The Saudis Speak Out Against Bush In Iraq: What Do They Want?

U.S. Iraq Role Is Called Illegal by Saudi King

Someone in Saudi Arabia must have alerted the Royal House of Saud that the eventual outcome of the US invasion of Iraq will ultimate entail some form of control over huge oil reserves and markets. The Saudi Royal Family, led by King Abdullah, may be a little slow to resolve many social issues within the Kingdom, but they know how to manipulate the media, the US congress and international opinion without any delay when they perceive their control and domination over the world's oil supply and markets.

If the US gains favorable conditions for sale and control over Iraq's oil fields--either through US corporations having direct control over oil field, pipeline and/or refinery processes in Iraq or through manipulating the puppet Iraqi government into supplying the US government with cheap oil supplies for a long time into the future--the Saudi influence over OPEC, the world petroleum markets and its own economical (or that of its Royal House of Saud) future would be adversely affected.

This announcement by Saudi King Abdullah is nothing less than a prelude to an all-out assault on US policies in the Middle East via behind-the-scenes political and lobbying power. We should be wary of the intentions offered by the Saudi Royal Family and watch where the flow of Saudi money goes in our own economy and political machinations.

BTW, a good many of the folks running for president--both Republicans and Democrats--have a history of kowtowing to Saudi money and influences. In "The American House of Saud," Steven Emerson identifies a whole lot of our long-established political figures as having ties to the Saudis, Saudi money and Saudi political manipulations of US law and policy. Some of those include--either directly or indirectly--many of those that have declared themselves as candidates for POTUS 2008.

We should be asking how, where, when and why the Saudis are going to be manipulating us. Of course, with our own congress lacking the intestinal fortitude and ethical bearing to call Bush's behaviors and illegal actions into the light of day with legitimate impeachment proceedings, the Saudi King and Royal Family are seeing the door opened to several opportunities to their benefit.

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia told Arab leaders on Wednesday that the American occupation of Iraq was illegal and warned that unless Arab governments settled their differences, foreign powers like the United States would continue to dictate the region’s politics.

The king’s speech, at the opening of the Arab League meeting here, underscored growing differences between Saudi Arabia and the Bush administration as the Saudis take on a greater leadership role in the Middle East, partly at American urging.

The Saudis seem to be emphasizing that they will not be beholden to the policies of their longtime ally.

They brokered a deal between the two main Palestinian factions last month, but one that Israel and the United States found deeply problematic because it added to the power of the radical group Hamas rather than the more moderate Fatah. On Wednesday King Abdullah called for an end to the international boycott of the new Palestinian government. The United States and Israel want the boycott continued.

In addition, Abdullah invited President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran to Riyadh earlier this month, while the Americans want him shunned. And in trying to settle the tensions in Lebanon, the Saudis have been willing to negotiate with Iran and Hezbollah.

Last week the Saudi king canceled his appearance next month at a White House dinner in his honor, The Washington Post reported Wednesday. The official reason given was a scheduling conflict, the paper said.

Mustapha Hamarneh, director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan, said the Saudis were sending Washington a message. “They are telling the U.S. they need to listen to their allies rather than imposing decisions on them and always taking Israel’s side,” Mr. Hamarneh said.

In his speech, the king said, “In the beloved Iraq, the bloodshed is continuing under an illegal foreign occupation and detestable sectarianism.”

He added: “The blame should fall on us, the leaders of the Arab nation, with our ongoing differences, our refusal to walk the path of unity. All that has made the nation lose its confidence in us.”

King Abdullah has not publicly spoken so harshly about the American-led military intervention in Iraq before, and his remarks suggest that his alliance with Washington may be less harmonious than administration officials have been hoping.