Saudi Arabia Is Arming the Syrian Opposition

Foreign Policy ^

[nuconvert]

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah scolded Russian President Dmitry Medvedev last week for failing to coordinate with Arab states before vetoing a United Nations resolution demanding that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad step down. Emboldened by the lack of international action, Assad's forces are now slaughtering civilians in the streets at an even greater rate. Referring to the bloodshed, the king ominously warned Medvedev that Saudi Arabia "will never abandon its religious and moral obligations towards what's happening."

The last time the Saudis decided they had a moral obligation to scuttle Russian policies, they gave birth to a generation of jihadi fighters in Afghanistan who are still wreaking havoc three decades later.

According to news reports confirmed by a member of the Syrian opposition, Riyadh currently sends weapons on an ad hoc basis to the Syrian opposition by way of Sunni tribal allies in Iraq and Lebanon. But in light of recent developments, more weapons are almost certainly on their way. After his delegation withdrew in frustration from last week's Friends of Syria meeting in Tunisia, Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, said that humanitarian aid to Syria was "not enough" and that arming the Syrian rebels was an "excellent idea."

Soon afterward, an unnamed official commented in the state-controlled Saudi press that Riyadh sought to provide the Syrian opposition with the "means to achieve stability and peace and to allow it the right to choose its own representatives." Meanwhile, Saudi clerics are now openly calling for jihad in Syria and scorning those who wait for Western intervention. One prominent unsanctioned cleric, Aidh al-Qarni, openly calls for Assad's death.

[U-238]

I guess we are seeing an arms race brewing. On Syria’s side:Russia,China and Iran. On the other: Arab Nations. I am very curious on how the Saudis are planning to get the arms into Syria when the borders are virtually closed in Syria.

[U-238]

The Syrian resistance attempted to take the capitol twice and they were both repelled.

[Capt. Tom]

Referring to the bloodshed, the king ominously warned Medvedev that Saudi Arabia "will never abandon its religious and moral obligations towards what's happening."

IMHO The Saudis religious and moral obligations would be to get the Alawite Assad out of power in Syria and put the Sunnis in charge. Then the Alawites and Christians can be persecuted in Syria.
With Assad out, the Iranians (Shiites) will lose an ally in Syria. Next up for the Sunnis, trying to topple Lebanon for another Sunni victory.- tom

[Azeem]

At this point, anything is better than what is going on in Syria. Any leader that would use military force on civilian targets should be removed from office and hung.

It’s not like Syria was friendly to the US or Israel. We are not losing an ally like we did with Egypt. Syria and Lebanon are very different than the Gulf and North Africa Arab countries. I’m not sure they would go the hard core Islamic route.

[happyathome]

“I am very curious on how the Saudis are planning to get the arms into Syria.”

Probably through Iraq. The Sunni part of Iraq borders both Saudi and Syria - its the same area where all the weapons and jihadis infiltrated from Syria to Iraq to attack our troops there.

[U-238]

The government has closed their borders. They have aircraft and helicopters monitoring those borders

[Capt. Tom]

It’s not like Syria was friendly to the US or Israel. We are not losing an ally like we did with Egypt. Syria and Lebanon are very different than the Gulf and North Africa Arab countries. I’m not sure they would go the hard core Islamic route.

Syria is a place we don't have a dog in the fight. We are going to have to respond to the result after it happens.
If Assad stays Iran wins. If Assad falls Al Qaeda, and Saudi Arabia wins. We have to see how it plays out.-Tom