Obama’s gulf gambit: More military aid to allies could ease regional rifts with Iran

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Obama said Thursday that he is “concerned” about whether Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi can hold onto power, and he urged America’s Arab allies in the Persian Gulf to bolster Sunni support for the beleaguered Iraqi leader.

Obama’s comments came as he promised gulf leaders weapons and support to counter Iranian influence in the region, while simultaneously pushing them to be open to dialogue and diplomacy with their longtime rival.

Obama met with envoys from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council — a bloc led by Sunni Muslim rulers stretching from Kuwait to Oman — in an effort to combat perceptions that the United States is pulling back from the region at a time of crisis. - Read More at the washingtonpost

Obama’s gulf gambit: More military aid to allies could ease regional rifts with Iran

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