This document, a translation from the Iraqi Institute for Dialog, addresses Saudi and Syrian views on Iraq and the Obama administration in 2009, after a period of positive developments in the Iraqi security situation.

The executive summary makes it clear that Riyadh and Damascus' main priority is the fear that sectarian and armed violence will spill over from Iraq into their countries, which is the key point in their relationship with Iraq. "Syria and Saudi Arabia view Iraq as part of a broader regional context involving other players such as the United States, Iran, and the Arab-Israeli conflict, with Saudi Arabia cautiously optimistic about the Obama administration after a period of marginalization from the Bush administration."

The study aims to review perceptions and opportunities of regional cooperation and how new U.S. policies are perceived in the region.