Saudis: No airspace, bases for Iraq strike

CNN ^ | 11/3/02

[Mr. Mojo]

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (CNN) --Saudi Arabia's foreign minister pledged his country's allegiance with the United States in its fight against the al Qaeda terrorist group, but said Saudi Arabia would not allow its bases and airspace to be used in any U.S.-led military strike against Iraq.

[Mike Darancette]

What will Saudi Arabia do if a flood of Iraqui refugees and defeated Iraqui Army troops stream into their country?

[blam]

"What will Saudi Arabia do if a flood of Iraqui refugees and defeated Iraqui Army troops stream into their country?"

They won't, they'll go to Iran.

[Voltage]

Too bad Iraq didn't invade Saudi Arabia. Then we could have made a deal..we would drive them out in exchange for 20 years of oil. Good deal!

[txhurl]

Where's that list again of petroleum companies who do not utilize SA oil?

[joesnuffy]

Not too worry...Rueters and Zogby and the paid for news whores will spin this the Saudi way..

[Mike Darancette]

They won't, they'll go to Iran.

Iran wouldn't have them, and since the US attack will be from Kuait amd N. Iraq refugees would probably have to cross US lines to get to Iran. IMHO

[tomahawk]

Saudi Arabia is a terrorist state. They helped 9/11, and are protecting Saddam and his nuke program which is slated to incinerate NYC.

[Dallas]

Actually, we're better off in Qatar, anyway. There are only 150,000 Qataris, and they're all secular. I think we'd always be at risk in Saudi Arabia with all the major Islamic holy sites located there. There are three million arabs headed there for Ramadan, as we speak.

[blam]

US helicopter crash-lands after gunfire

A helicopter belonging to a US oil company crash-landed at San'a airport after it came under fire shortly after takeoff.

Medical workers at the airport said one passenger suffered bruises, but there were no other casualties. It was not clear who was responsible for the shooting.

A Yemeni security official said the Hunt Corp. helicopter was heading to oil fields in the northern province of Marib when it was fired upon from an area near the airport.

The area is considered a stronghold of Bani Hashish tribe.

The number of passengers and their nationalities were not immediately clear. The US Embassy said it had no knowledge of the incident.

Last month, a blast caused by an explosive-laden boat crippled a French oil tanker off Yemen, killing a Bulgarian crew member and releasing some 90,000 barrels of crude oil in waters.

Story filed: 16:03 Sunday 3rd November 2002

[blam]

"Iran wouldn't have them, and since the US attack will be from Kuait amd N. Iraq refugees would probably have to cross US lines to get to Iran. IMHO"

I think you have your geography wrong. Any Iraqi refugees will have to go through Kuwait to get to SA or through western Iraq, which is all desert and we'll have it sealed off anyway. They'll go to Iran and maybe some to Syria.

[Lurking2Long]

First Iraq, THEN Saudi Arabia!

[blam]

"First Iraq, THEN Saudi Arabia!"

Yup. Saudia Arabia must go down!!

[Cicero]

"What will Saudi Arabia do if a flood of Iraqui refugees and defeated Iraqui Army troops stream into their country?"

I may be completely wrong, but I think that Bush plans to take out the Saudis when it's their turn--after he has dealt with Iran and Syria.

It would be very unpopular if the U.S. just went in and threw out the Saudi Royal family. But if there is a successful Islamist or radical revolt against the Saudis, then the U.S. would have every justification to go in and stabilize the situation. That strikes me as the sensible game plan.

If a mass of Iraquis flooded into Arabia, that would also be a good reason to intervene.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Lift the Southern No-Fly Zone and remove southern troops...that'll get their ungrateful attention.

[ozdragon]

The Saudis are notorious for saying one thing in public and something entirely different in private. I would not be surprised if we use their bases inspite of public denials.

[GallopingGhost]

I think you have your geography wrong. Any Iraqi refugees will have to go through Kuwait to get to SA or through western Iraq, which is all desert and we'll have it sealed off anyway.

It's doubtful that anybody is going to be defending 800 miles of Saudi Arabian border. What the Saudi's say for general consumption and what the Saudi's tell our war planners are entirely different things.

[wcbtinman]

Ungratefull bastards.

I'm about down to "Kick their ass and take the gas".

[blam]

"It's doubtful that anybody is going to be defending 800 miles of Saudi Arabian border. "

I guess I'm not making myself clear. Any refugees will want to go anywhere else but the western desert between Iraq/Saudi Arabia. Remember how suprised they were when our tanks and mechanized divisions came streaming out of there during the Gulf War. There's nothing out there and refugees would quickly die, they know that.

