Egyptian president Mubarak rarely leaves his country. Yesterday he suddenly went to Saudi Arabia, where he met Syria’s Assad. Today he flew to Jordan, unannounced. It is rather odd for an Egyptian president to visit such minor countries as Jordan, rather than summoning its princeling to Cairo, as he summons Israeli rulers.
In an interview with Asharq al Awsat, Assad’s adviser announced that Ahmadinejad will attend the regional conference in Sharm esh Sheikh. One possibility is that the Arabs are preparing for an expected Israeli strike on Iran and attempting a last-ditch effort to talk Ahmadinejad out of his nuclear plans. More plausibly, nervous of Obama’s softness and Israeli cowardice in acting against Iran, the Arab countries seek accommodation with the mullahs. In that case, Syria would mediate the talks and greatly increase its diplomatic status.
Sunni world must exhibit greater interest in countering Shiite Iran