A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Thursday, July 2, 2009

More on Syrian-Saudi Rapprochement

A good piece in the Daily Star on the much-speculated-upon Syrian-Saudi rapprochement and forthcoming summit. I've noted previously that the growing friendliness between the US, Syria, and Saudi Arabia has made things easier for Sa‘d Hariri in Lebanon; a Syrian-Saudi cooperation could have positive repercussions in a lot of inter-Arab rivalries, if it can be pulled off.

1 comment:

David Mack said...

Syria can be part of the solution to two big problems on the US agenda -- Arab-Israeli relations and Iraq. Improved relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria (and the US and Syria) can also boost Lebanon's security and put Iran on the defensive, for once. I say "can", since the Syrians bargain hard and will look out for their own interests, which they often view through the narrow prism of regime security, rather than Syria's long term national interests. What is beyond dispute, is that without bringing Syria in from the cold, Damascus will find some way to impede solutions to regional problems facing the U.S. and its moderate Arab friends.