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Saudi Instability Bigger Worry Than Iraq
freeinternetpress.com ^ | Monday June 07, 04

Posted on 06/07/2004 10:13:52 PM PDT by F14 Pilot

Former U.S counterterrorism adviser Richard Clarke said Monday that instability in Saudi Arabia deserves special attention and warned of a repeat of the situation in Iran following the fall of the U.S.-backed shah.

"The problem of the Saudi regime is an extremely important problem that we should have paid more attention to -- rather than, for example, to Iraq," Clarke said in Madrid, where he was presenting the Spanish version of his top-selling book "Against All Enemies." Read more.

"The threat to the political and economic world posed by Saudi instability I think is greater than the threat that was posed by Iraq," said Clarke.

"I'm not alone in this," he added. "I think Vice President (Dick) Cheney, although he's never said it publicly, is very concerned that the house of Saud could fall," the Associated Press reports.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: america; attention; cia; clarke; gayclarke; iran; iraq; middleeast; oil; saudi; saudiarabia; security; shah; terrorism; us

1 posted on 06/07/2004 10:13:52 PM PDT by F14 Pilot
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To: F14 Pilot

Talk about a mixed blessing. Watching the house of Saud fall while the rest of the Middle East destabilizes. Kinda like watching your mother-in-law drive off a cliff in your new Ferrarri! Yikees!


2 posted on 06/07/2004 10:22:58 PM PDT by Buffettbassman (Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!)
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To: F14 Pilot

Considering Clarke's trackrecord, I find it hard to believe anything this man says.


3 posted on 06/07/2004 10:26:42 PM PDT by tonyinv (http://www.proudbushie.com)
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To: F14 Pilot

I believe this is one of the major reasons we took Iraq. I've read that 80% of the country wants the monarchy gone - and it is only being propped up by the U.S. This is one of the reasons Osama has declared war against us.

Once it goes, we will definitely need a major presence in the Middle East to counter balance the radical Islamists who would love to use oil as an economic weapon against us.

I believe it will happen soon, and we will be thankful we will be on their doorstep keeping a close eye on them...


4 posted on 06/07/2004 10:27:41 PM PDT by M. Peach (eschew obfuscation)
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To: F14 Pilot

The Sauds will waste no time using F16's on it's population.


5 posted on 06/07/2004 10:34:43 PM PDT by John Lenin (Don't worry about the horse being blind, just load up the wagon)
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To: F14 Pilot
"The problem of the Saudi regime is an extremely important problem that we should have paid more attention to -- rather than, for example, to Iraq," Clarke said in Madrid, where he was presenting the Spanish version of his top-selling book "Against All Enemies." Read more.

Gee, Madrid huh?

Surprise, surprise.

6 posted on 06/07/2004 10:36:50 PM PDT by EGPWS
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To: F14 Pilot
"I'm not alone in this," he added. "I think Vice President (Dick) Cheney, although he's never said it publicly, is very concerned that the house of Saud could fall," the Associated Press reports.

Well if that isn't the most chicken_hit statement. First, speak for yourself and don't hide behind Cheney. Second, let Cheney speak for himself. Ugh...I hate when people do this.

7 posted on 06/07/2004 10:43:24 PM PDT by Troublemaker
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To: F14 Pilot

Uh....the problems in SA developed under your watch Mr. Clarke. It didn't just pop up overnight.


8 posted on 06/07/2004 10:54:36 PM PDT by McGavin999 (If Kerry can't deal with the "Republican Attack Machine" how is he going to deal with Al Qaeda)
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To: M. Peach

Funny, the fundies are gaining traction in SA and Egypt just as Iraq is gaining it's freedom and Iran is just moments away from taking their freedom back from the mad mullahs.


9 posted on 06/07/2004 10:57:46 PM PDT by McGavin999 (If Kerry can't deal with the "Republican Attack Machine" how is he going to deal with Al Qaeda)
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To: F14 Pilot
"The problem of the Saudi regime is an extremely important problem that we should have paid more attention to -- rather than, for example, to Iraq," Clarke said in Madrid, where he was presenting the Spanish version of his top-selling book "Against All Enemies." Read more. "The threat to the political and economic world posed by Saudi instability I think is greater than the threat that was posed by Iraq," said Clarke.

Translation: Things are improving in Iraq. We gotta find some other point for criticizing the Bush Admin.

10 posted on 06/08/2004 6:54:56 AM PDT by dirtboy (John Kerry - Hillary without the fat ankles and the FBI files...)
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To: F14 Pilot
Iraq isn't having an uprising. The left bet a substantial portion of the farm on failure there, and now it is clear that is simply not in prospect. Hysteria can pretend victory is defeat only so long. They are going to have to "move on" at some point. Here is one trial balloon.
11 posted on 06/08/2004 7:44:50 AM PDT by JasonC
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To: dirtboy

Exactly.


12 posted on 06/08/2004 7:45:10 AM PDT by JasonC
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To: dirtboy; JasonC
AGREED
13 posted on 06/08/2004 7:47:44 AM PDT by F14 Pilot (John ''Fedayeen" sKerry - the Mullahs' regime candidate)
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To: tonyinv
Considering Clarke's trackrecord, I find it hard to believe anything this man says.

Well, believe this part. Even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day. The House of Saud is a house of cards propped up by the US State Department and the American defense industry, which makes big bucks selling them second-string toys. (They're always irritated that they don't get stuff as good as the Israelis.)

The Saudi "royals" (what a joke - as if one Bedouin tribe over another is "royal") have leeched off their people for decades. They fund the hideous "religious police" while they go off and party in Monte Carlo, Switzerland, or Manhattan. If they get their throats cut by the wahhabi radicals they've nursed like adders in their bosoms for years, it will be a classic case of poetic justice.

14 posted on 06/08/2004 9:38:53 AM PDT by valkyrieanne
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