Following the July 3rd Egyptian coup and the brutal bloodshed of the Muslim population by its army, the emergence of several indicators have made it clear that Saudi Arabia was directly involved. Not only did they provide financial support to both the secularists protesting against President Morsi[1] as well as the coup[2] with billions of dollars, but they also endorsed the crackdown on protesters by the army and the judiciary; vowing to continue assistance even if the American $1.3b aid was to be interrupted[3].While much media speculation points to other issues, it has been historically known that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has and continues to provide numerous funds to controversial projects initiated by the US, supporting her hegemony across Muslim lands. Here are a few examples of these projects that have served grander US purposes and cost the local Muslim population tremendously.
Afghanistan – 1975 to 1998
Though no historical records are available on the involvement of KSA, it is commonly known in Afghanistan that King Faisal of KSA and Raza Shah of Iran[4] staged the Soviet Union (USSR) and its KGB to invade Afghanistan. They issued blank cheques to the Afghan President Mohammad Dauod, conditioned to reduction of ties with the USSR, and expel all their advisers. This was one of many CIA activities designed to lure the USSR in invading the country. The donations were never received; however, the Afghans were thrown in a war that resulted in millions of deaths, disabilities, the second highest refugee-count in the world, and the destruction of the country’s entire infrastructure. Over the course of the Afghan resistance against the USSR and the Afghan socialist regime, the only country that surpassed the USA’s $3b funding was KSA, with an unknown figure.[5] Following the defeat of the USSR and its puppet regime in Afghanistan, KSA played the main role of funding the full recruitment, arming, and establishment of a new force in the country, named the Taliban in 1994. This funding continued up until 1998 before the Taliban decided not to cooperate with the USA over securing the transfer of the Central Asian gas by UNOCOL.[6]
Iraq War – 1991 and 2003
After the defeat in Afghanistan and on the verge of collapse, the USSR lost its global position making it inevitable for the US to restart the age of military colonialism. The justification given was the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussain. There was, however, very little financial burden on America’s shoulders. The reports indicate the whole war cost the US merely $7b, as the rest of the costs were covered by KSA ($36b) and Japan and Germany ($16b).[7] In other words, the US gained much with minimal costs to herself. This was in addition to allowing the US to attack Iraq from Kuwait and establish permanent military bases in the country. Similarly, when George W. Bush decided to march into Iraq, once again they were bailed for having the same privilege. However, the cost to the people of Iraq was above 4 million lives, including 500,000 children who starved to death, uncounted injured and disabled individuals, poverty, destruction of the nation, and ethnic cleansing.[8]
Challenging Russian Regional Influence
After the Soviet Union was dissolved as a result of its defeat in Afghanistan, her main inheritor of global power, dominance and influence was the Russian Federation, which maintained its grip on the Central Asian countries. To withhold any sort of Russian global re-emergence, the US tried to challenge Russia within its sphere of influence[10], using the Islamic sentiments of the people of the region. The arising question is why is there another crisis, in which the KSA is actively involved in financing regional groups under the brand of spreading Islam and arming militants?[11]
Dealing with the Syrian Revolution
It has been a disaster for the Syrians, who have sacrificed hundreds of thousands of their family members and millions in refugee camps, without attaining independence or any real change. The major reason to this phenomenon is the fact that both the US and Russia, despite all their differences, have been trying to keep the main elements of the regimes to stop any re-emergence of Islam. On the part of the Syrian Government, Russians have to provide much of the needed weaponry and spare-parts to their military hardware, while the US has allowed Iranian, Iraqi and Lebanese [Shia] militia forces to enter into Syria[12], to stop the regime from collapsing. On the other hand, to maintain rebels form any sort of unity and standing on the call from the people, the US has used KSA’s services in influencing/buying the Syrian National Coalition and to reduce the British role established through Qatar. In addition, it also helped the US steer the flow of weapons to those groups in favor of the US.[13]
One of the latest developments indicates that KSA’s role had been instrumental in solving the only one but key difference in stance between Russia and the US. From the very beginning, the US’s stance was for a political transition, that was successfully exercised in Yemen, maintaining the regime intact and by replacing Bashar Al Assad only. The Russian stance was on Bashar himself, damaging the American interest in the region, making the political transition impossible, because the oppositions will not accept him for any reason. However, after the latest announcements of American military intervention, which is already declared as not intended for a regime change[14], there is a softening tone of language seen in the Russian response[15]. As a matter of fact, the leaked documents suggest that KSA’s oil deal with Russia over the Syrian conflict may have played the role. If true, it indicates to the fact that based on the better services provided by KSA to the US in the past, its role has been expanded to a level never seen before.
The War against Terror
It is an open fact that once known as freedom fighters by the US, the Afghan and Arab fighters have now been labelled as ‘terrorists’ across the world. However, the establishment and later fighting against these militants has been a double game; a game which the KSA has a specialty in. As stated above, KSA’s role was key in every region. It has been an open secret how KSA cooperates with the US secret agencies in this war in addition to the current funding of UN’s anti-terror department[16]. This includes carrying the fight against those militants funded by themselves in Bosnia and Somalia.[17]
To conclude, the Saudi King’s funding of the new Egyptian Secular and Military Government, so essential to the US hegemony, with billions of dollars has not been the first incident. A number of prior events indicate that KSA has always played a major role in financing and maintaining the US hegemony in Muslim Lands. The money that the Saudi Regime could potentially use to assist impoverished people within its own borders, is instead being utilized to exploit and sacrifice Muslims as sheep in order to maintain and solidify US global interests. These funds have also been categorically used against other Muslims to weaken, dismantle and derive them away from any opportunities to serve the Muslim people via political Islam, as well as to deprive them of freedom and a dignified life.
[1]http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/07/30/Saudi-activist-says-money-given-to-Egyptian-general-to-oust-Morsi/UPI-53881375183115/
[2]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/saudiarabia/10178117/Saudi-Arabia-re-emerges-as-powerful-Middle-East-player.html
[4]http://www.us-uk-interventions.org/Afghanistan.html
[6]http://globalresearch.ca/articles/MAD201A.html
[7]http://people.psych.cornell.edu/~fhoran/gulf/GW_cost/GW_payments.html
[9]http://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/22/warcrimes.comment
[11]http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people2/Rashid/rashid-con4.html
[12]http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/irans-foreign-legion-the-role-of-iraqi-shiite-militias-in-syria
[13]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/saudiarabia/10178117/Saudi-Arabia-re-emerges-as-powerful-Middle-East-player.html
[14]http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/27/goal-not-regime-change-white-house-insists-as-reports-syria-strike-just-days-away/
[15]http://rbth.ru/international/2013/08/27/russia_will_not_fight_with_anyone_over_syria_29247.html
[16]http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130808/saudi-arabia-donates-100-mn-un-anti-terror-centre
[17]http://www.fbi.gov/news/testimony/middle-east-and-central-asia-saudi-arabia-and-the-fight-against-terrorism-financing
