US behaving like ‘mafia boss’ in Middle East – NGO founder (VIDEO)
The United States is acting like a mafia boss in the Middle East, forcing countries to cooperate or face destruction, according to activist Miko Peled.
Peled made the comments during an RT panel discussion on recent remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who blamed Iran for instability in the region. The activist argued that Gulf states feared defying Washington could leave their countries in ruins, pointing to US military interventions in Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen.
Regional Instability
Tehran University professor Seyed Mohammed Marandi accused Israel of being the main source of instability in the region, citing Palestinian displacement and what he described as the "ongoing genocide" in Gaza. He claimed the US has contributed to this misery for Israel's sake, destroying Iraq and Afghanistan and initiating a dirty war in Syria.
Marandi referenced a February 2012 email from Jake Sullivan, then an adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, stating that Al-Qaeda was "on our side" in Syria.
Gulf States' Dilemma
Professor Naim Joseph Salem warned that Gulf states could come to regret hosting US military bases if the US-Israeli war with Iran escalates again. He specifically mentioned Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates as countries feeling the heat from American military presence.
Peled argued that cooperation with the US offered Gulf countries a chance to maintain stability, though he emphasized this was "not a question of trust. It's a question of survival, really."
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