Reports: Israel, Saudis United in Desire to See Attack on Iran

Saudis, GCC Members Seen as 'Cornerstone' for US Moves Against Iran

Though Israel’s traditional rhetoric suggests any Arab nation is automatically at odds with their position, media reports tonight are marveling at the growing unity between Israel and the Saudi leader GCC nations in their desires to see Iran attacked.

Both Israel and the Saudis are long time enemies of the Iranian government, and even if they both came by this in very different ways it should come as no surprise that the Sunni-dominated regimes of the Gulf nations are fine with Israel attacking a major Shi’ite nation.

Of course the Israeli preference remains seeing the US starting the war, but increasingly Israel’s current far-right government is mulling attacking unilaterally. Either way, Gulf officials seem to hope starting a war with Iran will quiet their respective Shi’ite populaces, which they are convinced are being roused to protest primarily by Iran.

Which seems unlikely. If anything an unprovoked attack on Iran seems liable to rile up the Shi’ites in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, et al. all the more. It also is likely to bring neighboring Iraq’s current Shi’ite-dominated government more squarely in the camp of the Iranian government, as such an attack is likely to rouse considerable anger after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq led to nearly a decade of occupation.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.