Long time Allies deserting? I suppose the question of the exponential rise of murder and killing, including the murder and killing of women and children since the "liberation" and "occupation", does occasionally arise. The oil fields are pretty safe though.NYT March 28, 2007
Saudi King Condemns U.S. Occupation of Iraq
By HASSAN M. FATTAH
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia told Arab leaders on Wednesday that the American occupation of Iraq is “illegal,” and he warned that unless Arab governments settle their differences, foreign powers like the United States would continue to dictate the region’s politics.
The king’s speech, at the opening of the Arab League summit meeting here, underscored growing differences between Saudi Arabia and the Bush administration as the Saudis take on a greater regional leadership role, partly at American urging. The Saudis seem to be emphasizing that they will not be beholden to the policies of their longtime ally.
The Saudis brokered a deal between the two main Palestinian factions last month but one that both Israel and the United States found deeply problematic because it added to the power of the radical group Hamas rather than to the more moderate Fatah. On Wednesday, the king called for an end to the international boycott of the new Palestinian government. The United States and Israel want the boycott continued.
In addition, King Abdullah invited President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran to Riyadh earlier this month while the Americans want him shunned. And in trying to settle the tensions in Lebanon, the Saudis seem willing to negotiate with Iran.
Last week, the Saudi king abruptly canceled his appearance at an April White House dinner planned in his honor, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday. The official reason given for the cancellation was a scheduling conflict.
Mustapha Hamarneh, director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan, said the Saudis are sending Washington a message. “They are telling the U.S. they need to listen to their allies rather than imposing decisions on them and always taking Israel’s side.”
In his speech on Wednesday, the king said: “In the beloved Iraq, the bloodshed is continuing under an illegal foreign occupation and detestable sectarianism. The blame should fall on us, the leaders of the Arab nation, with our ongoing differences, our refusal to walk the path of unity. All that has made the nation lose its confidence in us.”
King Abdullah has not publicly spoken so harshly about the American-led Iraq war before and his remarks suggested that his alliance with Washington may be less strong that Bush officials have been hoping.
Since last summer, the Bush administration has asserted that a realignment is occurring in the Middle East, one that groups Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon along with Israel against Iran, Syria and the militiant groups that they back, Hezbollah of Lebanon and Hamas of the Palestinians.
The administration has urged Saudi Arabia to take a leading role in that realignment, but it is finding itself disappointed by the results.
Some here said the king’s speech was in fact a response to comments made by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday calling on Arab governments to “begin reaching out to Israel.”
Many read Ms. Rice’s comments as suggesting that the Bush administration is backing away from its support for an Arab initiative aimed at solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel wants the Arabs to make changes in the initiative, most notably in their call for a right of return for Palestinian refugees to what is today Israel. The Arab League is endorsing the peace initiative, first introduced by Saudi Arabia in 2002, without changes.
The plan calls on Israel to withdraw from all land it won in the 1967 war in exchange for full diplomatic relations with the Arab world. It also calls for a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Regarding the Palestinians, the king said on Wednesday, "It has become necessary to end the unjust blockade imposed on the Palestinian people as soon as possible so that the peace process can move in an atmosphere far from oppression and force."
With regard to Iraq, the Saudis seem also to be paying attention to internal American politics. The Senate on Tuesday signaled support for legislation calling for a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq in exchange for further money for the war.
Last November, Saudi officials here realized that a Democratic upset could spell major changes for the region: a possible pullout from Iraq, fueling further instability and more important, allowing Iran to extend its influence in the region.
“I don’t think that the Saudi government has decided to distance itself from Bush just yet,” said Adel al-Toraifi, a columnist with close ties to the Saudi royal family. “But I also think that the Saudis have seen that the ball is moving into the court of the Democrats and they want to extend their hand to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.”
Turki al-Rasheed, who runs a organization that promotes democracy in Saudi Arabia, said the king was “saying we may be moving on the same track, but our ends are different.”
“Bush wants to make it look like he is solving the problem, the king wants to actually solve the problems,” Mr. Rasheed said.
King Abdullah made clear that he looked forward to the day when American troops are gone because Arabs take care of their own problems: : “If confidence is restored, it will be accompanied by credibility, and if credibility is restored, then the winds of hope will blow and then we will never allow outside forces to define our future nor allow banners to be raised in Arab lands other than those of Arabism, brothers.”
The Saudis sought to enforce discipline on the two-day summit meeting, reminding Arab leaders and dignitaries to stay on message and leave here with some kind of solution in hand.
“The weight of the Saudis has ensured that this will be a problem-free summit,” said Ayman Safadi, editor in chief of the Jordanian daily Al Ghad. “Nobody is going to veer from the message and go against the Saudis. But that doesn’t mean the problems themselves will be solved.”
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations gave a stark assessment of the state of the Middle East in an address to the summit meeting, speaking in unsparing language that the region was “more complex, more fragile and more dangerous than it has been for a very long time.”
In Iraq, he said, “there is a shocking” daily loss of life, and Somalia is in the grip of “banditry, violence and clan rivalries.”
Iran, which was sanctioned by the Security Council for the second time last Saturday, is “forging ahead with its nuclear program heedless of regional and international concerns.”
Having spent Monday and Tuesday in Jerusalem and the West Bank, Mr. Ban urged the new Palestinian unity government to demonstrate a “true commitment to peace.”
In return, he said, Israel must cease its settlement activity and stop building the separation barrier.
He concluded, “Instability in the Arab League states is of profound significance to international peace and security.”
