At a meeting for new diplomats in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah warned that the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) may spread to Europe and the United States if it is not first destroyed in Iraq and Syria.
According to the AFP/Yahoo, King Abdullah made the blunt remarks at a welcoming ceremony on Friday for new ambassadors, including the U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Joseph Westphal, to be relayed from the diplomats to their respective heads of state:
The comments from King Abdullah are the latest evidence that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is worried about the threat from the extremist group if left unchecked.
King Abdullah’s remarks to the ambassadors were relayed in the official Saudi Press Agency.
The Islamic State’s rise in has set off a flurry of diplomacy in the Gulf. Saudi Arabia shares a 500 mile border with Iraq.
Although some have indirectly or directly accused Saudi Arabia of inadvertently creating and/or arming the Islamic State in the group’s battle against the government of Syria’s Bashar Assad, evidence that this is the case is scarce. While the Islamic State’s origins may still be subject to debate, that the two now consider each other an enemy is certainly clear.
Saudi Arabia’s stance towards the Islamic State was made clear well before the group moved into positions in Iraq in June. In March of 2014, the Saudi government named the group, along with the Al Nusra Front in Syria, a terrorist organization. The King has repeatedly spoken out against extremism and the head of the religious establishment in Saudi Arabia has also denounced the group. Saudi Arabia has also made a series of arrests to clamp down on IS recruitment and the spread of extremism domestically.
Ambassadors to Saudi Arabia listen to the King’s remarks.
The rise of the Islamic State and its gains in Iraq in June and July have set off a flurry of diplomatic activity in the Gulf. Recently, Iran’s deputy Foreign Minister met with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia’s key foreign policy players, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, Minister of Interior, and Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Chief of General Intelligence in addition to Prince Saud al-Faisal visited Doha for a meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
It is likely that ongoing U.S. attacks in Iraq on IS locations are being conducted from air bases in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, both GCC nations. Saudi Arabia has reportedly stepped up its military security along its long border with Iraq.
In June, SUSTG and SUSRIS in our FocusKSA series presented a series of video discussions on the Islamic State and how the Saudi Arabian government could help to prevent the group’s spread in the region.
Steve Clemons
PART ONE:
PART TWO:
Jamal Khashoggi
