of them have tested their nuclear arsenals) to play on other levels”. Turki blasted Hillary Clinton for her threats to Tehran and blamed her for damaging the cause of a nuclear-free Middle East. “I hope President Obama, who has made universal disarmament his goal – will find the way to correct his secretary of state’s nulification of making our are free of WMDs,” the Prince said.
On Occupied Palestine – Turki said that though President Obama had committed himself for a two-state solution to Palestine problem – but he has not put some concrete efforts the move towards that promise. Turki believe that Obama must act aggressively on this matter – pushing both Zionist-regime and the Arab regimes on equal footing. The US has to be the “Big Bear pushing us all. It’s not enough to talk the talk – He has to walk the walk,” said the Prince.
If there is no resolution by the September deadline set by the Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo earlier this month, the US should recognize an independent Palestinian state “and then pack up, leave us in peace and let the Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese negotiate directly with the Israelis.” From Obama there must be “no more platitudes, good wishes and visions, please.”
On Afghanistan – Turki wants Obama to pull-out all foreign forces and let Afghans solve their own problems the way they had been doing: “As long as GI boots remain on Afghan soil they remain targets of resistance for the Afghan people. The Taleban of today, are not the same a decade ago. They are no longer exclusively Pashtun warriors. They are now any and every Afghan of whatever ilk who raises arms against the foreign invaders”.
On Iraq – Turki was most pessimistic. He suggested a UN resolution on Iraq’s territorial integrity is the only way of thwarting the “sinister” designs of those of its neighbors (Israel, Iran and Saudi Arabia) intent on exploiting its conflict to their own advantage. The “forces of evil” are still very much alive and active within the country, he said.
Prince Turki blasted the US for losing ”the moral high ground” it had acquired after 9/11 in the Middle East because of its “negligence, ignorance and arrogance”.
It seems, the Saudi ‘royals’ are finally waking up to the reality in the region. Their survival is tied to be friendly with the emerging new regional powers (Russia, China and Islamic Iran) and not their continued submission to their old buddies in Washington, London and Tel Aviv.
