Policy Director of think-tank Just Foreign Policy Robert Naiman claims that the creation of a new Saudi-led Islamic states coalition against terrorism caught the Obama administration by surprise, indicating erosion of US influence in the region.


WASHINGTON (Sputnik)�� The creation of�a new Saudi-led Islamic states coalition against�terrorism caught the Obama administration by�surprise, indicating erosion of�US influence in�the region, Policy Director of�think-tank Just Foreign Policy Robert Naiman told Sputnik.
"I think it's a very interesting development," Naiman stated. "The US claims that it welcomes it, but�did not know about�it in�advance, and is looking forward to�learning more about�it. That's telling."


Naiman said this aspect of�the new initiative highlighted the rapid erosion of�US influence in�the Middle East.
"Not so long ago, Saudi Arabia wouldn't have made a move like�this without�consulting the United States and neither would have acknowledged acting independently. So, in�part this may be a reaction to�the increasing distrust of�the United States by�the Saudis," Naiman explained.

Weakened ties between�Washington and Riyadh, Naiman suggested, could lead to�more moderate and responsible policies from�both governments.
"I think that's healthy for�the region and the world, for�the United States and Saudi Arabia to�be more independent of�each other, and the relations between�the two to�be more transparent. It makes them both more accountable," he pointed out.


Naiman also noted the irony that the Saudis had for�decades lavishly financed extreme Islamist ideologies and jihadi terror forces, including in�the 1979-87 Afghanistan War.

"Part of�the Saudi strategy to�protect itself against�terrorism has been to�export it. Oh, so you want to�be a jihadist? Here is the list of�Saudi government-approved jihads. Go there, and leave us alone," he remarked.

Now, however, the new Saudi-led coalition reflects a growing awareness in�Riyadh that the fanaticism they had encouraged abroad for�so long might now be coming home to�threaten them, Naiman observed.
"If the Yemen and Syria civil wars are resolved politically and diplomatically, that might actually increase the terrorism risk to�Saudi Arabia. The jihadis might come home to�roost. So maybe they are preparing for�that," he said.


The new coalition reflected a significant policy change by�King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who succeeded his brother King Abdullah in�January, Naiman noted.

Just Foreign Policy is an independent and non-partisan membership organization dedicated to�reforming US foreign policy based on�diplomacy, law and cooperation, according to�the group's website.

By Sputnik