THE US President Barack Obama has publicly called upon the Saudi government to end its hostile outlook with Iran under a new policy to “share the neighbourhood” by achieving “some sort of cold peace” in the Gulf region. Breaking open to what was so far going behind-the-scenes conversations about the US-Saudi relationship vis-à-vis Iran the President may have sought to bring some public pressure on the Saudi leadership this time to create a situation of evenhandedness for the US policy in the region. Mr Obama is right to call for what seems to be a new balance of power in the region to end wars and hatred and make peace to bring prosperity to the people now suffering from devastation of civil wars in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. There are other countries facing threats of militancy and sectarian wars to endanger public safety and security. In view of Mr Obama a rapprochement of Saudi-Iran relations can only protect the region from sectarian wars and such other miseries. Nobody will disagree that antagonism between Iran and Saudi Arabia is enhancing Shiite-Sunni fetal enmity spreading whole of the region. Saudi Arabia so far enjoyed the special relation with the USA as its major ally in the Gulf region when Iran was its bitter enemy. But with the signing of the nuclear deal under which Tehran surrendered its nuclear ambition to make bombs, Washington is now trying to develop a mutuality to which Riyadh appears unwilling. Outwardly it seems to be a clear rebuff to Riyadh from the US President for attempting to stick to its past position when Iran is bringing pressure on the USA to come out of their troubled past. Mr Obama and many others blame Saudi Arabia and Sunni Arab countries as repressive and their strict interpretation of Islam contributing to extremism. His criticism of Saudi-Iranian leadership competition for the control of the Sunni-Shiite population and fanning proxy sectarian wars in the region equally makes sense. The wars have destroyed the region and it is only American leadership which can influence parties to end the hostility and build peace. But President Obama’s presidency is nearing its end. The Muslim countries must realise by being enemies to each other who they are helping? Muslims are fighting Muslims under whatever name. The Muslims must unite to improve their international image. They have only the true external enemy and that is Israel. Instead to fighting Israel to save the Palestinians from genocide, Iran and Saudi Arabia are fighting proxy war against each other and it is only helping the enemies of the Muslim world.
