Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal is endorsing President Obama's authorization for military action against Syria. This is a major, if unsurprising, development. Saudi aid to Syrian opposition froces has played a crucial role in their efforts against the Assad regime.
WASHINGTON -- Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal called on the international community Sunday to take action against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, giving a boost to President Barack Obama's goal of assembling a multinational coalition to intervene in the conflict.
According to the HuffPo article, their blessing comes as long as the action is "the will of the Syrian people." Al Jazeera broke the story with comments by Saud al-Faisal at the Arab League summit today.
Separately, Arab League foreign ministers issued a statement calling on the UN to take action but not backing direct US strikes.
"The United Nations and the international community are called upon to assume their responsibilities in line with the UN Charter and international law by taking the necessary deterrent measures", the ministers said in a statement on Sunday following a meeting in Cairo.
The Ministers agree that Assad's regime is "responsible" for the chemical attack that resulted in Obama's authorization of force yesterday.
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal told the meeting that "opposition to international action only encourages the regime to pursue its crimes".
"It is time to ask the international community to assume its responsibilities and to take deterrent measures" against the Syrian regime," al-Faisal said.
Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria expressed opposition to any action. Egypt had previously made it clear they did not want to see direct military intervention in Syria.
The NYT reported on Aug 29 that Western intervention was
"overwhelmingly unpopular" across the political spectrum in Egypt, with the likelihood of massive protests only adding to the instability Egypt already faces after the removal of Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood from power.
This vote is part of what Obama was waiting for and is seen as a crucial component of international legitimacy for any action against Assad. It may also help to speed the vote in Congress.
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