Gulf states rebuff U.S. request that they welcome Iraq as member
ABU DHABI -- The Gulf Cooperation Council has rejected a U.S. proposal to accept Iraq as a member.Gulf Arab officials said Iraq was not suitable for membership in the six-member GCC. They said the GCC, established in 1981, was still in the process of formation and could not expand.
"When the GCC was established we did not restrict its membership to any countries," Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said. "It is not an exclusive club. Once the GCC is a complete unit we will allow any of our brothers to come and join."
Anyone else feel urine on their back during this arab forecast of rain?
The Bush administration has urged the GCC to consider Iraq for membership. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said GCC membership for Iraq would bolster regional security and counter Iranian influence.
"Regional engagement also means that Iraq should be included in regional forums for economic and security cooperation, and considered for membership in Middle East organisations," Gates said.
These nations, who need us still to guard them from the Shia, have the unbelieveable arrogance to continue to make a pariah out of anything OTHER,that being the westrn ideal of democracy in ANY form ..while still retaining confidence we must help them to remain safe against Iran, while they work against us publically and by continuing to donate to jihad, open and stealth.
The proposal by Gates was relayed during the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, which ended on Dec. 14. Despite its pledge, Iran did not attend the security dialogue.
"What we are after is a change in policies and a change in behavior so that Iran becomes a good neighbor of people in the region [rather] than a source of instability and violence," Gates, meant to continue in his post under Obama, said. "But one thing I think I can say with some confidence is that the President-elect Obama is under no illusions about Iran's behavior and what Iran has been doing in the region and is doing in terms of its own weapons programs."
GCC secretary-general Abdul Rahman Al Attiyah said his organization was not ready to accept Iraq. Al Attiyah, a Qatari national, said Iraq must focus on stabilizing its territory.
"The council, as it is, has made several achievements, and any option to change it requires a cautious study," Al Attiyah said. "Iraq, in its current circumstances and even in normal circumstances, is not ready to join the council."
Their hypocrisy and utter cynicism about people BELIEVING them is actually touchingly NAIVE