Pakistan is beginning to aid the Syrian rebels in their efforts to topple Assad, moving closer to Saudi Arabia amid a growing rift with Iran and Syria.

Pakistan has broken with its nonalignment position toward the Syrian civil war, officially siding with Saudi Arabia, according to reports from regional newspapers. Ultimately this reflects poorly on the Obama administration’s leadership in the Middle East. Riyadh is prepared to seek out other friends who can better help its efforts to unseat Butcher Assad, and Pakistan has shown itself willing.