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Bush Apologises For Press Reports Criticising Saudi Arabia
AP ^

Posted on 11/06/2001 8:51:19 AM PST by RCW2001

'Bush apologises for press reports criticising S. Arabia'

 
   
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.



TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
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1 posted on 11/06/2001 8:51:19 AM PST by RCW2001
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To: RCW2001
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.
2 posted on 11/06/2001 8:55:24 AM PST by dighton
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To: RCW2001
Gee, I'm awful sorry about that. Snicker, snicker....
3 posted on 11/06/2001 9:01:05 AM PST by TheDon
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To: RCW2001
Good post. Too bad some Americans are working against Bush.
4 posted on 11/06/2001 9:14:47 AM PST by Patria One
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To: RCW2001
Why apologise? Stick to the facts! Don't cave in. Stand and deliver. Stop going wobbly.
5 posted on 11/06/2001 9:15:41 AM PST by Gimlet
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To: Gimlet
It's called good cop, bad cop. Bush is playing the good cop telling the saudi's that he wants good relations with saudi arabia, but that congress is very upset and might cut off military and financial aid. Senate and house leaders play bad cop by going on these shows and making threats. In the end, the good cop (bush) will get what he wants out of the Saudi's and the Saudi's will think that they go a good deal.
6 posted on 11/06/2001 9:20:42 AM PST by The Vast Right Wing
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To: RCW2001
Hey George, they are either with us or against us . . . remember?

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.

7 posted on 11/06/2001 9:21:16 AM PST by eFudd
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To: dighton
I may be wrong, but:

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.

8 posted on 11/06/2001 9:21:28 AM PST by SteamshipTime
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To: Gimlet
Your naivete is astounding! You actually put some credit with ths typical AP effort to undermine. Amazing!
9 posted on 11/06/2001 9:29:38 AM PST by MHGinTN
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To: RCW2001
Good grief! Next he'll be submitting Cynthia McKenney's name for Saudi ambassador.
10 posted on 11/06/2001 9:34:49 AM PST by meandog
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To: RCW2001
US Suggests Bush Did Not Apologise To Saudi

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.

11 posted on 11/06/2001 9:43:58 AM PST by veronica
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To: RCW2001
... 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 ...

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.

12 posted on 11/06/2001 9:49:10 AM PST by kayak
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To: RCW2001
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.

Saudi's provided the terrorists, money and the support and we are so sorry for Saudi's hurt feelings. No, no, not I. Saudi have yet to pay the price for their action.
13 posted on 11/06/2001 9:49:16 AM PST by ACE1
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To: RCW2001
Bush is playing good cop. That's fine with me. The media has done a good job on the public-relations obsessed House of Saud. Keep them scared. The Saudis did not fully cooperate with freezing funds and interviewing SAUDI connections. They wouldn't let us use their bases for our airplanes. They've pointed the finger of deflection at the Palestine, then Iraq, then played the "you don't understand Islam" song. They've pointed in every direction but Riyadh. But they're learning. For one, now they are rushing to Pakistan promising money.

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.

14 posted on 11/06/2001 9:59:50 AM PST by Shermy
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To: Patria One
Apparently someone at AP is working against Bush. LOL....
15 posted on 11/06/2001 10:00:32 AM PST by veronica
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To: Shermy
Read my post.

Bush DID NOT apologize.

More Arab spin-o-rama.

16 posted on 11/06/2001 10:01:35 AM PST by veronica
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To: RCW2001
Anything the President wants to tell these jerks to get what we need is fine by me. In the meantime, there should be no misunderstanding by them what the general populace thinks. You are not our friends or allies. You've shown that and we aren't stupid enough to think otherwise. Those of you in this country aren't particullarly welcome any longer. The government has been less enthusiastic about throwing you out than most Americans would like. We need your oil. You need our dollars. That is the extent of our relationship. The sooner we can reduce our need for your oil, the better because we are fed up with you.
17 posted on 11/06/2001 10:28:47 AM PST by paul51
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To: dighton
And when will the 'prince' apologize to the US people given that the vast majority of the 9-11 terrorists were Saudi nationals??? Monarchies: Friggin' in-bred relics of the middle ages.
18 posted on 11/06/2001 11:03:29 AM PST by LA-Lawyer
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To: paul51
Anything the President wants to tell these jerks to get what we need is fine by me.

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.

19 posted on 11/06/2001 11:10:22 AM PST by ikanakattara
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To: ikanakattara
And they lie, too. As you see from my post, the WH denies Bush apologized.
20 posted on 11/06/2001 1:29:02 PM PST by veronica
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