On February 4th 2016, a Saudi military spokesman said that the kingdom is ready to send ground troops to Syria to fight ISIS. Saudi Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri day told the Associated Press that Saudi Arabia has taken part in coalition airstrikes against ISIS since the U.S.-led campaign began in September 2014, but could now provide ground troops. “We are determined to fight and defeat Daesh (ISIS),” Asiri said. Only a few months ago Saudi Arabia led efforts to create a Sunni coalition of countries to fight Islamic extremism. Could Syria be the first engagement or is it yet another betrayal?
Comment:
US Secretary of Defence, Ash Carter warmly welcomed Saudi Arabia’s offer to send troops to Syria. He said, “That kind of news is very welcome.” Carter also explained that increased activity by other countries would make it easier for the U.S. to accelerate its fight against ISIS. Followers of the events in Syria would have not failed to notice that the different countries involved in Syria are directly aiding and abetting America in the fight against Assad’s opponents. Russia, Iran and Hizb-e-Iran are openly collaborating with Assad’s forces against the Islamic opposition. Now that the tide on the ground has turned, Washington wants Saudi Arabia to intervene and disable those Islamic groups that refuse to work with America. In this way, America – without deploying substantial ground troops – is inching closer towards preserving Assad’s regime. Getting others to fight is known in Washington as the Libyan model.
Saudi Arabia’s collaboration with America is not new, and goes back several decades. The Saudi leadership supported the Afghan Jihad against the Soviets with money, weapons, and fighters fused with the Wahhabi ideology of the Kingdom. In the 1990’s Saudi Arabia hosted hundreds of thousands of American troops in the first Gulf War, and today Riyadh is fighting in Yemen at America’s behest and is contemplating another venture in Syria. If the Saudi leadership cared so much for the Syrian people then why did they wait five years— after hundreds of thousands of Syrians were slaughtered by Assad— to intervene in the country?
Reeling from low oil prices and a lopsided economy dependent on oil, Riyadh cannot afford to fight another conflict. Nevertheless, that does not deter Saudi monarch from doing his utmost to safeguard American interests in the region, even if the country was to run out of money. For decades, the Saudi leadership has pretended to protect Islam but in reality, they are defenders of Western interests. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُواْ أَن يَكْفُرُواْ بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا
“Have you seen those (hypocrites) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you, and they wish to go for judgement (in their disputes) to the Taghut (false judges, etc.) while they have been ordered to reject them. But Shaitan (Satan) wishes to lead them far astray.”
(Al Nisa: 60)
The worsening situation in the Middle East and the wider Muslim world will continue, unless the Muslim ummah takes it upon herself to re-establish the rightly guided Khilafah state (Caliphate) upon the method of the Prophethood that will immediately put a halt to kafir powers using Muslim assets to protect their interests. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
“Oh you who have Iman! answer (the call of) Allah and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life; and know that Allah intervenes between man and his heart, and that to Him you shall be gathered.”
(Al Anfal: 24)
Abdul Majeed Bhatti