Middle East Focus: Iyad Allawi on the Road: Trick or Treat?.................

Arabia Deserta

Iyad Allawi on the Road: Trick or Treat?.................

But will you love me when I am 85?

“ The Saturday visit by one of Iraq's most prominent candidates in next month's parliamentary election comes amid fears that Riyadh would incite sectarian violence in Iraq, with the Saudis being under suspicion of funding armed groups in Iraq, Arab-language Nahrainnet news website reported. Allawi's well-publicized visit to Riyadh, where he met with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and Saudi Intelligence chief Prince Meqrin bin Abdul Aziz has raised eyebrows, especially as Saudi politicians have maintained low-level contact with Iraqi counterparts since the 2003 US-led invasion. The meeting comes while Saudi King Abdullah has widely avoided meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in recent years. Nahrainnet, quoting unnamed Saudi officials, reported that Allawi's high-level meetings in Riyadh could prove to be "dangerous" for Iraq and the Shias during and after the elections………”

This is from an official Iranian website quoting an Iraqi website. There clearly and undoubtedly is some exaggeration, as expected from Iranians talking about Saudis (and vice versa). The mullahs seem clearly upset about the visit, almost as much as the Saudis would get if al-Maliki visits Tehran.

Yet for Allawi to visit Riyadh, and spend days visiting other Arab capitals, just two weeks before the election, and to claim that he seeks to improve Iraqi-Saudi relations and deal with al-Qaeda is strange. Mr. Allawi seems to represent more people outside Iraq than people inside Iraq: his only base inside Iraq are his allies of largely former Baathists. The report also claims that he met with the head of Saudi intelligence, Prince Meqrin Bin Abdulaziz.
Personally, I believe Iyadd Allawi has as much chance to become Iraq’s leader, legitimately, as I do, and I am not even Iraqi.
Cheers
mhg