[GallopingGhost]

I guess I'm not making myself clear. Any refugees will want to go anywhere else but the western desert between Iraq/Saudi Arabia. Remember how suprised they were when our tanks and mechanized divisions came streaming out of there during the Gulf War. There's nothing out there and refugees would quickly die, they know that.

Different war, different time. The U.S. had half a million troops (the majority of them in Saudi Arabia) at the time. This war will not have a Schwartzkopf type attack strategy. Personally I think the only refugees will be those trying to get out of Dodge (Bagdad).

[blam]

". Personally I think the only refugees will be those trying to get out of Dodge (Baghdad)."

Yup. I agree.

[Mike Darancette]

Any Iraqi refugees will have to go through Kuwait to get to SA or through western Iraq...

The US will probably attack along the road system in E. Iraq from the North and the South on a line of Basra-Kirkuk. If Jordan is in on it there will also be movement on the road to Rutba.

Refugees and defeated troops will be forced out onto the desert toward the Saudi Border or to the Syrian border in the NW (Syria probably will not want them either).

I doubt that there will be many US troops in Syro-Arabian Desert as it is of little strategic value in this fight.

Just the musing of Field Marshall Mike.

[Lizard_King]

"Iraq is not Japan."

No Sh**! The Japanese were highly motivated, skillful warriors who had 60 years of Meiji indoctrination for us to overcome. Not only will be beating the Iraqis be much easier, but it is also likely, plus/minus some mullahs, to be a relatively straightforward occupation.

"He knew full well that he had other foot soldiers to use in [the September 11 attacks], but he choose Saudis and he choose Saudis for an intent and the intent -- a self-professed intent -- is to get the United States out of here ... [to] make a gulf between the United States and Saudi Arabia that is unbridgeable."

Such comically circular reasoning...Saudi's self selected for the mission, and the gulf was there long before.
"Saudis were just as distraught as Americans, according to the Saudi foreign minister,"

I somehow doubt that. Perhaps I am cynical/sarcasm

"...I don't know if the general that's going to be is going to be MacArthur."

I hope so...cause this time there will be no Harry Truman to keep him from taking the rest of the Middle East.

[BlazingArizona]

"Iraq is not Japan. Saddam Hussein is not the emperor Hirohito and I don't know if the general that's going to be is going to be MacArthur."

This is exactly what the Wahhabi are most afraid of. If we go to war, Iraq will be the next Japan, and a new MacArthur will replace the Middle Ages with an industrial democracy.

There will be one difference: Hussein will not survive.

[chudogg]

I believe Sunnoco is the only major one. There is another one which i have never seen called Connoco which doesnt either.

Of course, alot of Middle Eastern oil is sent to Russia, and the Redirected to America, thus it is not reported as a Middle Eastern Import.

[LibWhacker]

Who cares? Did we ask permission of Libya when we went after the Desert Fox?

We do not have to ask in this situation. We should just do whatever is necessary. If Saudi Arabia wants to side with Saddam and al Qaeda, and obstruct our war effort, we should just walk over them like bugs (and NEVER give them their oil back; a military regency costs plenty of money to administer and then there is the question of reparations).

[Issaquahking]

We've got some serious wars coming, and I would rather go to war than be under U.N. control like a certain amount of governments would have us. Bush is waiting till after the election to see if this nation is ready. Then it's just a matter of when - the longer we wait, the worse things could be. Should have let Patton roll on years ago.

[The Wizard]

Thank goodness for some cool head

[Bobby777]

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister - Omar Sharif? hehe

[akron]

Iraq is not Japan.

True, it hasn't been burned to the ground yet.

I don't understand this whole "you can't use our airbase" deal. The Japanese said that we couldn't use their airbases on Guadalcanal, Saipan, Okinawa...

Saudi Arabia is on borrowed time.

[Defender2]

After the Bullseye passes over and does it's thing on Iraq, Saudi Arabia should be next, then North Korea!!!!

[Jim Noble]

>>Saudi Arabia would not allow its bases and airspace to be used in any U.S.-led military strike against Iraq<<

That's OK-we can use our Iraqi bases for the strike against Saudi Arabia, then...

[Wphile]

Screw 'em.

[leadhead]

Iraq refugees would probably have to cross US lines

There won't be "US Lines", it won't be that kind of war.

Be prepared to be amazed!

[Mike Darancette]

Be prepared to be amazed!

You may well be quite right.

[ChadGore]

WIN ONE FOR THE GIPPER

Vote on Tuesday.

Do the right thing.

[stumpy]

That makes for a very target rich environment.

[sheik yerbouty]

Take up America's burden
And stamp on the jihadist seed
We'll kick their ass
And take the gas
And have just what we need!