Posted on 01/18/2002 5:13:23 PM PST by StopDemocratsDotCom
Two reasons were given by the "Saudi rulers" for the decision:
The American presence has become a political liability in domestic politics and in the Arab world, Saudi officials say. The Saudi government has also become increasingly uncomfortable with a role in U.S. efforts to contain Saddam Hussein, and earlier ruled out use of Saudi territory as a base for bombing raids on Iraq. As for the first reason, are the Saudis allying with Osama in the belief that a US presence in Saudi Arabia is a stain on Islam? They have never worried about public opinion in their own or other Arab countries before; it's why they have always been so tightly controlled. More likely, the US presence causes a split within the princes themselves, not the public, and this is causing some discomfort, especially among the younger, more radical set who are in the minority among their kin.
As for the second reason, any defense minister worth his salt in Saudi Arabia would recognize that a strengthened and emboldened Saddam will someday pose a threat to the survival of the monarchy. The notion that Saddam is no longer a threat reveals either a dangerous naivete or a desire to join Saddam in a jihad against the west. I'd be surprised if the upper echelons of Saudi government have gotten to this point yet.
For this reason, it's my totally speculative guess that this whole story came from mid-level people within Saudi who have a few friends of friends of friends who have heard that some of the princes are more radical than others, and hope to sway policy at some point in the future. Wake me when someone high up in Saudi government announces that we are no longer welcome.
Good Lord no! Let all the Saudi boys and girls do that! And the Iraqi boys and girls....and the Syrian boys and girls...and the Palestinian boys and girls....and....
Yeah, in A.D. 2035 and at $20.35 per quart!!! Get real, puleaze!!!
My grandchildren still believe in Santa Claus and the tooth fairies, yet far too many, maybe even including our fearless El Presidente, are CA dreamin a little too much!
The enviro-whackos, here in CA, supported by ENRON(END RUN) still believe we can run everything on Natual Gas even while there aren't anywhere near enough pipelines or capacity to get it here.
It is so hard for me to understand how even normally good conservative folks can be swept up in such un-economically feasible Bull Roar!!! It's exasperating!!! DO THE MATH!!!
The old king better wake up, I know he's pretty ill, but if he doesn't wake up he's going to find himself either dead or an ex-king.
Carter abandoned the Shah of Iran. The House of Saud can't possibly be so stupid as to volunteer for the same outcome. If the U.S. left, the first thing Saddam would do is take out the Islamic religious leaders because they would be his biggest threat.
Dear Saudi's, we have turned our answering machines on and will be out of town for quite some time. When Saddam stomps you into oblivion and takes posession of your castles only to turn them over to his ignorant relatives who will crap on the furniture, don't call.
Oh, that's right... Their own women and children.
Hehehe good one, Saber!
Same here. They're good for nothing, but surely not THAT stupid.
Feb 1: Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister Prince Nayef has said he expects to sign a security pact with Iran this month.Prince Nayef told the official Saudi Press Agency late on Wednesday that the pact should be signed before Haj.
"It is supposed to be signed before Haj and the signing will be in Tehran. I am waiting for our Iranian brothers to set a date," he said.
Saudi Arabia says the pact aims at fighting crime, terrorism and drug trafficking and should not be seen as a regional defence pact.
Iran opposes the deployment of US and Western forces in the region and is keen to sign defence pacts with its Arab neighbours. But Gulf Arab states, which look to the West for military support, have declined Iran's offer.
Saudi Arabia has moved faster than some other Gulf Arab states in improving ties with Iran after years of mutual suspicion that followed the 1979 revolution.-Reuters
Has anyone considered whether or not the Saudis and Iranians came to some sort of agreement regarding Iraq?
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