ARAB STATES MAY BACK U.S. STRIKE ON IRAN

Report: Gulf States Prepared to Back U.S. Military Strike on Iran (NYSun)
Under-Secretary of State Nicholas Burns clearly knew his audience in Dubai and the reception he'd get if he'd talk tough against Iran. While Burns was busy today in Dubai warning Iran to back down, the think tank Mr. Burns was speaking to, the Gulf Research Center ( described by the AP as "an influential think-tank"), had just put out a paper on Sunday, warning that "Tehran has to finally realize that if push comes to shove, if the choice is between an Iranian nuclear bomb and a US military strike, then the Arab Gulf states have no choice but to quietly support the US. Living under the shadow of Iranian nuclear bomb is unacceptable."

The paper, written by GRC program director, Dr. Christian Koch, makes it clear that the Gulf States view Iran as an existential threat and the paper warns that:

Instead of trying to position itself as the main power in the Middle East that is set on challenging and bringing down US dominance, Iran should truly begin to engage the region and seek broad-based solutions to the region’s urgent problems. Unfortunately, Iran refuses to provide its neighbors with any sort of confidence concerning its ultimate ambitions. From the Arab Gulf perspective, Iranian actions simply look as replacing one bully with another. At a time when the Arab Gulf states are looking for reassurances, Iranian pronouncements of its military capabilities and ability to send thousands of suicide bombers to the other side of the Gulf in response to any US military campaign represents an attempt at intimidation in the least. It is little wonder then that the Arab Gulf states continue to request and depend on US protection given that “export of the revolution” represents a real threat to their existence.

The paper does tell America that:

If the United States is serious about bringing a change in Iranian policies, it needs to realize that the impetus for change has to come from within. A better strategy, therefore, would be to formulate and issue messages of positive intent and content directly to the Iranian population, who will ultimately be the ones exerting the required pressure on the power holders above. About 60 percent of Iran’s population is under the age of 24, with one in five between 15 and 24 years of age unemployed. If there is one thing that the current clerical regime is afraid of, it is its own population. To mobilize this population what is required is a message to rally around, i.e. a vision worth standing up for. This is what the US should provide.

When some Arab states joined in the American military exercises that "provoked" the mullahs in November, we noted that:

That some Arab states see Iran as enough of a threat as to join American military exercises -- knowing full well it will anger Iran and split "Arab solidarity" -- is a sign of just how concerned they are. A reminder that while Russia and China may oppose action against Tehran, Washington can expect support -- whether vocal or silent -- from places where it counts much more.

This case is only stronger now that the GRC has put out a paper explicitly saying that the Gulf States would support an American military strike against Iran if the alternative was a nuclear Iran. It seems those opposed to stopping Iran acquire nukes are either found in the halls of Congress or among our European "allies" -- who prefer talking all the way to an Iranian nuclear bomb.