Editorial: Security Gates

Terrorism and national security were one of the most important subjects on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's agenda when he visited Saudia Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz said, "Iraq is very important to Saudi Arabia - it is the security valve.” Talks on economic and investment issues went smoothly because Iraqi and Saudi leaders were in agreement about the importance of resolving security issues. The leaders of neighbouring states should be aware that aiding terrorist groups or providing them with cover will in future create a crisis for their own regimes, as terrorism will engulf their countries, too, once the battle against it is lost in Iraq.