The US is paying the cost of supporting the House of Saud as cracks begin to appear

[Jefferson23]

World View: It has helped to restore authoritarian rule in the Middle East, but the costs are becoming clear



President Obama flew to Saudi Arabia to patch up relations with King Abdullah at the end of last week in his first visit in five years. The alliance had been strained by Saudi anger over US negotiations with Iran on its nuclear programme and Obama’s refusal to go to war in Syria to overthrow Bashar al-Assad last year. For its part, the US is upset by Saudi Arabia covertly supporting al-Qa’ida-type movements in Syria and elsewhere.

The US-Saudi relationship is a peculiar one in that it is between a reactionary theocratic monarchy – it is the only place in the world where women are not allowed to drive – and a republic that claims to be the chief exponent of secular democracy. The linkage is so solid that it was scarcely affected by 9/11, though al-Qa’ida and the hijackers had demonstrably close connections to Saudi Arabia.

The Saudis want to persuade the US to make a greater effort to overthrow Assad in Syria. Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz told the Arab League in Kuwait last week that “the legitimate Syrian resistance has been betrayed by the international community and left easy prey to tyrant forces”. This is a bit rich, coming from the potential ruler of a state in which every expression of dissent is being crushed, and the number of political prisoners could be as high as 30,000. Minor criticism of the state on Twitter is enough for Saudis to be called in by the security services.

On 3 February, King Abdullah promulgated a decree that made Saudi jihadis fighting abroad liable to 20 years in prison on their return. The idea is to choke off the supply of Saudi recruits volunteering to fight in Syria, said to number 2,500 at present. Previously, Saudis were able to reach Syria with ease, a sign that the government was turning a blind eye, but now it is saying it will jail them if they come back.

in full: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/the-us-is-paying-the-cost-of-supporting-the-house-of-saud-as-cracks-begin-to-appear-9223659.html

[LuvNewcastle]

1. What a mess.

The Saud regime is disgraceful, and we're involved with them because of oil. I think we should keep our contact with that region to a minimum as we develop our energy resources and develop new ones, as well as find ways to conserve where we can. Anytime we get involved over there it results in loss of life (sometimes massive loss of life) and either nothing is accomplished or the situation is made worse. We shouldn't be giving or selling arms to anyone over there, and we certainly shouldn't send our troops over there.

[Rod Beauvex]

2. I really want to know how much influence they have...

in our government.

[bemildred]

3. I think overthrowing the King would be the easiest approach at this point.

How hard would it be to destabilize Saudi Arabia?

[Rod Beauvex]

4. Hmmm....

Did we try this before?

[bemildred]

5. Possibly. nt

[yurbud]

6. Mecca and Medina make it trickier than other countries.

[yurbud]

7. if DCt ever decides to drop Saudi , they will suddenly remember their involvement in 9/11

Those Saudi pages in the Joint Congressional Inquiry into 9/11 that Bush classified are being saved for a rainy day.

[yurbud]

8. What would be funny is switching policies for Iran and Saudi: the talking points fit Saudi better

support for terrorism

religious fundamentalist dictatorship

development of nukes (via Pakistan)

etc.

[Jefferson23]

10. It's a lousy kept secret..that's for sure. n/t

[Jefferson23]

9. Saudi Prince Bandar To Resume Intelligence Post

* The piece of shit is back.

April 07, 201410:43 AM ET

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan will return to the kingdom within days after spending around two months abroad for surgery and retake his position as intelligence chief, including control of the Syrian dossier, said Saudi security officials late Sunday.

The Saudi officials said that during Prince Bandar's absence, Saudi Interior Minister Mohammed bin Nayef was put in charge of the Syrian file and of the intelligence agency.

The three security officials said the 65 year-old prince was seeking medical attention in the U.S. and resting in Morocco after surgery on his shoulder. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Bandar, who formerly served as Saudi ambassador to the U.S. for 22 years, has had special responsibility for the Levant for years, leading Saudi intelligence and strategic affairs in the region. Some analysts have speculated that Bandar has been the key figure trying to boost Saudi weapons flow to Syrian rebel forces seeking to oust President Bashar Assad's government.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=300240642

[yurbud]

11. this guy has direct links to 9/11 AND made terrorist threats against Great Britain

and Tony Blair took them seriously
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/feb/15/bae.armstrade

[bemildred]

12. He tried to threaten Putin too. This should get weird fast. nt

[yurbud]

14. I saw that but I didn't post it because I couldn't find a link shills wouldn't dispute

[bemildred]

16. I dunno if I consider that a "fact" anyway, but it's certainly an interesting story.

And as well-founded as most of the "news" I read, and consistent with what we know of the man.

But you notice I didn't bother to support it either.

[bemildred]

17. Speaking of the Poodle:

Invading Iraq prevented Syria-like civil war, claims Tony Blair

Iraq would have been engulfed in a civil war like that in Syria if Britain had not invaded it, Tony Blair has claimed.

The Arab Spring – the wave of pro-democracy uprisings – would have spread to Iraq had Saddam Hussein not been toppled by force, triggering a conflict like that in Syria, the former Prime Minister said.

Yesterday saw at least 11 people killed in Iraq, as Iraq prepares for its first elections since US troops withdrew. Six men were kidnapped from their homes and executed near the capital, while a suicide bomber rammed a fuel tanker into a police headquarters in the city of Tikrit.

Last year saw the highest levels of violence in the country since 2007, and around half a million people have died since the 2003 invasion due to war, according to an academic study published last year.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/10749330/Invading-Iraq-prevented-Syria-like-civil-war-claims-Tony-Blair.html

I wonder what he considers the present condition of Iraq to be?

[yurbud]

19. if the civil war happened because we incited it and while we were there, it must not count.

[Jefferson23]

13. Yes, his history is well documented.

The Multiple Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia (5/5)

Madawi Al-Rasheed: Powerful princes control various sections of the state and armed forces and often have their own contradictory agendas

April 8, 14

Transcript:

PAUL JAY, SENIOR EDITOR, TRNN: Welcome back to The Real News Network. I'm Paul Jay.

We're continuing our discussion and analysis of U.S.-Saudi relations. In this segment, we're going to specifically talk about the Saudi royal family, the decentralization of power, and all the various princes in Saudi Arabia that are contending with each other.

Now joining us again is Madawi Al-Rasheed. She's a visiting professor at the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her recent publications include A History of Saudi Arabia and A Most Masculine State.

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=11712

[yurbud]

15. but rarely discussed in MSM or DC apart from relying on him for dirty work.

[Jefferson23]

18. Their bad decisions and the blow back..they don't want to talk about any of that.

They then would be asked, so why not change course? They don't want to do that either...seems
pretty evident anyway.