Among the 250,000 secret messages sent by US embassies around the world — and now made public thanks to the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks — some that stand out tonight relate the desire of two Arab states to deal militarily with Iran.
In one, sent from the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia it is suggested that Saudi King Abullah urged the United States to “cut off the head of the snake”.
Intriguingly, Jordan has also been urging an attack against Iran. Writing on the BBC website, the corporation’s Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen, noted:
The fact that the Saudis, Jordanians and others are deeply suspicious about Iran’s intentions is well known. What has not been known until now is how strongly they have been pressing for American military action.
The New York Times and the Guardian, among others, have more stories emerging from the leaked documents. The White House has condemned the release. In a statement it said:
President Obama supports responsible, accountable, and open government at home and around the world, but this reckless and dangerous action runs counter to that goal.
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