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Length: 3:42
WOLF BLITZER: Is a close
U.S. friend backing America's foes in Iraq?
Dozens of foreign fighters crossing into Iraq each
month and the U.S. military estimates half are from
Saudi Arabia. Almost half the foreigners in U.S.
detention facilities are said to be Saudis, as well.
Along with that, a flow of funds from individuals in
Saudi Arabia to Sunni insurgent groups.
The State Department says the Saudi government is
doing what it can to stop the flow of young men going
from Saudi Arabia into Iraq who are "bent on blowing
themselves up or blowing others up."
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense
Secretary Robert Gates will raise the sensitive issue
in a visit to Saudi Arabia next week.
And joining us now, our correspondent in Baghdad,
Michael Ware -- Michael, the Saudis and their
involvement in what's going on causing some
consternation here in Washington. Saudi Arabia, a
largely Sunni Muslim country. They're not very happy
with the Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad.
What are you seeing on the ground?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we're
seeing, Wolf, is that, you know, Saudi Arabia, is
experiencing just as much consternation with this
U.S. experiment here in Iraq.
Now, they said before the war that it wasn't going to
work. Indeed, I think the quote, from memory, was
something like, "you'll fix one problem" -- being
Saddam -- "and create five more."
And then, as they saw the American expedition unfold,
they saw it fall to pieces. Now, at first, they
started whispering about it. Then they started
screaming about it. And for a long time now -- we're
talking years -- they've been acting on that.
They've been providing funds to Sunni sheikhs and
tribal groups. There's been some connection with the
insurgency. They're funding political opponents of
this Maliki government, a government they don't
trust.
And that's a sentiment shared by most of the Arab
world. It's seen as either an Iranian proxy or so
beholden to Iran -- this government -- that it cannot
function as a truly independent entity.
The Saudis see that the American endeavor here in
Iraq is not protecting legitimate Saudi national
interests, let alone furthering them. They're seeing
that this war is destabilizing the whole region, to
the disadvantage of America's allies.
BLITZER: And, Michael, do the Saudis see the prime
minister, Nuri al-Maliki, as nothing more than an
Iranian agent?
Because that's the word they're spreading, according
to the "New York Times".
WARE: Yes, well, I mean, obviously, I can't speak for
the government in Riyadh from here in Baghdad. But
what I can tell you is that the Arab world doesn't
trust Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, nor this
government.
I mean this is not really a government. I mean,
there's no water for people in the capital right now.
Electricity, if you get it at all, is down to about
an hour a day. And to fill up your car with gas,
you've got to queue for anything from five to 12
hours, or even overnight. So this government isn't
delivering services.
This government is a loose coalition of militia, most
of them backed or supported, in one way or another,
by Iran.
And we wonder why America's Arab allies are nervous
at what they see as an expansion of Iranian
influence?
We're hearing that they're allowing insurgent
commanders and political leaders to gather in Jordan,
in Syria and, indeed, even in Saudi Arabia. Just
expect this to pick up rather than deescalate --
Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Michael, thanks very much.
Michael Ware is our reporter in Baghdad.