Arab states should take lead in dealing with nuclear Iran

From Saudi Arabia to Jordan to Bahrain to the United Arab Emirates and to Egypt, the concern about Iran’s nuclear program is palpable — as shown in secret American embassy cables from capitals around the Middle East. But, Saudi King Abdullah and other Arab leaders should quickly disabuse themselves of the notion that the United States must take the initiative in destroying Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Indeed, with Israel also expressing concern over the Islamic nation’s push to develop weapons of mass destruction, there is an opportunity for Jews and Arabs to set aside their differences and cooperate in neutralizing a common enemy.

For its part, the U.S. will undoubtedly assist in any endeavor aimed at defanging Iran, which has been a thorn in the side of the region. But, the American people will not support this nation taking the lead in another conflict.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the homeland which claimed 3,000 lives, America has committed hundreds of thousands of troops and billions of dollars to the cause of ridding the world of terror organizations led by al-Qaida.

First, there was the invasion of Afghanistan that resulted in the ouster of the Islamic extremist Taliban rulers. Then, the invasion of Iraq that toppled Saddam Hussein and resulted in the U.S. and its coalition partners occupying the country. And now, the campaign against terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

The war on global terrorism has not only been costly in terms of American soldiers killed and money spent, but it has divided the nation. Add to that the threat of war between North and South Korea, with the U.S, on the front lines, and the appetite for another conflict has all but disappeared.

Hence, the uncertainty over the Iranian situation.

The American embassy cables from Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries, part of several hundred secret memos made public by the web site WikiLeaks, leave no doubt about the eagerness of the leaders to deal aggressively with the Islamic republic.

The Guardian newspaper in Britain, which was given access to the cables, had this to say about Abdullah:

“The Saudi king was recorded as having ‘frequently exhorted the US to attack Iran to put an end to its nuclear weapons programme,’” one cable stated. “‘He told you [Americans] to cut off the head of the snake,’ the Saudi ambassador to Washington, Adel al-Jubeir, said.”

The cable was based on a meeting between King Abdullah and U.S. Gen. David Petraeus in April 2008.

Military action

Other cables show officials in Jordan and Bahrain openly calling for Iran’s nuclear program to be destroyed by any means, including military, the Guardian reported.

And leaders in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Egypt referred to Iran as “evil,” an “existential threat” and a power that “is going to take us to war.”

According to the British newspaper, the cables also show Israel willing to go it alone against Iran.

Iran recently make public the existence of a technologically advance uranium enrichment plant, but officials insisted that its nuclear program was for peaceful purposes only.

The ayatollah rulers in Tehran are not to be trusted, but it is up to Israel and the Arab states to take the lead in eliminating the threat the country poses.