Riad vs Tehran
A senior officer of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards, Reza Kahlili, who fled to the United States, speaking at the Washington Institute for the Middle East, spoke about the plans of his former owners to strike at Israel, the Gulf countries and a number of European countries.
According to Kahlili, who, apparently, was a CIA agent, the current Iranian regime "is guided by messianic considerations and is preparing to commit the most terrible suicide bombings in stories humanity. "
It is clear that the CA and other Arabian monarchies are anxiously watching the Iranian nuclear preparations. Moreover, it is Riyadh, believing itself to be the strongest Arabian state, accepts the main responsibility for the defense of the peninsula. According to the official news Kingdom Agency Saudi Press Angency, Riyadh has embarked on the development of its own nuclear program. However, just in case, the word “nuclear” will be omitted in the name of the new industrial structure being created. The Saudis had previously named the new facility the King Abdullah Energy Development Center. The development of the nuclear program is again caused by fear from Iran, but it will undoubtedly contribute to solving problems in the civilian sector. Riyadh is confident that Washington will “not notice” the transformation of a peaceful nuclear program into a military one.
NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES INTEREST ALL
The example of the Saudis was contagious. The principality of the Persian Gulf also showed interest in the development of atomic technologies. So, Kuwait in April of this year concluded an agreement with France for the purchase of nuclear technologies and equipment. And in May, the Atomic Energy Authority of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced that it was starting construction of a nuclear facility, which would be operational after seven years. Egypt and Qatar, which also declared their intentions to develop nuclear technologies and the corresponding infrastructure, did not stay aside. Syria is also showing interest in nuclear technologies. However, Damascus has no reason to fear its ally Tehran. And although, according to an Arabic proverb, “love and hate lie in one basket,” nevertheless, the Syrians want to get and demonstrate the nuclear club first of all to Israel. At the recently held conference in Paris under the auspices of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Syria, Faisal Mekdad, said that his country was considering "ways of obtaining alternative energy sources, including nuclear ones." Israeli columnist Michael Freund accuses Washington of creating "optimal conditions for a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, which threatens to completely destabilize an already unstable region."
In the Jerusalem Post, the most popular English-language newspaper here, Freund writes: “This gloomy scenario of events was made possible thanks to Washington’s refusal to take decisive steps against the Iranian regime with its nuclear ambitions. This policy of inaction and waiting was conducted by the George W. Bush administration, and under the current President Barack Obama, she received additional justification and legitimation. ”
FIRST BUSINESS PLANES
Despite the unwinding of the Saudi’s nuclear flywheel, they do not forget about the conventional weapons. The CA pays special attention to its air forces, which are considered one of the strongest in the region. They have an advanced AWACS early warning system and a significant number of F-15 aircraft. Riad recently signed a contract with the US-based Goodrich Corporation (GC), a leading provider of systems and services for the aerospace and defense industries, to modernize its 150 F-15 aircraft with an advanced control system. A GC spokesman said that modernizing all of the aerodynamics (ailerons, flaps, rudders and wings) of Saudi aircraft will lead to the parity of these machines with American military aircraft. Jane's Defense, a London-based weekly magazine, said the contract is valued at about $ 50 million.
Riyadh also signed a contract with another American company, Lockheed Martin (LM), to improve Sniper guidance systems for F-15s. John Rogers, who leads the development of LM programs for SA, says bluntly: “Of course, the kingdom cannot buy Israeli weapons systems, considered the best in the world, from the manufacturer. Therefore, these systems are bought by Saudis from us. ” The United Kingdom signed a contract with the Saudis for the sale of RNIAD 72 multi-purpose Typhoon fighter jets with weapons and maintenance for a total of $ 32,9 billion. This fleet of aircraft should replace that part of the F-3 and F-15 aircraft that were not modernized. . According to the contract, the Typhoon 24 fighter will be produced in the UK, and the remaining 48 will presumably begin to be assembled in factories in the CA, which seeks to create its own military industry.
The SA also develops its own improvement program, within which the life of fighter-bombers and high-precision equipment will be extended. Mustafa Alani, director of the Security and Terrorism Research Program at the Dubai Research Center, believes that the main impetus for Riad to modernize its air force was the need to prepare to repel a possible Iranian attack. “The air and missile forces will play a major role in the war with Iran,” Alani is convinced. “Therefore, Riyadh is obliged to expand the capabilities of its air force and the Saudi strategy is focused on joint actions with the Americans.”
