(AFP-Ynet News) Saudi Arabia proposed setting up an Arab force to fight Hizbullah militants in Lebanon with the help of the U.S., UN and NATO, a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable said Tuesday. In a meeting in May 2008 with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq David Satterfield, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said a "security response" was needed to the "military challenge" posed to Beirut by the Iran-backed militants which, unchecked, would lead to an eventual Iranian takeover of the country. Satterfield responded that there were real questions about the "political and military" feasibility of such a scheme, and winning a new mandate for UNIFIL would difficult.
2010-12-08 09:11:34Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive