Bush & The Saudi Princess

The (London) Spectator ^ | 11/30/02 | Mark Steyn

[jocon307]

What could one possibly add to this? I can only urge everyone to read the entire piece.

[Maigret]

Everybody underestimates Bush, he knows what he is doing.

[widowithfoursons]

I heard on FOX that Barbara Bush called the princess to apologize for the bad press. Is this true?

[jocon307]

"I heard on FOX that Barbara Bush called the princess to apologize for the bad press. Is this true?"

Yes, I believe this is true. Or else that she visited her; it may have been Laura Bush who visited, but I definately read that Colin Powell's wife, Alma, visited,with one of the Bush ladies. I'll try and find a link to a story somewhere.

[widowithfoursons]

Thanks

[jocon307]

From Maureen Dowd's column of 11/27/02

"She is rarely seen around Washington, abiding by Saudi customs sheltering women. But she entertains at her many homes, and powerful friends — including Barbara Bush and Alma Powell — called on Monday night to buck her up."

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/27/opinion/27DOWD.html

I took this to mean "called on" but possibly they just telephoned.

FWIW

[Lucas1]

Yeah you HOPE Bush is playing a game with this guy...I am not convinced of that yet. But we will see...I will be VERY VERY disappointed in Bush if he is not playing the right side on this subject.

[lodwick]

Steyn bump!

[LarryM]

"One day the Democrats will stop sleepwalking over the cliff and realise that this is Bush’s weak spot, and they’ve got incriminating pictures and all that sycophantic audio. And, if the Dems don’t realise it, then John McCain will, shortly before he runs for president. "

Bush had better get tough with the Saudis--and fast.

[lodwick]

For all you Steyn fans, check his new website marksteyn.com

There's some tremendous reading there.

[Brad C.]

I find the closing comment to be very interesting, regarding how john mccain will discover all of this when he runs for president in the next election.

[Snake65]

Excellent Steyn article.

Bush's attitude toward the Saudis is troubling. I can only hope that he's "keeping his enemies close" ala "The Godfather" until it comes time to "settle all family business."

But I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt. Steyn should note that Bond always showed up in the end (with SEALs, Ninjas, "Space Marines" whatever) to kick a$$.

[RedsHunter]

What could one possibly add to this?and
But here’s an odd little thing: Mr Basnan is known to have been in Texas in April when Crown Prince Abdullah and his entourage flew in to the state to see Bush at the ranch.

How about adding in the fact the Billy Jeff Clinton was also in the general area at the same time and did, in fact, meet with the Saudi Ambassador for at least three hours, early in the morning at the Saudi's hotel ... after the Saudi had concluded his meetings with Mr. Bush at the ranch.

[Maigret]

Yeah you HOPE Bush is playing a game with this guy...

I realize this is a concept that is foreign to today's world, as is George Bush, but character counts and so far Bush has been true to his. I'll believe until I see otherwise.

[lodwick]

It's the highest stake poker game the world has ever seen played. I, like you, will wait 'till the final card is shown, and until then, just keep praying that W wins again.

[GirlShortstop]

For all you Steyn fans, check his new website marksteyn.com
There's some tremendous reading there.

Thank you for the link.  I'll add the perfunctory STEYN ROCKS!
I have a question as to why Steyn has included what looks to be bad info:

The overwhelming majority — by some accounts, 80 per cent — of the detainees at Guantanamo are Saudi, but the new rules requiring fingerprinting of Arab male visitors to the US apply to Iraqis, Libyans, Syrians, Sudanese, Lebanese, Algerians, Tunisians, Yemenis, Bahrainis, Moroccans, Omanis, Qataris, but not Saudis. You can pretty much bet they’ll be fingerprinting British and Australians before the Saudis.

---

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A program that requires registration of foreign visitors from some countries in the Middle East and North Africa is being expanded to include men from Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally and the home country of 15 of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers.

An Immigration and Naturalization Service memo obtained by The Associated Press directs immigration inspectors registering aliens to include men, ages 16 to 45, from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Yemen, starting Oct. 1.   AP article ~ link here

What's up with that?

[Tacis]

I have no doubt that the Saudis are 100% behind Al'Qaeda. They have to placate the religious hardliners at home to keep their help in keeping the populace under control. I also believe that a regime change in Iraq also includes a regime change in Saudi.

However, I find it hard to believe the evil intent of Bandar's wife in this matter. It is the paper trail that is hard to accept. Saudis have been buying women, booze, slaves, property and influence for 60 years in this country without leaving certified checks behind to mark the path. Imagine Saudi debauchery in Las Vegas. They don't pay with credit cards nor leave easy measures of how much they've won or lost.

The Saudi paymaster can move cash to terrorists all over the US without writing checks. Massive quantities of cash could come into the country in diplomatic shipments. Couriers could move or mail cash to drop points anywhere for delivery. Drop points? Sure, the mosques run by the same religious nut jobs from Saudi. They take 5-10% (probably not tax deductable) to cover recruiting and pass on the rest to some guy with a funny hat.

It just seems strange that a group so devious and treacherous with a long history of back door stuff would leave such a starnge paper trail.

[NewMike39]

George Bush is a wimp just like his dad. George Bush wasted the most mobilized time in our history since WWII and has done nothing with it. He has done virtually nothing since bombing the cave people in Afghanistan. He lets the UN dictate our foregin relations. He is a liberal. He is a republican and NOT A CONSERVATIVE.

[jocon307]

"A program that requires registration of foreign visitors from some countries in the Middle East and North Africa is being expanded to include men from Saudi Arabia"

Well, this is something. Actually altho' I saw the Steyn article only today, via Realclearpolitcs.com btw it seems a little out of date; or sort of jumbled up in its chronology. I mean, it was quite a while ago that the Prince was at the ranch, no?

But I thought that it made some needed points very strongly. Especially the part about the dems figuring out this angle, which I'm glad someone highlighted. Not sure they have the nerve to do anything about anything tho',which is just another reason that Bush better get serious about our friends. Friends don't let friends fund terrorists!