Posted on 11/15/2003 10:01:32 PM PST by Diddley
Will al-Qaeda bring the royal house down?
The Riyadh attack, believed to be the work of bin Laden’s supporters, was a challenge to the ruling House of Saud, finds Trevor Royle. Now they must decide whether to appease or confront the critics
The bombs which ripped through the Muhaya residential compound in Riyadh last week did more than kill 17 innocent civilians, most of them workers from Lebanon and other Arab countries. They sent a powerful signal that Saudi Arabia is still on the frontline against terrorism and that more of the same can be expected in the months ahead.
It is also clear that the ruling House of Saud is now under threat. Although it is unlikely any of the principal members will be targeted personally – in the absence through long-term illness of King Fahd the de facto ruler is Crown Prince Abdullah – the royal house is faced with a desperate conundrum.
On the one hand, for its own safety, it has to crack down on terrorism but on the other, as the protector of Islam’s holy sites in Mecca and Medina, it has to be careful of upsetting moderate Arab opinion by repressing ideological critics of the regime – from conservative clerics to human rights activists. The ruling family is also aware that it does not hold the same sway over Saudis as it once did.
(snip)
While it would have been a neat solution to blame non-Muslim or Western-backed groups, according to the Saudi internal security forces, there is enough evidence to prove that the attack was the work of Arab terrorists with links to al-Qaeda. The claim was given substance by US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage, who was in Riyadh in advance of the re-opening of the US embassy: “It is quite clear to me that al-Qaeda wants to take down the royal family and the government of Saudi Arabia.”
Certainly, Osama bin Laden has never made any secret of his dislike of the Saudi regime or his desire to see it removed from power. He has criticised its links with the US, but until last week the main targets of terrorists in Saudi were workers from the West. In the past 10 years there have been attacks on US military bases and foreign workers’ compounds, but last week’s switch in targets prompted fears that bin Laden might be intent on making a push to destabilise a Saudi administration which is not universally popular.
(snip)
The Saudis’ one hope must be that al-Qaeda has scored an own goal (??). As defence analyst Roger Cressey, a counter- intelligence expert in the Clinton administration, sees the situation: “It shows them killing innocent women and children who seemed to have no relationship to what their beef is.”
(Excerpt) Read more at sundayherald.com ...
I agree..but there is a WHOLE LOT at risk for these folks..
The Royal Family is attempting to maintain their grasp on unmeasurable wealth, and to support and retain a HUGE Royal Family that is incapable of self support or survival should the House of Saud fall.
Killing thousands of infidels or lowly muslims to prevent or forestall the Royal Family's fall from power - is simply a deed that must be done.
Semper Fi
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