HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_031846.jpg

13

Such remarks are based more on wishful thinking than fact, but Iran’s
efforts to destabilize its neighbors are tireless. As Riyadh fights a
cold war with Tehran, Washington has shown itself in recent months
to be an unwilling and unreliable partner against this threat. The
emerging political reality is a Saudi-led Arab world facing off against
the aggression of Iran and its non-state proxies. Saudi Arabia will not
allow the political unrest in the region to destabilize the Arab
monarchies — the Gulf states, Jordan and Morocco. In Yemen, the
Saudis are insisting on an orderly transition of power and a dignified
exit for President Ali Abdullah Saleh (a courtesy that was not
extended to Hosni Mubarak, despite the former Egyptian president’s
many years as a strong U.S. ally). To facilitate this handover, Riyadh
is leading a diplomatic effort under the auspices of the six-country
Gulf Cooperation Council. In Iraq, the Saudi government will
continue to pursue a hard-line stance against the Maliki government,
which it regards as little more than an Iranian puppet. In Lebanon,
Saudi Arabia will act to check the growth of Hezbollah and to ensure
that this Iranian proxy does not dominate the country’s political life.
Regarding the widespread upheaval in Syria, the Saudis will work to
ensure that any potential transition to a post-Assad era is as peaceful
and as free of Iranian meddling as possible. Regarding Israel, Riyadh
is adamant that a just settlement, based on King Abdullah’s proposed
peace plan, be implemented. This includes a Palestinian state with its
capital in East Jerusalem. The United States has lost all credibility on
this issue; after casting the sole vote in the U.N. Security Council
against censuring Israel for its illegal settlement building, it can no
longer act as an objective mediator. This act was a watershed in U.S.-
Saudi relations, guaranteeing that Saudi leaders will not push for
further compromise from the Palestinians, despite American pressure.
Saudi Arabia remains strong and stable, lending muscle to its
invigorated foreign policy. Spiritually, the kingdom plays a unique

HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_031846