By Mashari Althaydi, Al-Arabiya
It will be good for some Lebanese and non-Lebanese politicians and observers to focus on the fact that they are before a new Saudi Arabia with a different policy and approach that are complemented with King Salman’s direction and guidance and his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s determination.
The crown prince is a young and smart leader who consults others and takes different opinions, but when he is determined to do something, he goes ahead.
During his recent interview with American journalist Thomas Friedman in the New York Times – we do not think anyone accuses this daily of favoring Saudi Arabia – the prince spoke about a number of issues, including the problem of Iran.
He addressed a western audience and summed up the situation with Iran saying that the Supreme Leader of Iran is “the new Hitler of the Middle East. We learned from Europe that appeasement doesn’t work. We don’t want the new Hitler in Iran to repeat what happened in Europe in the Middle East,” he added.
This draws an interesting comparison of the political doctrines and historical myths, which are common between the Khomeini guide and the Nazi fuhrer. In addition, during Hitler’s days in Europe, there were no leaders who estimated the serious threats which Nazism posed.
The time to talk is over. It’s confrontation time no matter what the price is instead of sleeping sound on Iran’s political drugs
Mashari Althaydi
Short-sighted and undetermined
Britain’s Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was weak, short-sighted and undetermined as he convinced himself of the usefulness of an ingratiating approach towards Hitler and of having dialogue with him. Chamberlain only woke up from these illusions when the Nazis invaded Prague and he was replaced by Britain’s historical leader Winston Church.
Those who think they can “convince” the murderers of the Khomeini Revolutionary Guards and their guide to become a “normal” state and not a group of ideologically obsessed gangs resemble Chamberlain of Britain on the morning of World War II.
We are not delusional. Few days ago, Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards – whom Hassan Nasrallah refers to – said during a press conference broadcast by the Iranian channel Khabar: “If ISIS had been destroyed from the start, Iran would not have had any chance to establish and organize big and small armed groups across the region.”
Lebanese politician Walid Jumblatt then “donated” his advice to Saudi Arabia few days ago and wrote on Twitter: “There is no shame and nothing wrong with direct talks with the Islamic Republic,” adding that it was “time to build Yemen away from Ali Abdullah Saleh and Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.”
As if Saudi Arabia did not try dialogue with Iran three decades ago! The time to talk is over. It’s confrontation time no matter what the price is instead of sleeping sound on Iran’s political drugs.
Walid Beik did not talk about the Houthis while he criticized Yemen’s former and current president, Saleh and Hadi. Perhaps what prevented him from doing so is a good thing. Maybe some people need some time before they understand the new Riyadh.
*Saudi journalist Mashari Althaydi presents Al Arabiya News Channel’s “views on the news” daily show “Maraya.” He has previously held the position of a managing senior editor for Saudi Arabia & Gulf region at pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat. Althaydi has published several papers on political Islam and social history of Saudi Arabia. He appears as a guest on several radio and television programs to discuss the ideologies of extremist groups and terrorists.
