Posted on 08/12/2002 5:33:17 PM PDT by sonsofliberty2000
S. Arabia affirms solidness of historical ties with US
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Xinhuanet 2002-08-13 02:46:56
¡¡¡¡KUWAIT CITY, Aug. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Saudi Arabia on Monday affirmedthe solidness of its historical relations with the United States and vowed to develop the ties to the best of mutual interests between the two allies, Kuwait's official KUNA news agency reported.
¡¡¡¡Saudi acting Minister of Information Madani Bin Abdul-Qadir Alaqi made the remarks in a press statement after a cabinet meetingchaired by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz.
¡¡¡¡Alaqi noted in the statement that the cabinet was briefed on a briefing prepared by a Pentagon consultative committee on July 10.
¡¡¡¡The cabinet expressed appreciation for the good statements by USofficials concerning the Saudi-US relations and described the bilateral relations as "deep-rooted and above suspicions," he added.
¡¡¡¡Meanwhile, the cabinet also stressed the importance of the resolution issued recently by the United Nations General Assembly, which called on Israel to stop violence against the Palestinian people, pull out from the Palestinian cities and withdraw from all occupied Palestinian lands.
¡¡¡¡Last Tuesday, the Washington Post published the US briefing which described Saudi Arabia as "an enemy of the United States" andaccused the oil-rich kingdom of "supporting terrorism."
¡¡¡¡The briefing also called for seizing Saudi oil installations, assets and external investments if Riyadh fails to heed Washington's terms to stop support for Islamic organizations worldwide.
¡¡¡¡Later in the day, the Pentagon released a statement distancing itself from the briefing and called Saudi Arabia "a long-standing friend and ally".
¡¡¡¡The Pentagon statement said Saudis "cooperate fully with the United States in the global war on terrorism and have the department's and administration's deep appreciation."
¡¡¡¡US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld also called their Saudi counterparts shortly after to assure them that the briefing does not reflect the US policy and has left a "harmful" misimpression.
¡¡¡¡For its part, Saudi Arabia, a key regional ally of the United States, also dismissed the briefing as "fabrication and outcome of imagination." Enditem
The Saudis know how fragile their hold on the country is. We could topple them with a feather.
It's too late. They have to be held accountable for their support of terrorism.
Considering how many of the Sept. 11th terrorists were Saudi, we all know they were complicit. That's just too much to be coincidence!
I think it was very important that someone "official" come out and admit that just maybe the Saudi's are double-dealing enemies, instead of our bland friends. Bush's "distancing himself" from this report is just chess playing.
Every American that changes opinion and starts to see the Saudis as enemies is a good thing in the war on terror, because what every double-agent needs to be effective is anonymity, and lack of scrutiny. Now that Americans are slowly re-thinking their perceptions of the Saudis, every move they make will be looked at by Joe Sixpack with a skeptical cynical eye, and that's the best thing that could happen.
I strongly agree!
Please...do...not...ever...intone...that...phrase...regarding...a...Bush.
Amen. I hope they're worried enough to do something about it. NOT. They'd have to admit their support of Wahabism was a huge mistake...and I doubt they'll do that.
Apparently, these jokers can see a train wreck coming with the best of them. LOL.
In business there is a strategy setting tool called a SWOT analysis. Regarding Saudi Arabia, it would go something like this:
Strengths: Got some oil in the ground.
Weaknesses: Weak, inbred, despotic government. Ignorant, spoiled populace, teeming with savage, demonic islamist fanatics.
Opportunities: Repair relationship with the USA and the West or kiss their collective arses goodbye.
Threats: Too many to count. Internal insurrection. Hatred by their friendly arab neighbors. The USA reaching the end of its rope, and no longer able to cover for the oil barons. The civilized world getting pissed. Russian oil and gas coming onto the market. Alternative energy. Domestic sources.
If they have done the analysis well, they should have realized that they are in worse shape than the Barbary Coast pirates were in 1816. Not much time left to get their minds right.
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