The Arms Are Fair When The Intent Of Bearing Them Is Just

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza 

President Barack Obama meets with his National Security Staff to discuss the situation in Syria, in the Situation Room of the White House, Aug. 30, 2013. From left at the table: National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice; Attorney General Eric Holder; Secretary of State John Kerry; and Vice President Joe Biden.

“The armourers, accomplishing the knights, with busy hammers closing rivets up,
 give dreadful note of preparation.”  Richard III, Act V, scene 3.

Israel’s response to Obama’s surprise move to delay or even possibly cancel air strikes, highlights their concern that Obama’s administration is looking soft on Assad after accusing him of killing hundreds of people with chemical weapons.  They are concerned that this may embolden Assad’s backers in Tehran to develop nuclear arms.  Israeli officials have said that Israel is prepared to strike Iran alone because they are unsure Washington can be trusted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the nation was “serene and self-confident”, while the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal renewed a call to the “international community” to halt Assad’s violence in Syria.

The Saudi monarchy shares the Jewish state’s concern that neither may now look with confidence to Washington to curb what Riyadh sees as a drive by its Persian rival to dominate the Arab world.

A government source said the prime minister told his cabinet on Sunday: “We are in the middle of an ongoing event. It is not over and there are sensitive and delicate issues at play.

“There is no room here for individual comments,” he said. “I’m asking you not to behave irresponsibly when it comes to our ally, just so you can grab a fleeting headline.

“There is a man in nominal control of Syria who is using chemical weapons against civilians. That has to be stopped,” declared Netanyahu

That sentiment is echoed in Riyadh.  Abdullah al-Askar, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the Shoura Council, said that U.S. strikes should aim to end Assad’s rule.

Askar, who said he was speaking in a personal capacity, told Reuters: “If the attack is just a punishment to show that the international community will not stand for chemical attacks, Assad will just remain in his place and do his bloody work… he second scenario is to finish the business.”

William Maclean, Matt Spetalnick, Alastair Macdonald – SNF edit

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/02/us-syria-crisis-israel-saudi-insight-idUSBRE9810CE20130902