Cheney encounters new Saudi rebuffs

MSNBC.Com ^ | 3/16/2002 | MSNBC NEWS SERVICES

[Bobby777]

there's nothing like fair-weather friends ...

[Bobby777]

how does one correct a keyword which was not spelled properly? ... just add the correct one?

[My Favorite Headache]

Saudi is just filled with scum.

[irish_lad]

This one is a bit tough. On one hand, one would like to tell the Saudis don't come crying to us if Saddam attacks them; however, we import 25% of our oil from the House of Saud.

My guess is that this a public diplomatic move designed to appease the radicals in Saudi Arabia, but privately the Saudis want Saddam out as much as anyone. I'd bet money that privately, each of the governments Cheney has visited is behind the US effort to oust Saddam.

[Bobby777]

yep ... the Saudis are certainly not our friends ... and with Mecca and Medina located within their borders, it's no surprise ...

[Free the USA]

Check the Bump List folders for articles related to and descriptions of the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.

[Bobby777]

yes the Saudis don't like us ... but I'm sure they have no love lost on Saddam either ...

[RamsNo1]

While the Saudi government is rebuffing the US, why doesn't it also look into its own practices of letting innocent young girls die in fires because they weren't wearing proper headresses? How come no major press coverage on that story?

[ConsistentLibertarian]

Problem is, the US would need public help: air bases, permission to use Saudi airspace for the offensive, etc. And that's not counting the added political costs if the entire Arab world is publically condemning "American Agression". That just feeds the beast.

[ConsistentLibertarian]

"why doesn't it also look into its own practices of letting innocent young girls die in fires because they weren't wearing proper headresses? How come no major press coverage on that story?" Answer: Liberal bias in the media. It explains _everything_. Don't ask how. Just repeat the words and nod knowingly.

[bourbon]

Saudi Arabia has publicly denied the United States use of its bases to launch direct attacks against Afghanistan, and Abdullah criticized the U.S. bombing there.

personally, I don't give a good g*damn what the Saudis think. I wish there was some good way we could replace the despicable two-faced House of Saud, either with their precursors the Hashemites or hell give the whole country to Turkey. The Turks would straighten the place out.

[antaresequity]

Cheney removed his shoes and was escorted through the mosque by two men in traditional Omani white robes, with ornamental daggers at their belts.

That to me was a stupid move. I wouldn't trust the Sauds to this extent. Sadat's [Egypt] death came at the hands of his own [infiltrators]. I think treachory is part and parcel to Middle Eastern affairs. Just seems like a really stupid thing to do.

[RamsNo1]

It always amazes me that I hear that terrorism is just an off-shoot for those who feel deprived and dispossessed in the world. We also hear how it is usually the fault of the US who isn't doing a good enough job at spreading the wealth around to poor countries. Well, when I see the Arab sheikhs walking around their palaces of gold and away from the commoners in their own country, I just want to puke. Bin Laden should be bombing the palaces in his own country, not ours.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Cheney has faced challenges to the U.S. agenda against terrorism. Every Middle Eastern country he has visited so far — Jordan, Egypt, Yemen, Oman, and now the United Arab Emerites and Saudi Arabia — has rejected proposals to confront Iraq militarily.

Some random thoughts here:
1. The U.S. is facing "public" challenges...what are these Arab leaders saying in private? I can appreciate their public statements--they've got some whacko elements in their countries, and, well, they've got to maintain some kind of face. Not unlike the 'HOLE when he says he supports the President, but you know REALLY he's saying that not to anger America.

I wouldn't be surprised if they're telling the VEEP something like, "Make the strike into Iraq as quick as possible, get rid of the murderer, and we'll issue a statement of 'regret' over your actions, and we can get on with the business of selling you Yanks more oil."

2. Do the Saudis really WANT Iraq to be a participant in the Middle East business?? After all, if Iraq gets back in the business of selling oil, won't that take away from some of their market share?

3. How serious can they be about not wiping out Hussein? They know he'll come after them first chance he gets.

4. If the public statements coming from these government DO accurately reflect their view, then this Arab resistance to fighting terror should be recognized by the anti-Israel lobby in this nation. While the Arabs did give tacit support to our actions against the Taliban, they also must recognize the fact that the United States will not tolerate a regime that is bent on creating weaponry to harm her citizens and her allies. PERIOD. This is a new world, Saudi Arabia et al....this is not the Bill Clinton administration. Get used to it.

5. FINALLY, if this world situation isn't enough to convince the 'HOLE and his Senate illegit majority of the need for ENERGY INDEPENDENCE then NOTHING will, and the Republicans and others who love freedom must point this out. ANWR holds 25 years of Saudi imports--and I believe Russia has a lot of petrol under her fields, too. Wouldn't it be nice to have some business leverage with the sheiks??

But lil' Tommy and the John "BIG HAIR" Kerry, and Ted "The Swimmer" Kennedy and the nutcases in their party are dead set against helping America. They'd rather have an issue like high gas prices to hurt the President. We must achieve a Republican majority in the Senate--a commanding one, to offset a possible Chaffee/McLame party switch, and get our nation back on the road to freedom.

Sorry for the length of the post.

[mrustow]

See also:

Land for Peace -- Again! The Saudi Sucker Punch

[Lent]

You mean their not impressed with that Security Council resolution about the Pal State and a reference to their peace proposal?

[Uncle Miltie]

Sometimes I wish we'd just use the bases we built in Saudi even though they refuse. Let's see if their effeminate ineffectual military can stop us. When we're done with Iraq, and have a Democracy installed there, we'll leave Saudi for awhile......and come back a few years later from the North!

[montag813]

public diplomatic move designed to appease the radicals in Saudi Arabia

"Appease"...huh? It's no wonder the French love Arabs so much.

In fact they have similar "winning" percentages in wars this century (0-3)