SECRET ALLIANCE
Moreover, Jerusalem and Riyadh, realizing that nuclear Tehran would not particularly distinguish between Zionists and the "cradle of Sunni", agreed to a secret rapprochement. According to the Times of London newspaper, the Saudi authorities have provided the Israeli Air Force with an air corridor to carry out preventive strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. The newspaper claims that the SA secretly passed exercises in which the scenario with the flight of Israeli bombers over the northern regions of the country was worked out. Potential targets in Iran are located at a distance of 2,2 thousand kilometers from the Jewish state. Such a distance can be overcome by bombers on condition that they refuel in the air, but the possibilities for maneuvering will be sharply limited.
The provision of a corridor to the Israelis by the Saudis significantly shortens the distance and at the same time gives the aircraft freedom of maneuver. Attacks of Israeli aviation will first of all be subjected to nuclear facilities in Natanz, Qom, Arak and Isfahan. The Bushehr reactor, built with the help of Russia, is likely to be attacked last. It is possible that Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait will follow the example of the SA and allow Israeli aviation to fly over their territory. Then Iran will be attacked from several directions. It is impossible to go past the statement by the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the USA, Yusef al-Otaiba, who, without resorting to diplomatic ornateness, expressed quite unequivocally: “The benefits of an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities outweigh the short-term losses from such a step.”
Al-Otaiba also predicted the departure of "vulnerable Arabian monarchies from America if President Obama does not prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power." The UAE ambassador cannot refuse to be courageous, for he resolutely continued his thought and called the country to which “small, rich, vulnerable countries” would join under unfavorable circumstances. Of course, this is not Israel, but ... the same Iran. Nevertheless, the circle to the end in this case will not close, for Riyadh will fight with Tehran to the end.
“Like England with Germany after the fall of France and other European countries,” commented in a conversation with me the statement by Ambassador Youssef al-Taiba, a very knowledgeable diplomat of an Arab country. It is noteworthy that this ambassador ended his comment: “But in this case Israel will play the role of Russia.” And in this comparison there was only a fraction of the joke. It is clear that without a firing from Washington, Jerusalem is unlikely to decide on the bombing of Iran. Especially in conjunction with the Arab countries. But the Americans are also preparing. Heavy guided bombs have already been delivered to the military base in Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for the destruction of fortified military installations. This air base has already been used twice to strike at Saddam’s Iraq.
BATTLE FOR INNOVATION
Another fact is noteworthy. Riyadh has entered into a competition with Tehran in the field of technical research and innovation. Including in the military field. For the next five years, the kingdom allocates billions of dollars to 400 for these purposes. A fantastic amount! There are eight universities in the SA where world-famous scientists work. An international center of modern knowledge is located on the Tuvalu Peninsula, 80 kilometers from Jeddah, the summer royal residence on the shores of the Red Sea. The first students have already become 314 people from 60 countries of the world. Teaching is in English. The rector of the university was Chun Von Shih, who for nine years headed the National University of Singapore. Against the background of open confrontation with Iran from a position of strength, the SA is trying to improve its relations with the Syrian regime. In Syria, ruled by "Alawite group" led by Bashir Assad.
And it should be noted that alavism is a special religious trend in Islam, not by all Islamic authorities recognized as "truly righteous." Relatively recently, a number of ayatollahs under pressure from Tehran considered him a "branch of Shi'ism." But the Sunnis seem to disagree.
It is possible that Riyadh sets the task to tear Damascus from Tehran. And above all militarily. The Saudis are ready to provide Assad with huge financial resources under a single condition - to break or at least cool down the current close relationship with the Tehran regime. Through Damascus, Riad hopes to “tame” the Lebanese Shiite terrorist organization Hezbollah. But the Saudis fail. Syria is a poor country and, of course, needs money. But he cannot receive them due to the break with Iran. The entire structure of political power and military relations of Damascus is tied to Tehran. Yes, and the Iranian "wallet", though not as dimensionless as that of the CA, is always open to the "hand of Damascus." As for Hezbollah, this organization is a puppet not of Damascus, but of Tehran. So in opposition to the CA and the entire Sunni world with Iran, the United States, to a lesser extent England and France, can be self-reliant. And again to Israel.
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