Bush, Saudi prince meet amid tensions

AP via SunSpot.net ^ | 4/25/02 | Sandra Sobieraj

[GeneD]

CRAWFORD, Texas -- President Bush said today that he and Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia forged a personal bond in a day of talks at the president's Texas ranch and Abdullah promised not to "use oil as a weapon" to show Arab anger over U.S. support for Israel.

The president's upbeat assessment contrasted with recent Saudi complaints that the administration's backing of Israel had damaged prospects for Mideast peace and soured relations with the Arab world.

Bush told reporters afterward that U.S.-Saudi relations were strong.

[GeneD]

Despite several previous threads I am posting this story because, as a comparison to the New York Times's dispatch will show, the Crown Prince's visit has generated mucho spin. Also, AP and the Times reported the Prince and Dubya met for two hours. This account says five. Who's telling the truth?

[ThePythonicCow]

two hours ... five ... which one ...

I thought I saw one account that they met inside for two hours, then drove around the ranch and had lunch for two or three hours. If so, then both accounts are right -- depends on the meaning of the word "met".

[isthisnickcool]

The Saudi Prince is shown controlling his very own "mini-me", Jethro Bodine. "My uncle found oil too! Declared the Prince! There is not much difference between the Saudi Royal Family and the Beverly Hillbillies!. Except Jethro was much smarter than any of us and he didn't like killing people for fun. But I am a double-ought spy!" Declared the Prince.

The Prince then jumped head first into his "cement pond". Which, unfortunately, was empty of water. Aides to the prince said "don't worry, he does that all the time".

[NetValue]

"But Adel Al-Jubeir, his foreign policy adviser, said, "There is a lot of anger at the U.S. for what is perceived as a lack of restraining Sharon," the Israeli prime minister. "The crown prince wanted to make sure the president was aware of this."

Hey buddy, there is a lot of US anger at the Islamic states for what is perceived as funding, arming, harboring, and inciting Palestinian terrorists on suicide missions into Israel and not restraining Arafat, Hamas, Hezballah, and their ilk.Get it?