US Pushing for Regional Alliance Against Iran

A top US Army general described Iran as the “most destabilizing force” in the region and said the US administration supports cooperation between the Israeli regime and some Arab states against Tehran. Commander of US Army’s Central Command General Joseph Votel, whose area of responsibility includes countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, made the statement in a recent interview with Tampa Bay Times. Votel said he believes there is an “opportunity” for greater collaboration between Israel and US allies in the Arab world. “We certainly would encourage that,” he said. He added that the political crisis between Qatar and its neighboring Persian Gulf Arab countries, which have imposed a blockade on the tiny peninsular nation, is concerning to the US and it is trying to help minimize the “impact”.

“It potentially takes people’s focus off the common things we really want to be working on, like Iran, for example,” he said. “It creates disunity among a group of people that we rely on here. I am concerned in the long term, a rift like this can, I think, affect relationships.”