Columbia International Affairs Online
CIAO DATE: 6/5/2006
Meeting the Challenge of a Fragmented Iraq: A Saudi Perspective
Nawaf Obaid
April 2006
Abstract
During an official visit to Washington DC on September 20th, 2005, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal proclaimed:US policy in Iraq is widening sectarian divisions to the point of effectively handing the country to Iran. We fought a war together to keep Iran out of Iraq, now we are handing the whole country over to Iran without reason. Iraq is disintegrating.
This report explores a Saudi view of the ramifications of these comments and to provide a factual background to them. The research, interviews, and intelligence analysis was by the author, and is a personnel perspective on developments in Iraq. The opinions, analyses, or recommendations expressed within reflect the author's views and not those of CSIS.
