SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: New York Times – The Princes Who Want to Destroy Any Hope for Arab Democracy
Iyad El-Baghdadi argues that Saudi and Emirati backing of the TMC is driven by fears of major upheaval at home if “a major Arab country transitions to democracy.”
Despite Saudi-Emirati claims that their interventions have been aimed at staving off Islamist extremism and promoting regional stability, el-Baghdadi notes that the Sudan uprising has been against Islamists.
El-Baghdadi then highlights how Saudi Arabia and the UAE have “used their considerable resources to promote…military strongmen in the [Middle-East],” since the Arab Spring, citing how they “crushed” Bahrain’s uprising, bankrolled a return to military dictatorship in Egypt, and armed a “rogue” military leader in Libya.
El-Baghdadi further notes their alliance with Al Burhan and Himedti due to their sending of troops to Yemen.
In addition, El-Baghdadi draws attention to videos circulating social media showing Emirati-manufactured military gear deployed by Sudanese militias, with influential Saudi-controlled Twitter accounts expressing support for the TMC.