“We cannot live with a nuclear Iran” – Arab diplomat

We have been seeing more and more news, articles, and discussions on Iran and their nuclear policies. There have also been many more of the same in how Israel has been directing US policy toward Iran and their nuclear program. Although there have been a few comments made by some of the Arab States on this matter, none at least to my knowledge have been as direct as the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the United States, Yousef al-Otaiba.

His recent remarks were made while Israel's PM Netanyahu was being received by President Obama. His direct remark, well at least one of them reads

The United Arab Emirates ambassador to the United States said Tuesday that the benefits of a military strike against Iran's nuclear program would outweigh the short-term sacrifices.

RT

Let's think about this just a moment. Here we have the UAE ambassador to the US espousing the significance of a preliminary military strike against Iran. Okay, I do hope we have all read the article, as there is much more that is significant that he has stated. For instance,

Al-Otaiba warned that other Arab states in the Gulf would cultivate ties with Tehran if President Obama fails to stop the Islamic republic's nuclear ambitions.

"There are many countries in the region that if they lack assurance that the US is willing to confront Iran, they will start running for cover with Iran," he said. "Small, rich, vulnerable countries do not want to stick their finger in the big boy's eye if they do not have the backing of the United States."

“Countries in the region view the Iran threat very differently, I can only speak for the UAE, but talk of containment and deterrence really concerns me and makes me very nervous. Why should I be led to believe that deterrence or containment will work?” al-Otaiba is quoted as saying on The Atlantic’s website.

The ambassador concluded that his country would never accept a nuclear Iran.

"The United States may be able to live with it," he said. "We can't."

Please someone correct me if I have misread this, but it seems to me this ambassador is outright saying that if the US does not stop the Iranian nuclear program, the Arab world, at least the smaller parts of that world, will out of necessity shift toward an alliance with Iran.

So what we have just read is that if it comes right down to it, if the US cannot persuade Iran to cease it's nuclear program by peaceful means that American men, women, and materiel, and most likely NATO's as well, are to be sent to take out Iran's nuclear program because they, meaning the Arabs, are scared of Iran.

Understandably, the West has considerable interest in the region that will be protected no matter what the cost. This also further proves that allies will remain allies so long as there is something in it for them. These things have been proven time and again. However, at least in my opinion, we need to be certain the priorities are where they should be, and not simply because someone cannot or will not take care of matters for themselves.