Saudi Journalist: U.S. Taking Weak Position Vis-à-vis Iran, While Blackmailing Us; We Must Fend For Ourselves

Following the September 14, 2019 Iranian attack on the oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, many Saudi officials called on the international community to take active measures against Iran's regional policy and play a role in defending the world's energy supply.[1] Similar calls were also made by writers in the Saudi press, some of whom condemned what they called the hesitant and feeble policy of the U.S. and the international community towards Iran. Prominent among these responses was a September 18 article by Hamoud Abu Taleb in the daily 'Okaz, titled "We Have No Ally But Ourselves." Abu Taleb wrote that the superpowers are not interested in taking any significant action against Iran, because the chaos sowed by Iran in the Middle East actually serves their long-term interests. He urged Saudi Arabia to calculate its course based on the assumption that it is alone in the fray against Iran, while warning that the kingdom faces an existential threat of unprecedented proportions.

The following are translated excerpts from his article: [2]

Hamoud Abu Taleb (source: mz-mz.net)

"It is almost certain that neither the international community, nor the superpowers, nor the U.N. and its Security Council will take any serious practical action in response to the significant, dangerous and unprecedented attack carried out on Saturday [September 14, 2019] against the Saudi oil facilities. An examination of [their] positions leads to this conclusion. The statements of [U.S.] President [Donald] Trump, which contradict those of the heads of his administration, and the contradictory nature of Trump's own statements, teach us that the U.S. position on Iran, which was unclear to begin with, is feeble. The position of the European [countries], such as France and Germany, is always inclined in Iran's favor. Britain – which follows the lead of the U.S. – is preoccupied with its domestic crises and ultimately adopts America's [position]. [As for] Russia, despite Putin's polite and diplomatic expressions of support for Saudi Arabia, [this country] is known to be closely aligned with Iran when it comes to regional issues, especially the Syrian one. China has almost completely disregarded the events, although it is among [the countries] most dependent on Saudi oil. So who is left? The real answer that emerges is that nobody will forcefully intervene to stop Iran's extreme [behavior] and its threats to the security of the region and to the world's most important energy sources.

"Deception by means of internal contradictions, [and by creating] crises and instability, is part of the superpowers' policy in managing their interests. They disagree on minor issues but agree on the overall strategy. It would be superficial and naïve to think that they are interested in the security of the region. They clearly and openly decided to sow anarchy in the region by means of the Arab Spring in order to make it fragile and rearrange the balance of power within it. It will benefit them if Iran keeps escalating [its aggression] and drags the region to the brink of the abyss. If Iran has its agents in the Arab countries, it [itself] is one of the most important agents of the superpowers, who make plans for the region as they please.

"If we want to confront reality clearly and objectively, we must realize that we are alone in the fray and handle our affairs accordingly. The allies of yesterday are no longer what they were, and the blackmail they use against us... in the guise of supporting us in the crises has been exposed. I do not refer only to [their policy towards the Saudi] kingdom, but towards the entire bloc of Gulf [states], which escaped the plot of [sowing] anarchy [i.e., the Arab Spring] and still enjoy security and economic stability. They are being provoked and threatened by means of threats [to the bloc's] largest and most prominent member, [Saudi Arabia].

"O people of reason, think well, for we are facing an existential danger of unprecedented [magnitude]."