Posted on 04/30/2003 8:53:18 AM PDT by kattracks
Saudis welcome U.S. pullout but fear for future
By Andrew Hammond
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Many Saudis Wednesday welcomed a U.S. decision to pull troops out of the birthplace of Islam, but also said they were afraid it would affect an internal debate over reform in the strict Sunni kingdom.
"Let them go home. The Americans prove every day that they are selfish and ruled by delusions of power," said Nasser al-Hamdan, a Riyadh trader.
The U.S. troop presence has long irked many Saudis, already angry with Washington over its perceived bias toward Israel. The United States used Saudi Arabia as a launch pad for the 1991 Gulf War to oust Iraqi troops from Kuwait and later as a base to police a "no-fly" zone over southern Iraq.
It was among the first grievances aired by Saudi-born Islamic militant Osama bin Laden to justify attacks against the United States. Washington blames bin Laden for the attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in September 2001, in which 15 of the 19 suicide hijackers were Saudi nationals.
"This is a way for the Americans and Saudi Arabia to part on good terms and it's in everyone's interest for the time being," said Mohammed al-Khereijy, a journalist from Jeddah.
"But I'm worried that instead of thinking about the economy and education, people might cling to another issue that will suck the energy out of any possible progression."
Sahl Kurdi, another Jeddah resident, had similar concerns.
"I was concerned about what it could mean for our relationship with the States," he said.
"Does it mean things will still be dandy or are things going down? I'd rather have a good relationship than bad."
ALLIANCE FRAYS
Analysts say the move, announced Tuesday, illustrated how much one of the Middle East's oldest alliances had frayed since the Sept. 11 attacks.
It also came amid a great debate in the oil-rich kingdom, ruled by the Saudi royal family in alliance with a hard-line Sunni religious establishment, over political and social reform. The clerics are suspicious of the reform talk, which some in the ruling family support.
"I'm happy they're going but the fundamentalists will exploit their absence to grow in strength and control the people and their freedom," said Nasser Mubarak Sinan, 45.
In January, public figures gave Crown Prince Abdullah a reform petition calling for an elected parliament, women's rights and equality between different groups in the kingdom, dominated by Bedouin tribes from the central Riyadh area.
"Foreign forces in a weak but rich country like Saudi Arabia are necessary," said Ahmed Qahtani, 38. "Their leaving is a loss for Saudi Arabia."
Shaheed Quraish, a Shi'ite from al-Qatif on the east coast, said the kingdom needed a functioning army of its own as part of a wider process of modernization which would include participation of marginalized groups.
"Having the Americans here causes a lot of trouble, because our soldiers end up just relying on them. The Saudi (royal family) would rather pay the Americans to protect them," he said, adding it was a mystery to many citizens why the country had no serious army of its own.
"They don't want to lose Saudi lives, or they cannot depend on Saudi soldiers? It doesn't make sense," he said. "Sometimes they say that they simply depend on God."
(Additional reporting by Fahd Frayyan)
04/30/03 11:39 ET
Que?
If it weren't for American power you would be speaking Iraqi, you sorry ingrate.
Fortunately he's not around to savor the moment.
I guess Reuters thinks the jury is still out on that one.
We told them when we went in that our purpose was to protect the Iraqi people and the Saudis from Saddam, he's gone, we can leave. Too bad they misinterpreted our reason for being there but that's their problem not ours.
I watched Rumsfeld's "town hall" meeting with our guys in Iraq and he said we would be reassessing our footprint all over the world. Looks like troops will be leaving a lot of places in the near future. All the better for us.
Selfish? Does this moron have any idea how much it cost the US taxpayer to protect his butt?
They haven't figured out that they've created their own future?
Pompous asses.
He wants Mecca and Medina. He wants the control of the Two Holy Mosques that is now in the hands of the Saud family.
There might be some, but most are not.
Ain't no delusion, cupcake.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.