Its becoming increasing clear to me that at a senior political level, Sudan's removal from the SST list is becoming bundled with the President's larger Middle East peace plan and securing normalized relations between as many Arab states and Israel as possible.
While it is true that #Sudan is moving forward on the explicit requirements (settling terror claims) and there is no explicit quid pro quo that Sudan normalize with Israel to be removed, the way Pompeo's visit to the region is being framed is as part of broader regional peace.
Moreover, the news that Sudan will be invited to a US-led, Gulf hosted Middle East peace conference suggests that it isnt enough that Sudan cast aside a dictator and got removed from the SST list, but that it also joined a US-organized Arab coalition of states friendly to Israel.
For Pompeo and POTUS, this packaging--assuming Sudan goes along with it--creates a needed incentive for them to move forward SST removal as it links it to something they want even more than to see Sudan succeed--a Middle East foreign policy achievement 1 month before elections.
Given these new stakes and rumors that many of Sudan's civilian leaders were caught off guard by the outreach to Israel and significant factions of the FFC appear at first sight, to oppose normalization, the transitional government (military and civilian) need to tread cautiously
Not to suggest that Sudan cant try to diplomatically slow roll the Israel relationship, but given today's visit and the heavy diplomatic investment made by Sudan with the Trump Administration, they should see this moment as their best chance to get delisted and act accordingly.
