Reuters CAIRO: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates urged Middle Eastern states on Wednesday to help stabilize Iraq, warning them that chaos in the country would harm the region well before it hurts the United States. Speaking at an American Chamber of Commerce event in Cairo, Gates said countries should set aside disputes over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that toppled Saddam Hussein. Whatever disagreements we might have had over how we got to this point in Iraq, the consequences of a failed state in Iraq, of chaos there, will adversely impact the security and prosperity of every nation in the Middle East and the Gulf region, he said. There may be some who, over resentment or disagreements over what happened in the past, might be cheering for failure. I would respectfully suggest that these sentiments are dangerously short-sighted and self-destructive, Gates added. The first and secondary effects of a collapse in Iraq – with all of its economic, religious, security and geopolitical implications – will be felt in capitals and communities of the Middle East well before they are felt in Washington and in New York.
US officials have acknowledged that there are doubts among Iraq s neighbors, most of which have a Sunni Muslim majority, about the Shia-led government of Nouri Al-Maliki and its ability to bring peace to the country. They have said those nations could do more to bolster Al-Maliki s administration by including it in regional political discussions, providing reconstruction aid, and urging an end to insurgent and sectarian violence. Iraq s neighbors will need to play a constructive role going forward, Gates said. We encourage Iraq s Arab neighbors to use their influence to dampen homegrown insurgency and alleviate sectarian conflict.
Gates, who has already visited Jordan and is also scheduled to travel to Israel on this trip, stressed the United States would remain engaged in the Middle East. We will continue working with Egypt and other friends in the region – not as a patron, but as a partner, a partner who respects the different histories, cultures and perspectives of the people of the Middle East, he said. It is a responsibility we will not abandon, a trust we will not break.
