Posted on 03/01/2003 6:28:13 PM PST by HAL9000
TRIPOLI, March 1 (AFP) - Thousands of protestors gathered near the Saudi embassy here Saturday to protest a live TV spat between Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi at an Arab summit in Egypt.
Several demonstrators were injured in clashes with riot police who prevented the crowd from approaching the embassy compound in the Libyan capital, an AFP correspondent witnessed.
The state JANA news agency also accused Gulf countries of being behind US-led plans to overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
Television viewers across the Arab world were able to see Crown Prince Abdullah, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, cursing Kadhafi at the summit before Egyptian state television pulled the live feed from the conference hall in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
"Who exactly brought you to power?" the Saudi royal asked the Libyan leader, alluding to suggestions that his 1969 overthrow of the British-backed monarchy enjoyed US support.
"You are a liar and your grave awaits you."
The Saudi leader lashed out after Kadhafi roundly criticised the kingdom's support for the United States at an Arab summit dedicated to US-led war threats against Iraq.
The Libyan leader had charged that Saudi Arabia's King Fahd had been ready to "strike an alliance with the devil" to defend the kingdom after Iraq's 1990 invasion of neighbouring Kuwait.
The exchange prompted a brief walkout by the Saudi delegation and a break in television coverage from the summit until Arab League chief Amr Mussa introduced the closing resolutions.
A short time later, JANA accused the Gulf countries of a conspiring with the United States to launch an invasion of Iraq.
"It is the Gulf Arabs who are asking the United States to destroy Iraq because the United States is responsible for their protection," it said.
"The analysis is clear: the United States does not intend to seek an escalation in the Iraqi crisis."
A question that should have been asked of all the participants.
George Washington was right -- his advice not to play the foreign intruguer. Look at the French -- they love that game -- it got them what?
Our national strength is our openess in discussion, action and thought, our justice and freedom (those two must be joined). Use those strengths!
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