Rebel Demands and Saudi Decision on US Relations Put Syria Peace Talks in Jeopardy

Opposition are demanding Assad be removed from power and Saudi Arabia says it will no longer work with the U.S. on Syria

Reason

Next month's expected Syria peace talks are in jeopardy after representatives of Assad's opposition said that they refuse to attend unless Assad is removed from power and the Saudi government indicated that it would not cooperate with the U.S. on policy relating to Syria.

Today's announcement that the Saudis will not be cooperating with the U.S. on Syria is the latest example of the Saudi government expressing its displeasure with the perceived lack of intervention in Syria. Last Friday, it was reported that Saudi Arabia would not take its seat at the United Nations Security Council because of frustrations with the organization's policy towards Syria and other countries in the Middle East, a move that the Russian government described as "strange."

From Reuters:

(Reuters) - Plans for talks to end the fighting in Syria were in jeopardy on Tuesday after the opposition refused to attend unless President Bashar al-Assad is forced from power and a furious Saudi Arabia made clear it would no longer co-operate with the United States over the civil war.

Western nations and their Middle Eastern allies pressed Syria's fractured opposition to join the proposed peace talks, although Assad has indicated he will not bow to opposition demands that he should step down as a pre-condition.

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Comments

[Tim]

Obama'a managed to alienate the Saudis? That must have taken some hard work.

[Spoonman.]

Government's incompetence is helpful to us when government's goal is something stupid, like an alliance with a Wahhabist shithole.

[Episiarch]

Since everything the government wants to do or to do to us is negative, their incompetence is always helpful to us. And be very grateful for that.

[tarran]

God! If Obama ends this disgusting practice of the U.S. acting as his Wahhabist majesty the Saudi monarch lap dog, it will be fucking awesome.

King Abdullah would be doing us a favor in the long run if he shot the petrodollar - after 30 years of holding it hostage for our good behavior.

[Jon Lester]

I've long thought we should import more Russian oil (because it's a shorter and safer trip from Murmansk to New Jersey) and less of the Persian Gulf conflict oil, even as our domestic production improves. I know different grades of crude require different refinery setups (particularly high-sulfur Venezuelan), but I think the market would adapt, and to do that now would be kind of poetic. Besides, detente with Iran, and an end to our providing 100% of Persian Gulf security, would make its own dent in what we consume.

[tarran]

It's not a question of where we import it from.... Hell, most U.S. oil doesn't come from the mideast anyway.

It's the OPEC requirement that people pay it in USD that is the issue. I am of the opinion that that requirement is what keeps the U.S. dollar from collapsing as its predecessor the Continental did.

If OPEC accepted payments in Yuan or Euro's, in the short term the U.S. economy would be hurting, but it would trigger a long needed reform of the currency.

[Jon Lester]

I'd love to see the Russians break from OPEC, whatever it takes to motivate them.

[CatoTheElder]

What did you expect?

Obama promised a war to bring about a Wahabbi regime in Syria. He failed to deliver, and Abdullah is pissed.

[CatoTheElder]

Just in case anybody had forgotten: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WlqW6UCeaY

[R C Dean]

Note that these "rebel demands" that Assad be removed from power are, or used to be, the US demand as well.

Then, Assad's crossing of the red line on chemical weapons somehow converted him from an international pariah into a statesman being praised for his work in ridding his country of chemical weapons. That, my friends, is a fucking reset and a half.

Yet, somehow, Obama's 180 degree turn elevating of Assad from war criminal to trusted partner isn't a factor at all in the collapse of the peace talks.

[Paul.]

Then, Assad's crossing of the red line on chemical weapons somehow converted him from an international pariah into a statesman being praised for his work in ridding his country of chemical weapons. That, my friends, is a fucking reset and a half.

It's called Diplomacy. And if you can't see the complex interweavings of the Obama administration, you shouldn't be playing.

These complex situations are complex and full of complexities. Only an elder statesman like Obama has the equipment to deal with the complexities of the complex situations.

[Drake]

Hey, if the Saudis want to invade Syria, I promise to watch on TV.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Those meetings must be Python-esque.

Rebel leader: We told you. We want Assad gone and you agreed to help us.

US diplomat: Yes, but now he's cooperating with the West.

Rebel: But he crossed your president's red line and gassed a whole bunch of our people.

US diplomat: Yeah, but he said he was sorry and he wouldn't do it again.

Rebel: What? No he didn't! He still maintains he's done nothing wrong!

US diplomat: Well I'm sure deep down that's what he's thinking!

[JidaKida]

That doesn tmake a lot of sense dude.

http://www.AnonWonders.tk

[OldMexican]

Next month's expected Syria peace talks are in jeopardy after representatives of Assad's opposition said that they refuse to attend unless Assad is removed from power and the Saudi government indicated that it would not cooperate with the U.S. on policy relating to Syria.

Ah, what a relief! Phew! I had my fears that the demands from the opposition were going to be unreasonable!

[Hillary's Clitdong]

There is no sugarcoating it. Bashar Assad's choice of air fresheners has aroused some controversy with members of the Syrian public.