Could Saudi-Iraqi ties be Key to Defeating IS?

The extremists groups’ approach has nothing to do with the nature of the ruling regimes in the region, be they democratic, tribal, repressive, military or even religious. Rather, it is linked to the nature of the extremist groups’ formation, which seek, in their ideology, to divide the world into two axes: “the believers,” who are those who believe in the terrorist and extremist project of the Salafist jihadist groups, and “the infidels” who include all others, regardless of whether or not they are affiliated with the different Islamic doctrines or of other religions.

IS’ invasion of Iraq on June 10, 2014, and its seizure of a third of the Iraqi territory did not even motivate Iraq and Saudi Arabia to open a new page in their relations in order to face the new challenge, which is their common threat. This is despite IS threatening Saudi Arabia and attacking on Jan. 4, 2015, its posts on the border with Iraq.

Saudi Arabia contented itself with a limited participation in the US-led coalition against IS and did not take another step for a greater cooperation with Iraq at this level.

The reason why Saudi Arabia is reluctant to open up completely to Iraq may be attributed to the regional alliances. It views Iraq as a political ally of Iran, with which it competes to control the Middle East. Yet with the ongoing complexity of the political alliances in the region, Iraq and Saudi Arabia seem to be also heading toward building a more diverse and more complex strategy in their current political relations in the region.

Just as Iraq maintains cooperation and security agreements with both Iran and the United States, despite their differences, it can also establish positive relations and constructive cooperation with Saudi Arabia, along with Iran, despite their differences. A wise diplomatic discourse does not require joining one of the axes as much as it requires opening up to dialogue and finding ways to cooperate despite the differences.