Pentagon chief wants a strong Saudi Arabia, says Iran is the troublemaker of the region

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US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is shown with Saudi Arabian king Salman
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is shown with Saudi Arabian king Salman

The US wants to see a strong Saudi Arabia, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said during talks with King Salman on Wednesday, aimed at reinvigorating the Riyadh-Washington alliance.

Mattis said Iran was playing a destabilizing role in the region but its influence would be overcome to try to reach a solution to the conflict in Yemen through UN-brokered negotiations.

“Everywhere you look if there is trouble in the region, you find Iran,” Mattis told reporters in Riyadh after meeting senior Saudi officials. “We will have to overcome Iran’s efforts to destabilize yet another country and create another militia in their image of Lebanese Hezbollah, but the bottom line is we are on the right path for it,” Mattis added.

Mattis also hinted that President Donald Trump could visit the Kingdom, a longtime US ally which has welcomed Washington’s firmer line against the common adversary Iran. “It is in our interest to see a strong Saudi Arabia,” Mattis said at the start of talks with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, pointing to the country’s “military security services and secret services.”

“What we can do here today could actually open the door possibly to bringing our president to Saudi Arabia,” Mattis said.

The two sides pledged to work closely to broaden security cooperation and to ramp up support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iranian-backed Houthi militias in Yemen.

Mattis’ talks with the king at Al-Yamamah Palace focused on “efforts to strengthen US-Saudi partnership,” said Johann Schmonsees, a spokesman of the US Embassy.

Mattis discussed with the king and the deputy crown prince efforts to strengthen commitments to the US-Saudi security partnership, Schmonsees said.

Saud Al-Awadh, a political analyst, said: “The trip of the US defense secretary marks the first visit of the Pentagon chief to the Kingdom. It has added significance keeping in view the American counterterrorism operations and airstrikes in Yemen, where US forces are also providing moderate intelligence support to the Saudi-led forces.”

Mattis will also visit Israel, Egypt, Qatar and Djibouti. The Pentagon has billed the trip, Mattis’ fourth as defense secretary and second to the Middle East region, as an opportunity for him to discuss the ongoing fight against terrorism throughout the region.

Mattis traveled to Egypt Thursday after wrapping up his two-day trip to the Kingdom. He will visit Israel Friday before returning to the Gulf Saturday for talks in Qatar. The trip is primarily aimed at boosting the alliance between the US and these five countries, which are important players in the region.

Arab News

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5 responses to “Pentagon chief wants a strong Saudi Arabia, says Iran is the troublemaker of the region”

  1. HebAlba Avatar

    Look at the American Frankenstein smiling like a whore to Desert Fat Rat$
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/591779fc9d4ed48452a9eadf5bc825ea585519e59175dc13c35cca6c2c6db13d.jpg

    1. Danny Farah Avatar
      Danny Farah

      And Nassrallah is Jesus Christ.. If Iran took over Lebanon completely they will do the same thing in Iran. There will be no different than Daesh and worse.

      1. HebAlba Avatar

        And you would know who to blame before you were born.
        “Ben Gurion’s Plan for Regional Conquest and Israeli Empire”
        https://www.richardsilverstein.com/2016/09/01/ben-gurions-plan-regional-conquest/

        Do you know History..Iran never invaded another country since
        300 years.
        Nov. 2002 “Rumsfeld should know: Who minded Iraqi mustard gas in 1983?” http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/29/opinion/rumsfeld-should-know-who-minded-iraqi-mustard-gas-in-1983.html

        “Exclusive: CIA Files Prove America Helped Saddam as He Gassed Iran” https://jimcraven10.wordpress.com/2013/08/27/exclusive-secret-cia-files-prove-that-america-helped-saddam-as-he-gassed-iran/
        They’re all liars.. Daesh Is Saudi Arabia;)) https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fd4f28d51806220d1f1d34d397f04b082195f8447d40e3bf1be93cf010d39fca.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/813430815bf8bfc3ff67dde45c5a16ace12af0100f317403021e55817d296209.jpg

        1. Danny Farah Avatar
          Danny Farah

          Yes I agree and Arafat helped in Jordan and Lebanon. so no one who knows about Ben Gurion’s master plan or thinking then would not dispute that. But we helped him to do it. What prompted Arafat to attack Jordan, Lebanon and create armed camps.. who gave Mubarack, Assad, Saddam, Ghaddafi and Nassralah rain in their area and outside of it. We can agree on your point no doubt but we helped facilitate it for sure. Daesh is Saudi Arabia but how come you didn’t complain about Islamic extremism before Daesh.. you didn’t complain about the Saudis who supported Syria for decades while giving them over 2 billion dollars a year. How come Nassrallah and his stooges didn’t complain then or accused them of spreading Islamic terror? Why did Assad let loose thousands of Daesh from jails and even armed them.. why didn’t he bomb them in the beginning of war instead of Bakeries and children? why do you see one side only?

          1. HebAlba Avatar

            I ALWAYS complained about Islamist extremist, they didn’t exist before Wahhabi nouveau riches started corrupting and buying allegiances with oil millions… Saudi were the biggest traitors to Arab countries since WWI. The British helped ibn Saoud conquer Arabia from the Hashemite.., who had to move out.
            Churchill gave Palestine as if the land belonged to his aunt, gave Sheriff Hussein, Shark el Ordon Palestinian territories..

            “Why did Assad let loose thousands of Daesh from jails and even armed them.. why didn’t he bomb them in the beginning of war instead of Bakeries and children? why do you see one side only?”

            I’m sorry you see only one side only, it’s frankly alarming, i don’t know where you get your news, Adra is a Christian city how could you not know such a horrifying story? The toasted Christian and Allaoui children in the town bakery..the younger child was 4
            Good night
            http://www.muslimpress.com/Section-world-news-16/106233-barbaric-isis-brutally-kills-children-in-dough-kneader-and-burns-others-alive-in-oven

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