Reporting was contributed by Nada Bakri from Beirut, Lebanon; Rasheed Abou Alsamh from Jidda, Saudi Arabia, and Warren Hoge from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi King Condemns U.S. Occupation of Iraq
By HASSAN M. FATTAH
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia told Arab leaders on Wednesday that the American occupation of Iraq is “illegal,” and he warned that unless Arab governments settle their differences, foreign powers like the United States would continue to dictate the region’s politics.The king’s speech, at the opening of the Arab League summit meeting here, underscored growing differences between Saudi Arabia and the Bush administration as the Saudis take on a greater regional leadership role, partly at American urging. The Saudis seem to be emphasizing that they will not be beholden to the policies of their longtime ally.
The Saudis brokered a deal between the two main Palestinian factions last month but one that both Israel and the United States found deeply problematic because it added to the power of the radical group Hamas rather than to the more moderate Fatah. On Wednesday, the king called for an end to the international boycott of the new Palestinian government. The United States and Israel want the boycott continued.
In addition, King Abdullah invited President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran to Riyadh earlier this month while the Americans want him shunned. And in trying to settle the tensions in Lebanon, the Saudis seem willing to negotiate with Iran.
Last week, the Saudi king abruptly canceled his appearance at an April White House dinner planned in his honor, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday. The official reason given for the cancellation was a scheduling conflict.
Mustapha Hamarneh, director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan, said the Saudis are sending Washington a message. “They are telling the U.S. they need to listen to their allies rather than imposing decisions on them and always taking Israel’s side.”
In his speech on Wednesday, the king said: “In the beloved Iraq, the bloodshed is continuing under an illegal foreign occupation and detestable sectarianism. The blame should fall on us, the leaders of the Arab nation, with our ongoing differences, our refusal to walk the path of unity. All that has made the nation lose its confidence in us.”
King Abdullah has not publicly spoken so harshly about the American-led Iraq war before and his remarks suggested that his alliance with Washington may be less strong that Bush officials have been hoping.
Since last summer, the Bush administration has asserted that a realignment is occurring in the Middle East, one that groups Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon along with Israel against Iran, Syria and the militiant groups that they back, Hezbollah of Lebanon and Hamas of the Palestinians.
The administration has urged Saudi Arabia to take a leading role in that realignment, but it is finding itself disappointed by the results.
Some here said the king’s speech was in fact a response to comments made by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday calling on Arab governments to “begin reaching out to Israel.”
Many read Ms. Rice’s comments as suggesting that the Bush administration is backing away from its support for an Arab initiative aimed at solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel wants the Arabs to make changes in the initiative, most notably in their call for a right of return for Palestinian refugees to what is today Israel. The Arab League is endorsing the peace initiative, first introduced by Saudi Arabia in 2002, without changes.
The plan calls on Israel to withdraw from all land it won in the 1967 war in exchange for full diplomatic relations with the Arab world. It also calls for a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Regarding the Palestinians, the king said on Wednesday, "It has become necessary to end the unjust blockade imposed on the Palestinian people as soon as possible so that the peace process can move in an atmosphere far from oppression and force."
With regard to Iraq, the Saudis seem also to be paying attention to internal American politics. The Senate on Tuesday signaled support for legislation calling for a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq in exchange for further money for the war.
Last November, Saudi officials here realized that a Democratic upset could spell major changes for the region: a possible pullout from Iraq, fueling further instability and more important, allowing Iran to extend its influence in the region.
“I don’t think that the Saudi government has decided to distance itself from Bush just yet,” said Adel al-Toraifi, a columnist with close ties to the Saudi royal family. “But I also think that the Saudis have seen that the ball is moving into the court of the Democrats and they want to extend their hand to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.”
Turki al-Rasheed, who runs a organization that promotes democracy in Saudi Arabia, said the king was “saying we may be moving on the same track, but our ends are different.”
“Bush wants to make it look like he is solving the problem, the king wants to actually solve the problems,” Mr. Rasheed said.
King Abdullah made clear that he looked forward to the day when American troops are gone because Arabs take care of their own problems: : “If confidence is restored, it will be accompanied by credibility, and if credibility is restored, then the winds of hope will blow and then we will never allow outside forces to define our future nor allow banners to be raised in Arab lands other than those of Arabism, brothers.”
The Saudis sought to enforce discipline on the two-day summit meeting, reminding Arab leaders and dignitaries to stay on message and leave here with some kind of solution in hand.
“The weight of the Saudis has ensured that this will be a problem-free summit,” said Ayman Safadi, editor in chief of the Jordanian daily Al Ghad. “Nobody is going to veer from the message and go against the Saudis. But that doesn’t mean the problems themselves will be solved.”
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations gave a stark assessment of the state of the Middle East in an address to the summit meeting, speaking in unsparing language that the region was “more complex, more fragile and more dangerous than it has been for a very long time.”
In Iraq, he said, “there is a shocking” daily loss of life, and Somalia is in the grip of “banditry, violence and clan rivalries.”
Iran, which was sanctioned by the Security Council for the second time last Saturday, is “forging ahead with its nuclear program heedless of regional and international concerns.”
Having spent Monday and Tuesday in Jerusalem and the West Bank, Mr. Ban urged the new Palestinian unity government to demonstrate a “true commitment to peace.”
In return, he said, Israel must cease its settlement activity and stop building the separation barrier.
He concluded, “Instability in the Arab League states is of profound significance to international peace and security.”
Reporting was contributed by Nada Bakri from Beirut, Lebanon; Rasheed Abou Alsamh from Jidda, Saudi Arabia, and Warren Hoge from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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