Posted on 11/06/2001 8:51:19 AM PST by RCW2001
'Bush apologises for press reports criticising S. Arabia' |
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| RIYADH (AP) — US President George W. Bush has apologised to Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah for US press reports that Washington was dissatisfied with Saudi cooperation in the “war on terrorism,” Saudi newspapers reported Monday. The newspapers were quoting comments Abdullah made Sunday evening to a meeting of Saudi education officials. Abdullah, who has managed the daily affairs of the kingdom since his half brother King Fahd suffered a stroke in 1995, said that Bush called him and the first thing he said was that he was sorry. “I said `For what Mr President?' He replied, `For what is carried by the newspapers which are trying to drive a wedge between the kingdom and America,” the English-language Arab News reported. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer had announced Oct. 25 that Bush had spoken with Abdullah and told him news articles citing differences between the United States and Saudi Arabia were “simply incorrect.” Fleischer also said Bush was satisfied with the country's support in the US “war against terrorism,” though administration officials have privately expressed frustration with the Saudis. Abdullah said he told Bush that US newspapers attributed criticism to administration officials. Bush replied, “This I know. I am now looking for them and when I find them things will be straightened out,” Abdullah said. Abdullah said in his comments to the educators that he was providing details of the conversation to “inform you about what happened between your government and the American administration, so that you are aware that your government is alert to the situation,” the newspaper quoted him as saying. With ordinary Saudis expressing admiration for terror suspect Osama Ben Laden and suspicion of US motives, Saudi Arabia has been a reluctant partner in the US-led war on Afghanistan. The kingdom has made no arrests related to the Sept. 11 attack, though at least half the suicide hijackers are believed to be Saudi. As well, Saudi Arabia has refused to allow strikes on Afghanistan, Ben Laden's haven, to be launched from a US base located in the kingdom. |
Unless they freeze the accounts and/or arrest those connected to terrorists, then the Saudis are against us. In that case they sould go on the list somewhere after Iraq.
If we want bin Laden dead or alive, why don't we go in and get him? And if we're now concerned not so much with bin Laden as with the Taliban, why don't we bomb them to hell instead of waiting on the fickle Northern Alliance? If 19 Saudis, Egyptians, and Yemenis can kill 5000 Americans in under 2 hours, why can't we eliminate a couple hundred old men in two months?
I think the Sauds and other "moderate" Arab nations have told Bush they cannot support any armed occupation of Afghanistan or anything other than strictly circumscribed photo-op bombings of mountainsides and quonset huts. I think our Middle East "allies" are playing Bush like a fiddle and our amiable chief executive hasn't a clue.
Like I say, I could be wrong.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - "The White House suggested on Tuesday that President Bush did not apologize to Saudi Arabia for U.S. media reports implying the Saudi government was not fully cooperating in the war on terrorism. The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, the kingdom's effective ruler given the frail health of King Fahd, said in a speech that Bush began a recent conversation with him saying ``he was sorry'' for the reports.
While careful not to contradict Abdullah, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said he had faithfully reported on the Oct. 25 conversation at the time when he said Bush thanked Saudi Arabia for its efforts, and the president said ``press articles citing differences between the United States and Saudi Arabia are simply incorrect.''
Etc.
If you read the story carefully, including the headline, you will see that President Bush is not apologizing for anything he has said or done ..... he is really slamming the media, in a very polite way, for their campaign of disinformation.
IMHO, Rudy G. has much to do with this. Then the follow-up in the papers "reexamining" Saudi Arabia and our relationship with it. Not quite the kind of "reexamination" the House of Saud wanted. They got a taste of the failure of their public relations--and it's about time. The "reexamination" idea cuts both ways.
Bush DID NOT apologize.
More Arab spin-o-rama.
Absolutely. My understanding is that lying to "infidels" is par for the course in the Muslim world. You only have to tell the truth to those who are "owed" the truth, and that ain't us. So Bush can say whatever he likes to the Saudis, and I for one am not going to stop criticizing the woman-hating, woman-beating, enslaving, pedophiliac Saudis.
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