A Rift Is Now Developing Between The U.S. And It's Arab Allies

U.S. Pressure on Mubarak Opens a Rift With Arab Allies -- Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama's showdown with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has sparked a rift with key Arab allies Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, which fear the U.S. is opening the door for Islamist groups to gain influence and destabilize the region.

Vying to influence the outcome of events, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. have sent public and private messages of solidarity to Mr. Mubarak and his vice president, longtime intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, diplomats said. The messages amount to support for the president and Mr. Suleiman to oversee the transition and to ensure that Islamists can't fill any possible power vacuum.

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My Comment: The rulers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, the Gulf Sheikdoms, most Arab states .... they all view the Islamists/Muslim Brotherhood as an existential threat to the stability of their countries and to their own rule. They know only to well who these people are, and are very leery of anyone willing to work and/or cooperate with them.

Therefore .... when they read articles like the following .... U.S. reexamining its relationship with Muslim Brotherhood opposition group .... their concerns on U.S. intentions and long term strategic objectives in the region are intensified. The fact that secular regimes allied to the west have been thrown out of power in Tunisia and Lebanon in just the past three weeks .... coupled with demonstrations intensifying in Jordan and Yemen and a White House refusing to give support to long term U.S. friends in the region .... it is only natural that many of our allies are now re-examining their relationship with the U.S. .... and in particular .... with this President.