Kristol: Our Saudi Friends

The Weekly Standard ^ | 04/25/2002 | William Kristol

[Pokey78]

Crown Prince Abdullah is coming to America with threats and bluster. Is Saudi Arabia with us or the terrorists?

ON THE EVE of his meeting with President Bush today, Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia warned of "a strategic debacle" that could result in the Saudis employing "the oil weapon" against the United States and demanding that U.S. forces leave their bases in the Kingdom. Although the ostensible cause for these threats is the Bush administration's support for Israel's actions against Palestinian terrorists, the Saudi ruling family clearly has been unnerved by the president's commitment to win the larger war on terrorism in the region.

The crown prince has serious questions to answer about where he and the rest of the House of Saud stand in this war. The repressive Wahhabi strain of Islam is the Saudi state religion and has been the prime source for spreading Muslim irredentist thought throughout the region; it is no surprise that 15 of the 19 September 11 terrorists were Saudi citizens. In his State of the Union address, President Bush said that an integral part of the war on terrorism is to bring democratic principles to the Islamic world. This cannot but be a threat to the Saudi regime. That is why a source close to Crown Prince Abdullah has made it clear to the New York Times that the Saudi princes wouldn't hesitate to stand against the United States in a crisis: "And if that means we move to the right of [Osama] bin Laden, so be it; to the left of [Libyan leader Moammar] Qaddafi, so be it; or fly to Baghdad and embrace Saddam like a brother, so be it." The Crown Prince makes it clear: to preserve itself, the Saudi regime is prepared to join the Axis of Evil.

In protecting its interests in the Persian Gulf, the United States has always hoped for a regional partner: first Iran, then Iraq, then the Saudis; in their turn, each of these has proven itself incapable of the job. Fortunately, the Saudis probably overestimate the threat they pose to the president's policy. Denying the U.S. access to Saudi bases will make the war against Iraq harder, but will not stop it. Further, removing Saddam Hussein's regime from power in Baghdad will reduce the Saudis' leverage even more--returning Iraqi oil fully to market can only reduce the Saudis' ability to set oil prices, and will make the U.S. bases there superfluous.

That the crown prince should come to Crawford brandishing these threats--attempting to veto an attack on Saddam and hamstring American and world economic recovery--suggests that the current Saudi regime is part of the problem, not part of the solution.

[Pokey78]

Billy Boy has diarrhea of the mouth again.

[Ancesthntr]

Is Saudi Arabia with us or the terrorists?

Neither. They are the terrorists.

[Dog]

Jane your take on this????

[Miss Marple]

Now my assumption that the "source close to the Saudis and familiar with how they think" (in the New York Times) was Bill Kristol doesn't look so silly, does it?

I am getting pretty wise to his machinations.

[onedoug]

Utilize the base to seize their oil, destroy the House of Saud, driving this "royalty" into crippling, abject poverty. Free their country. Liberate their women. Field candidates. Insure elections.

Dammit, this should really be the end....

[CasearianDaoist]

And seize their assests abroad.

[Miss Marple]

Always remember, Kristol doesn't have the best interests of the Bush administration in mind. He ALWAYS promotes the most belligerent (if emotionally satisfying) option, usually one that would be destructive to the Republican party, even if it damages the nation. I thought his fingerprints were all over that NYT article this morning, and I believe I am right.

Kristol would love for the relationship with the Saudis to collapse. He could then rail about how terible Bush's foreign policy is.

My best advice is to ignore Kristol.

[mercy]

Points to Mr. Kristol. He needs them. Somebody ought to tell that bloated malefluence of a 'prince' that he really does not want to push George too far. There are several million conservative Americans who think Saudi Arabia IS THE problem. Personally I think we should invade the shit hole and confiscate two thirds of their oil as war reparations. They owe us at least three trillion dollars for the damage done by their son OBL and his fifteen hijacker followers.

Jump their asses George. Millions of Americans will love you for it.

[chukcha]

I have a simple question -- should not Saudis pay for damages caused by terrorist attacks on 9/11? If not them, then who else?

[ex-snook]

Kristol never met an Israel cause that did not turn him on, American interests notwithstanding.

[onedoug]

What "American interests" would have us endorsing this islamist death-cult?

[lormand]

"My best advice is to ignore Kristol."

However, a broken clock is correct twice a day.

[motorhead]

Can 1000 corrupt cousins possibly right? The 1000 cousins make Hitler look positively enlightened.

[Grampa Dave]

Kristol is a broken cheap electric digital watch. They are never right! He is never right! He is a rat/mole who constantly tries to get Republicans in office to do stupid things to lose elections. Remember all of his great wisdom on the war in Afghanistan before and after it started. When it was obvious that he was wrong for months, he sent a letter to GW congratulating him for doing the right thing while claiming credit for what was done. He is a petty little POS rat/mole!

[arthurus]

In the East, especially in the fevered diplomacy and accompanying preparations for war, nothing is as it seems. How do we know Abdulla isn't blustering and threatening on the outside and with coordination with W and at the ranch saying hey what must I do to survive? Wars are more cheaply won by show and misdirection than by just marching your army up to the city wall.

[GuillermoX]

Now you can't possibly think that the Saudis are our friends?

Our eventual goal should be to destabilize the House of Saud.

[Miss Marple]

No, I don't think the Saudis are our friends, other than the interest they have in getting our money for their oil. I doubt that Bush and his people think any differently.

Kristol's agitation and sniping are not helpful to the situation, however. He is attempting to divide the Republican base and bring disaster to the Bush administration. That is his sole goal in life.

De-stabilizing the Saudi regime would not be in America's interest at this time. The most likely successor to the House of Saud would be an Islamic fanatic regime, and this would not be a good thing. We need less of those types of governments in the world, not more.

[lormand]

"He is a petty little POS rat/mole!"

You are going too easy on him Gramps! :)

POS....I like that acronym

[rmlew]

I thought his fingerprints were all over that NYT article this morning, and I believe I am right.

There are medications to cure this type of delusion.
Is the fact that the NY Times is against Kristol's policies are some kind of cover for the machinations, or were you just wrong?

Is it possible that he Saudi's released teh story to get the American intelligensia to pressure Bush to cave? I think that is more likely than your conspiracy.