The news organization RT (Russia Today) is reporting that Saudi Arabia is now ready to participated in ground operations against against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria. The only qualification is that the effort has to be U.S.-led.
President Obama has made it clear that, under current conditions, there will be no U.S. boots on the ground in Syria.
One would think that this shouldn't be an obstacle for the Saudis if they really wanted to fight ISIS in Syria, or any place else in the region. The Saudi military is, after all, ranked #4 in the world when it comes to military spending.
The problem the Saudis have is that - according to former CIA officer Robert Baer - much of Saudi Arabia's military is trained to defend the corrupt and kleptocratic Saudi regime. Put another way, they're not much of a fighting force, but could be if the Saudis had their priorities straight.
So, it appears, the Saudis are trying to encourage the U.S. to fight in a conflict that they should be fighting on their own (again). I think most would agree that preserving a corrupt regime - or doing their dirty work - is not something the U.S. should be concerned about.
We might want to keep this in mind the next time the war mongers in Congress start belly aching about getting involved in another war in the Middle East.
- Mark
President Obama has made it clear that, under current conditions, there will be no U.S. boots on the ground in Syria.
One would think that this shouldn't be an obstacle for the Saudis if they really wanted to fight ISIS in Syria, or any place else in the region. The Saudi military is, after all, ranked #4 in the world when it comes to military spending.
The problem the Saudis have is that - according to former CIA officer Robert Baer - much of Saudi Arabia's military is trained to defend the corrupt and kleptocratic Saudi regime. Put another way, they're not much of a fighting force, but could be if the Saudis had their priorities straight.
So, it appears, the Saudis are trying to encourage the U.S. to fight in a conflict that they should be fighting on their own (again). I think most would agree that preserving a corrupt regime - or doing their dirty work - is not something the U.S. should be concerned about.
We might want to keep this in mind the next time the war mongers in Congress start belly aching about getting involved in another war in the Middle East.
- Mark
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