Riyadh must be pressed to stop support for terrorism: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with Ajamu Baraka, a political commentator in Atlanta, about comments by Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif that terrorism and extremism are threatening the entire Middle East and even Western countries.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: What do you make of the Iranian foreign minister’s comments saying that if ISIL continues to gain strength or if it gets stronger, the whole region especially even Saudi Arabia itself will be at danger?

Baraka: Well it is a common sense and rational position. Unfortunately, the reality is that ISIL already poses a regional threat to all of the nations in that part of the world.

It is unfortunate that this cause is being made at a point where ISIL is now getting to a point where it is a threat to everyone. It stemmed from a tragic mistake that was made when the US created this radical movement in the mountains of Afghanistan more than three decades ago. That was compounded where they decided under the Bush administration and with the full support of the Saudis to utilize these elements as their boots on the ground to destabilize a number of states in the region. And now we are seeing in essence a blowback of that strategy in places like Iraq.  

Press TV: What about Saudi Arabia and the role that it plays? Actually the majority of political analysts say that Saudi Arabia is one of the main entities behind the creation and continued support of ISIL or Daesh and now if this happens, backfiring inside of the kingdom itself, do you think that the Saudi regime thought that they could basically export this type of terrorism and be basically protected in this bubble or what? Was it a total miscalculation?

Baraka:  It was a total miscalculation. We might recall that under Prince Bandar, he was given the responsibility to assure western powers once they decided that they are going to in 2007, they we going to utilize these reactionary forces, then he had full control over these forces and that they can in effect use these forces for their boots on the ground and control them simultaneously.

What we have now is a consequence of that disastrous decision. They cannot be controlled. They have created a monster, if you will, that has now blown back on them in Iraq and in other places. The strategy was set, it was exercised in Iraq, in Libya that is, and now we are seeing the consequences of this disastrous policy in Iraq because they cannot control ISIL anymore. It is a force upon itself with its own particular objective interest.

Press TV: Well you talked about Saudi Arabia but now looking at the United States’ role in all of this, same question though from the perspective of Washington. Do you think that what we are seeing now is something that has not been planned or many will say that the United Sates wants things to be in disarray as it is in many parts of this region?  

Baraka: Well, … the concept of managed chaos. Many people believe that this is the strategy of the US and it is true, it is very chaotic. However, I do not agree with that particular perspective. I believe that they have allowed themselves to be outmaneuvered by the Saudis who have their own particular interest.

We have to remember that the Saudis are the ones who are the primary exporters of the most radical ideology of Wahhabism in the region and even those elements that are not directly connected to ISIL or to al-Qaeda all embrace the Wahhabist perspective.

So if they were serious about trying to undermine the influence of these reactionary forces, then they would put pressure on the Saudis to cease their support of these forces. That hasn’t happened.

AHK/HMV

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk