In a surprising twist to the saga of the US standoff with Iran, Washington is reported to be preparing a huge sale of arms and defence supplies to Saudi Arabia and its Sunni allies in the Gulf. The deal, amounting to some $20bn worth of planes, surveillance and communication systems, and patrol ships, has been prepared ahead of an imminent joint visit to the region by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates.

This is the old ploy of fighting by proxy, but in new clothes. The Bush administration hopes to stiffen the resolve of the Saudis to confront Iran as it becomes more active inside Iraq and threatens to destabilise the Gulf states by stirring up Shia minorities. This is quite apart from the issue of Tehran's nuclear ambitions.