US arms deal with Saudis is questionable

With the signing of a major arms deal between the US and Saudi Arabia it is but valid to question the reasoning as much as the timing of heightened American rhetoric with regard to security in the Gulf region.

Over the past few days and during his tour of a number of Gulf countries, US President George W. Bush has repeatedly been highlighting the dangers of being a neighbour of a country such as Iran.

Consistently, Bush has been beating the drums of war and instilling an atmosphere of fear and of being under threat. "Iran's actions threaten the security of nations everywhere. So the United States is strengthening our long-standing security commitments with our friends in the Gulf, and rallying friends around the world to confront this danger before it is too late.... [Iran] today is the world's leading state sponsor of terror," he said.

Hence the $120 million US-Saudi arms deal that is part of a planned $20 billion agreement is questionable because it is timed immediately after Bush's fiery comments against Iran. In fact, the US administration has admitted that the deal is needed as a buffer and a counter in the face of a perceived threat from the country.

But dialogue and negotiations are at times a more feasible means to solving issues than confrontation and threat. This approach has been adopted simply because it is practical and realistic. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal stated: "We are keen that harmony and peace should prevail among states of the region."

Nations of the Gulf region are best at defining their relationship with Iran - something that they have been successful at throughout the decades. The US should not attempt to force its own agenda against any regional party. Neither should it dictate policies and positions.