Posted on 05/31/2005 4:11:29 PM PDT by Cornpone
Attention has to be focused on Saudi Arabia as it enters a period of transition and uncertainty in the wake of reports about a deterioration in the health of King Fahd, who has been admitted to the hospital. In the absence of authentic reports on his health, rumors are rife that his end may be near.
The post-Fahd transition should be a matter of concern to India. Any instability and violence could have an impact on the flow and price of oil and on the so-called "war on terrorism". Such instability could be caused either by challenges from other members of the ruling family to the efforts of Crown Prince Abdullah, the designated and widely expected successor, to consolidate his power and his control over the National Guard, the armed forces and the intelligence agencies, an escalation in the activities of al-Qaeda or both.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have been the main breeding grounds of jihadi terrorism. The brains of the Wahhabi and the Deobandi ideologies motivating international jihadi terrorists are respectively located in these two countries. Since the explosion at the New York World Trade Center in February 1993, Saudi and Pakistani nationals have been at the forefront of the international jihadi terrorist movement, with the largest number of suicide terrorists coming from these two countries.
Fifteen of the 19 al-Qaeda terrorists who carried out the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US were Saudi nationals. According to a study in March of this year by Dr Reuven Paz, a highly respected Israeli counterterrorism analyst, 94 out of 154 Arabs who participated in terrorist attacks in Iraq during the six-month period preceding the study, came from Saudi Arabia. That amounts to 61% of the total.
Al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia has shown tremendous resilience, despite being subject to ruthless suppression by the Saudi security forces. The loss of its leaders, one after the other in encounters with the security forces, has not dented the network's morale, motivation and determination. It has shown a remarkable capability to rise again and again after each fall and make its presence felt.
The spawning of so many jihadi terrorists from Saudi Arabian soil for participating in acts of jihadi terrorism, either in Saudi territory, in Iraq or elsewhere, indicates that the world has until now seen only the tip of the Saudi jihadi iceberg. There are innumerable sleeper cells in Saudi Arabia that have been keeping the international jihadi terrorist movement sustained through the injection of funds, volunteers for suicide missions and other means.
The success of these sleeper cells speaks of local support - in the general populace as well as in the intelligence agencies and the security forces. And, possibly, in some sections of the ruling family too. Without such support, it is inconceivable that there could have been an uninterrupted flow of volunteers for suicide missions in Iraq without being intercepted.
The nexus of the intelligence agencies of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan with the world of jihadi terrorism dates from the days of the jihad of the 1980s against the Soviet troops in Afghanistan. There is no reason to believe that this nexus, which now exists mainly at the middle and lower levels, has been broken. So long as this nexus remains intact, a strategic victory in the "war against terrorism" will remain elusive.
The al-Qaeda iceberg in Saudi Arabia would be an important factor in determining the course of events in the post-Fahd transition.
The Saudis are our friends, right???
Well, of course they are. So are the French.
The success of these sleeper cells speaks of local support - in the general populace as well as in the intelligence agencies and the security forces.
I would like to see the author's 'source' in support of some of these statements.
It was not that long ago (several years ?) that there was a series of articles on the the source of the extremists within Saudi.
And they all were coming from the desert tribes, literally, the camel brigade - out in the desert.
All recruits were young and had the proper mentality - pissed off at life for living in the desert, I guess.
I would hardly call that "local support" and "general populace" material.
LVM
"Al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia has shown tremendous resilience, despite being subject to ruthless suppression by the Saudi security forces. The loss of its leaders, one after the other in encounters with the security forces, has not dented the network's morale, motivation and determination."
Why haven't we got Bin Laden..?
bttt
Many of the countries that border Saudi Arabia are not fond of the Saudis. In fact, they detest their heavy handed ways.
However, if the U.S.("great Satan") goes after Saudi, it could unite the Arab world since Saudi is the seat of their Holy Mecca.
"However, if the U.S.("great Satan") goes after Saudi, it could unite the Arab world since Saudi is the seat of their Holy Mecca."
So what..!! They did 9/11.
>All recruits were young and had the proper mentality - pissed off at life...<
The reason many young Saudis are annoyed with life is that during the sixties and seventies the average Saudi did not want to look for a job. It was much easier to important foreign workers.
There was plenty of money and most Saudis lived on the dole. Being on the dole in Saudi meant free housing, free medical care, free education, etc. Real paradise if that is what you want.
Things have changed. The king cannot afford to be as generous as he was before. Saudi is up its eyeballs in debt because of the huge industrial base it developed. No more freebees - paradise lost.
Young Saudis now sip their tea on the sidewalk picking their noses. Because none thought of getting an education (why work if you don't have to?) during the heydays they are not employable and that's why they're sipping tea being broke, bored and pi$$ed off. Most industrial jobs are done by foreign workers making a good living.
Along came a guy by the name of Osama, and the rest is histoire (a little French there.)
Yes, Saudi terrorists were involved in 9/11.
I think it is helpful for the Arab states to be distracted with their animosity towards each other, instead of focusing it all against the U.S. Many Arabs are our friends.
The queues of people outside the American Consulate in Saudi are evidence that even in Saudi Arabia there are many who believe in the American Dream and long to come here.
I understand that it is difficult to see because we hear of their hatred, but there are many wonderful Arabs.
Flame away.
"The queues of people outside the American Consulate in Saudi are evidence that even in Saudi Arabia there are many who believe in the American Dream and long to come here."
Well then, by God, didn't we give them the gift of freedom and democracy like we did Iraq...?
They did 9/11...
I understand your concerns. Correct, they are being taught in their madrassas to hate Americans. The good news is that satellite TV is hard to stop -- much as they try -- and the young folks are watching & dreaming about America.
Remember how we hated the evil Russians and they hated us? Then the USSR fell apart. Perhaps it is not uniform, but the Russian immigrants in my life are hard working and vote conservative.
"These people are learning this hatred for America and Israel in their schools and Mosques and are taught to hate from a young age. Fir this reason I don't want them here."
They are learning, teaching, and supporting it in Saudi. Why aren't we going after it there...? Very quickly..?
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