Saudi royals face extremist threat (al Qaeda coming home)

BBC ^ | November 9th, 2003 | Paul Wood

[Sabertooth]

By Paul Wood BBC Middle East correspondent

Dozens were killed in May's suicide bombings

Saturday night's suicide bombing is only the latest sign of the increasingly open struggle between the Saudi authorities and Islamic militants.

Just six months ago the Saudi authorities liked to maintain there was no al-Qaeda activity whatsoever within the kingdom.

Then came two devastating suicide bombings in May killing 35 people.

That marked the beginning of a campaign by the Saudi authorities with a string of raids leading to the seizure of weapons, around 600 arrests and in some cases gun battles between police and militants.

As well as getting rid of Westerners from Saudi soil the militants want to get rid of the royal family themselves - seen by the militants as the corrupt puppets of the United States.

'Winning the battle'

So one unexpected consequence of the militant threat has been to push the Saudi royal family into a modest degree of political reform.

They are promising local elections next year as a means of shoring up their support among the majority of Saudis.

The royal family insist they are winning the battle against al-Qaeda and its allies saying that some militants are even being turned in by their own families.

The immediate concern for the 35,000 American and 30,000 expatriate workers is whether the Saudi authorities can guarantee their security.

The wider concern for Britain and the US is whether the pro-western Saudi royals can maintain the allegiance of most of their subjects or if support will drain away to the Jihadists who want to topple the royal family and wage war on the west.

[Sabertooth]

[Guillermo]

So, who does the BC support?

[DUMBGRUNT]

“Still, if you will not fight for your rights when you can easily win without bloodshed, if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not so costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no chance of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.” ~ Sir Winston Churchill.

[Go Gordon]

Thats right Saudi, keep the Wahabbi's churning out little Al Quaeda wannabees and then be surprised when they act out.

BTW, Saudi Arabians, if you want to see the American Street celebrations when then heard about your citizens being blown to smitherines in the middle of the night, during your religious holiday, CLICK HERE

Thats right, there's nothing there. Americans are a civilized caring people. Take note, get off your butts, and take care of the vermin you helped create.

[LibKill]

"When you eat with the devil, bring a LONG spoon."

[stripes1776]

Saturday night's suicide bombing is only the latest sign of the increasingly open struggle between the Saudi authorities and Islamic militants.

What the article does not state explicitly is that this is a sign of the present successes of the war on Muslim terrorism. As al Qeada's bases of operation outside Saudi Arabia are destroyed, they have no place to operate except at home.

Muslim terrorism is now something that Muslim's themselves are not immune to. Thoughtful Muslims will now have to reappraise their passsive support of al Quaeda. But perhaps thoughtful Muslim is an oxymoron.