Saudi Foreign Minister To Bush: Iraq is Disintegrating

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal warned President Bush that Iraq was moving towards disintegration and that if the country fractures, the war in Iraq could spread to neighboring countries.

'All the dynamics there are pushing people away from each other,' Saud explained. 'There seems to be no dynamic that is pulling the country together.'

The main issue, according to Saud, is the divide between Sunnis and Shi'ites. Saudi Arabia is predominantly Sunni.

'If things go the way they are ... there will be a struggle among the three for natural resources,' the Saudi minister warned.

Neighboring counties would be easily drawn into the conflict by self-interest. Turkey, for example, has a large Kurdish population. Should a war breakout in Iraq, a good many Kurds could seek safety in Turkey which the government may view as a destabilizing factor.

Iran is predominantly Shi'ite and would probably intervene on the side of the Shi'ites. Other neighboring countries would also feel compelled to join the war.

'I don't see how the Arab countries will be left out of the conflict in one way or another,' Saud concluded.

He also added that his country would not be sending an ambassador to Baghdad any time soon because of safety concerns.

'I doubt he'd last a day,' Saud said, frankly.

Before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Saud said his government warned the Bush administration against occupying Iraq. Now they are dealing with the consequences.

'It is frustrating to see something that is clearly going to happen and you are not listened to by a friend and soon harm comes out of it,' Saud said. 'It hurts.'