Trump ignites chaos among Sunni nations, US coalition just bombed pro-Assad forces on the ground in Syria

Donald Trump’s first trip abroad as President of the United States last month took him to Saudi Arabia, where he gave a speech about the importance of global unity in combating terrorism, sold arms to regional powers, took part in a ceremonial sword dance, and along with a few other world leaders, grasped a glowing orb.

In his remarks in Riyadh the president made repeated attacks on Iran, which he  singled out as a state sponsor of terrorism. (In response to the Isis attacks in Tehran on Wednesday, the White House reiterated that “states that sponsor terrorism risk falling victim to the evil they promote,” ignoring the fact that the militants are Sunni rather than Shia extremists.)

Mr Trump’s open criticism of the Gulf states’ traditional enemy is widely viewed by many as part of the reason the Saudis were emboldened to make an example of tiny maverick neighbour Qatar this week, leading the charge as several Arab states cut off all ties with the kingdom.

Source: While Trump ignites chaos among Sunni Arab nations, the US coalition just bombed pro-Assad forces on the ground in Syria | The Independent