Saudi Arabia Will Go It Alone
By  Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz al Saud, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Britain.

New York Times guest Op Ed, Dec. 17/18, 2013

Lede: The West’s policies toward Iran and Syria pose a threat to the entire Middle East. We can’t stand idly by.

[....] And yet rather than challenging the Syrian and Iranian governments, some of our Western partners have refused to take much-needed action against them. The West has allowed one regime to survive and the other to continue its program for uranium enrichment, with all the consequent dangers of weaponization [....]

This year’s talks with Iran may dilute the West’s determination to deal with both governments. What price is “peace” though, when it is made with such regimes?

[....] We continue to show our determination through our support for the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian opposition. It is too easy for some in the West to use the threat of Al Qaeda’s terrorist operations in Syria as an excuse for hesitation and inaction. Al Qaeda’s activities are a symptom of the international community’s failure to intervene [....]

Suleiman Says Saudi to Give $3 Billion to Buy French Weapons for Lebanese Army
By Naharnet Newsdesk, Dec. 29, 2013

President Michel Suleiman on Sunday announced that Saudi Arabia has decided to donate three billion dollars with the aim of purchasing French weapons for the Lebanese army as soon as possible.

After canceling a much-anticipated press conference previously scheduled for Sunday evening, Suleiman appeared in a televised address to declare that he managed through his talks with Saudi King Abdullah to secure “extraordinary support” for the army.

“Enhancing the army's capabilities is a unifying national and popular demand and a source of pride and it is a dream that I always had during my 41 years of military service, and it is the dream of every Lebanese since independence to confront the Israeli threat, protect democracy, face terrorism and put an end to the proliferation of arms,” said the president.

“This support will contribute to confronting terrorism and helping UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) implement (U.N. Security Council) Resolution 1701,” Suleiman noted [....]

Suleiman hoped the French government “will back this initiative and support the army." [....]

Suleiman's announcement came as French President Francois Hollande arrived in Saudi Arabia for talks with King Abdullah.

During a press conference, Hollande announced that Paris "will respond positively to any Lebanese request," in response to a question about the Saudi initiative to arm the Lebanese army with French weapons.

"We have a common stance with Riyadh over the issue of Lebanon's unity and independence," said Hollande [....]