Return-Path: <sentto-279987-2995-1003222759-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com> Delivered-To: fc@all.net Received: from 204.181.12.215 by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.1.0) for fc@localhost (single-drop); Tue, 16 Oct 2001 02:00:07 -0700 (PDT) Received: (qmail 19463 invoked by uid 510); 16 Oct 2001 08:59:01 -0000 Received: from n2.groups.yahoo.com (216.115.96.52) by 204.181.12.215 with SMTP; 16 Oct 2001 08:59:01 -0000 X-eGroups-Return: sentto-279987-2995-1003222759-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com Received: from [10.1.1.223] by n2.groups.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 16 Oct 2001 08:59:19 -0000 X-Sender: yangyun@metacrawler.com X-Apparently-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com Received: (EGP: mail-8_0_0_1); 16 Oct 2001 08:59:19 -0000 Received: (qmail 67269 invoked from network); 16 Oct 2001 08:59:19 -0000 Received: from unknown (10.1.10.26) by 10.1.1.223 with QMQP; 16 Oct 2001 08:59:19 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO n6.groups.yahoo.com) (10.1.10.45) by mta1 with SMTP; 16 Oct 2001 08:59:13 -0000 X-eGroups-Return: yangyun@metacrawler.com Received: from [10.1.10.110] by n6.groups.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 16 Oct 2001 08:59:08 -0000 To: iwar@yahoogroups.com Message-ID: <9qgssq+u44d@eGroups.com> User-Agent: eGroups-EW/0.82 X-Mailer: eGroups Message Poster X-Originating-IP: 24.112.32.13 From: yangyun@metacrawler.com X-Yahoo-Profile: televr Mailing-List: list iwar@yahoogroups.com; contact iwar-owner@yahoogroups.com Delivered-To: mailing list iwar@yahoogroups.com Precedence: bulk List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:iwar-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2001 08:59:06 -0000 Reply-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com Subject: [iwar] Saudi Arabia Unhappy with US Raids Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Monday October 15 3:06 PM ET Saudi Arabia Unhappy with U.S. Raids on Afghanistan By Mariam Isa RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - U.S. ally Saudi Arabia said it was unhappy about the bombing of Afghanistan, sending the clearest signal yet that its relations with Washington are being tested by the war on terrorism. Interior Minister Prince Naif broke Saudi silence on the bombing late on Sunday, telling reporters the kingdom opposed terrorism but did not approve of the U.S. response. ``We wish the United States had been able to flush out the terrorists in Afghanistan without resorting to the current action ... because this is killing innocent people,'' he said. ``We are not at all happy with the situation. This in no way means we are not willing to confront terrorism,'' he said in remarks reported by the official Saudi Press Agency. In response, State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said the United States was very satisfied with Saudi cooperation. ``They've agreed to everything we've asked of them in our campaign against terrorism,'' Reeker added. Analysts said Prince Naif's public disapproval confirmed the 50-year-old strategic alliance between the world's largest industrial power and the world's largest oil supplier had come under stress since the air raids began a week ago. ``It's unbelievable the way the feeling here has changed from sympathy to anger in such a short time,'' a Western analyst based in Riyadh said. ``More sensitive and astute decision-making on both sides is required to handle a relationship which has become extremely difficult to manage. Every aspect of it is under pressure.'' Saudi Arabia, which sees itself as the world's principal advocate of pure Islam, has condemned the Sept. 11 attacks which killed nearly 5,400 people but has remained sensitive to widespread public anger over casualties in Muslim Afghanistan. Riyadh said early on it would not allow attacks on Afghanistan to be launched from its soil. U.S. officials say the country is cooperating in more appropriate ways, by sharing intelligence and cracking down on funding of groups and individuals suspected of terrorist links. ``Saudi Arabia is still trying to make clear that they are willing to confront terrorism without alienating their own population,'' a western diplomat in Riyadh said on Sunday. U.S. troops have been based in the kingdom since U.S.-led forces evicted Iraq from Saudi Arabia's neighbor Kuwait in 1991, albeit as only a small and discreet force nowadays. Some religious leaders in the birthplace of Islam have strong objections to their presence. So does Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden, Washington's main suspect in last month's attacks, who is believed to be in Afghanistan. MANY ADMIRE BIN LADEN It is impossible to tell how many Saudis want the Americans to leave Saudi Arabia. But it is clear many people admire bin Laden for his role in driving the Soviets from Afghanistan years ago and do not believe he masterminded last month's attacks. U.S. high-tech attacks on one of the poorest countries in the world are viewed here as arrogant and insensitive. ``The message appears to be 'see how great our toys are, watch them smash things to smithereens' -- it seems we have learned nothing in 10 years,'' the Western analyst said. Saudis feel they have been unfairly singled out because the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has said that 12 of the 19 suspected hijackers who slammed hijacked commercial airliners into buildings in New York and Washington were Saudis. Many of the people it originally identified were later shown to be either living in the kingdom or dead, officials say. There has been no public U.S. apology and media have reported in detail on harassment of Saudis in America. A final episode rubbed salt in wounded Saudi pride in the past week. Saudis have been outraged by the rejection of a $10 million donation by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal to victims of the collapse of the World Trade Center. Alwaleed's check was shunned because of his criticism of U.S. Middle East policy during a trip to New York. New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said Alwaleed's remarks appeared to be an attempt to justify the attack. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Pinpoint the right security solution for your company- Learn how to add 128- bit encryption and to authenticate your web site with VeriSign's FREE guide! http://us.click.yahoo.com/yQix2C/33_CAA/yigFAA/kgFolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ------------------ http://all.net/ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : 2001-12-31 20:59:55 PST