Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
Leaders of Arab countries failed to agree on a united policy toward Iraq this week, as their summit meeting degenerated into name-calling. While the Arab states said they “totally reject any attack on Iraq,” several of them will nevertheless allow U.S. troops to use their bases and territory for such an attack, as Saudi Arabia did in the last Gulf War. Citing that past cooperation, Libyan leader Col. Muammar Qaddafi accused Saudi Arabia of “striking an alliance with the devil.” Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah interrupted him angrily, saying, “Saudi Arabia is not an agent of colonialism. Who exactly brought you to power?” As the argument heated up, the crown prince shouted, “You are a liar and your grave awaits you!” Egyptian state television then abruptly cut off the broadcast.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Pope seeks inquiry on if Gaza assault is 'genocide'Speed Read In a book for the Jubilee 2025, Pope Francis considers whether Israel's war in Gaza meets the legal definition of 'genocide'
-
Can Europe pick up the slack in Ukraine?Today's Big Question Trump's election raises questions about what's next in the war
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in RussiaSpeed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
