Saudis Encourage US to Send Troops, 'Fight Their War in Syria for Them'

Saudis Encourage US to Send Troops, 'Fight Their War in Syria for Them'
Wed Feb 10, 2016 08:50:25

Saudi Arabia has said that the oil kingdom is ready to participate in a US-led intervention in Syria and send conventional troops or special operations forces to Syria if the US decides to launch a ground offensive.

"The Saudis are 'inviting' the US to put American soldiers at risk to advance their goals in Syria because they can't do it for themselves and probably wouldn't even if they could," he noted. They are essentially "trying to sucker the US into agreeing to fight their war for them."

Riyadh's military campaign in Yemen, which has been largely condemned as a humanitarian disaster, could serve as an indication of what the Saudis are willing to do. The operation has primarily been conducted through airstrikes. In fact, the Saudi-led coalition conducted some 1,200 airstrikes in the first three weeks of the intervention (which is incomparable to Riyadh's feeble efforts in Syria).

"Considering how unwilling the Saudis have been to commit large numbers of ground forces to their appalling war in Yemen, it was never credible that they would be willing to do more than that in Syria," Larison observed.

Even if the Saudis send their forces to Syria as part of a larger US-led ground efforts, US troops would likely do all the heavy lifting. Journalist Andrey Polunin recently pointed out that Saudi special forces are quite limited in their capabilities.

Saudi officials first mentioned that the oil kingdom was ready to participate in a US-led intervention in Syria last week, raising questions as to what Riyadh's intentions truly are. Numerous rebels groups, who are trying to overthrow President Bashar alAssad, have received financial support and weapons from Saudi Arabia. In addition, Riyadh has apparently tried to undermine the Syrian peace process in Geneva; FNA reported.

218-12

string(1168) "[{"id":"1786673","sort":"3490931","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/02/06/alalam_635903485394645073_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Saudi Arabia to Provide Cover for Turkey’s Ground Operation in Syria"} ,{"id":"1786835","sort":"3490932","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/02/06/alalam_635903779174221611_25f_4x3.mp4","title":"VIDEO: Six Yemeni Civilians Killed by Saudi Arabia Airstrikes in Ta’izz"} ,{"id":"1787189","sort":"3490933","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/02/07/alalam_635904747852753246_25f_4x3.mp4","title":"VIDEO: Four Yemeni Civilians Killed in Saudi Arabia Airstrikes on Sa’ada"} ,{"id":"1787611","sort":"3490934","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/02/09/alalam_635906085371188371_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Saudi Arabia Claims US Welcomed Troops Deployment in Syria War"} ,{"id":"1787721","sort":"3490935","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/02/09/alalam_635906255062936741_25f_4x3.mp4","title":"VIDEO: Yemeni Army Ballistic Missiles Target Saudi Arabia Airport in Jizan"} ,{"id":"1787755","sort":"3490936","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/02/09/alalam_635906342146884688_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"350,000 Saudi Arabia Soldiers Maneuver, Preparing for Syria War?"} ]"