Saudi spy chief warns of ‘major shift’ in ties with US
Saudi Arabia intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan (pictured) has said the Gulf kingdom plans to reduce cooperation with the US in protest over Washington's Syria and Iran policies, according to media reports.
By FRANCE 24
Days after Saudi Arabia surprised the international community with its last-minute decision to reject a rotating UN Security Council seat, there were signs of a growing rift between the oil-rich Gulf monarchy and its key ally, the US.
At a weekend meeting with European diplomats, Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief said the kingdom would make a "major shift" in its relations with the United States in protest over Washington's perceived inaction over the Syria war and its overtures to Iran, according to media reports.
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal earlier this week, Prince Bandar bin Sultan invited a Western diplomat to the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah over the weekend to voice Riyadh's frustration with the Obama administration and its regional policies, including the decision not to bomb Syria in response to its alleged use of chemical weapons in August.
It was not immediately clear if Prince Bandar's reported statements had the full backing of King Abdullah.
In an interview with Reuters, a source close to Saudi policy said Prince Bandar had also told European diplomats that Washington had failed to act effectively on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was growing closer to Tehran, and had failed to back Saudi support for Bahrain when it crushed an anti-government revolt in 2011.
"The shift away from the US is a major one," the Saudi source told Reuters. "Saudi doesn't want to find itself any longer in a situation where it is dependent."
The United States and Saudi Arabia have been allies since the kingdom was declared in 1932, giving Riyadh a powerful military protector and Washington secure oil supplies.
The prince's initiative follows a surprise Saudi decision on Friday to reject a coveted two-year term on the UN Security Council in protest at "double standards" at the United Nations.
Prince Bandar, who was Saudi ambassador to Washington for 22 years, is seen as a foreign policy hawk, especially on Iran. The Sunni Muslim kingdom's rivalry with Shiite Iran, an ally of Syria, has amplified sectarian tensions across the Middle East.
A son of the late defence minister and crown prince, Prince Sultan, and a protégé of the late King Fahd, he fell from favour with King Abdullah after clashing on foreign policy in 2005.
But he was called in from the cold last year with a mandate to bring down President Bashar al-Assad, diplomats in the Gulf say. Over the past year he has led Saudi efforts to bring arms and other aid to Syrian rebels while his cousin, Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, worked the diplomatic corridors.
'All options on the table'
"Prince Bandar told diplomats that he plans to limit interaction with the US," the Saudi source told Reuters. "This happens after the US failed to take any effective action on Syria and Palestine."
"Prince Bandar told diplomats that he plans to limit interaction with the US," the Saudi source told Reuters. "This happens after the US failed to take any effective action on Syria and Palestine."
The source declined to provide more details of Bandar's talks with the diplomats, which took place in the past few days.
But he suggested that the planned change in ties between the energy superpower and its traditional US ally would have wide-ranging consequences, including on arms purchases and oil sales.
Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, ploughs much of its earnings back into US assets. Most of the Saudi central bank's net foreign assets of $690 billion are thought to be denominated in dollars, much of them in US Treasury bonds.
"All options are on the table now, and for sure there will be some impact," the Saudi source said.
He said there would be no further coordination with the United States over the war in Syria, where the Saudis have armed and financed rebel groups fighting Assad.
The kingdom has informed the United States of its actions in Syria, and diplomats say it has respected US requests not to supply the groups with advanced weaponry that the West fears could fall into the hands of al Qaeda-aligned groups.
Saudi anger peaked after Washington refrained from military strikes in response to a poison gas attack in Damascus in August. The US decided to hold back after Assad agreed to give up his chemical arsenal.
Saudi Arabia is also concerned about signs of a tentative reconciliation between Washington and Tehran, something Riyadh fears may lead to a "grand bargain" on the Iranian nuclear programme that would leave it at a disadvantage.
Fifteen of the nineteen 9-11 terrorists were Saudi. The attack resulted in the shutdown of all air travel in the US for days, except for some very important Saudi "friends" who were flown home without further ado. With friends like that, who needs enemies?
ReplyDeleteMost Saudi exports are now heading for Asia (read: China.)
ReplyDeleteThe major part of its "Defense" is still from the U.S.
Maybe, they just didn't want to get themselves into a high profile situation of being, every day, "the man in the middle."
Maybe we should pull out of the Gulf and let the Chinese keep the straight of Hormuz open. After all, they seem to vote Tehran's way on the UNSC every time.
DeleteWashington State is
ReplyDeleteKicking Ass
Microsoft. Amazon. We know how to navigate a website up here. Right next door in Idaho? I don't know.
DeleteNo one in Idaho is dumb enough to sign up for the death panels.
DeleteHere's an article about Canadian Death Panels -
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2013/10/canada_has_death_panels_and_that_s_a_good_thing.html
However, the illegals can't sign up right now, the Spanish language portal doesn't work. Sounds racist to me.
DeleteAs is
DeleteKentucky
Kentucky projects that over the next seven years the Medicaid expansion will bring $15.6 billion into the state’s economy, create 17,000 jobs and have an $802.4 million positive impact on the state budget. The primary reason for KYnect and expanded Medicaid is, of course, to provide access to health care to Kentucky’s most vulnerable citizens. Kentucky ranks near the bottom in almost all major disease categories. But a secondary benefit will be the competitive advantage in attracting new business Kentucky will gain over nearby states that rejected the ACA.
DeletePositive Impacts
Not to worry the Saudis will purchase a ready made nuke from Pakistan (actually already paid for) and presto a middle east nuclear arms race has begun.
ReplyDeleteWith a little luck it will take about 8 years to come to a head with the iranians and the arabs swapping nukes or a least shutting down the straits of hormuz.
Then Israel can start selling it's natural gas to the planet!!!!
Sort of like Joseph and his saving Egypt all over again.
If they have any extra they had better hang onto it.
DeleteFarmer Fudd describes the deaths of a few million people, as being "Lucky", as if it will be "Good Fortune" to have Israel wiped out ...
DeleteThe idea that the Islamoids would have a nuclear exchange amongst themselves, and not drop one or two on Jerusalem, just plain idiocy.
Or was that Mr. Wind Riffle?
But Mr Rat, you said over and over that the Iranian do not have the ability in any way shape or form!
DeleteWhich is it?
Not to worry, we will go through with all the up scaled military equipment sales.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Mr. Obama now regrets that deep bow to the Saudi king? Well, at least he didn't have to kiss a ring.
ReplyDeleteObama's an idiot.
DeleteBut he is a Jewish idiot.
DeleteBarack Obama, the First Jewish President of the United States.
He is not an Ashkenazi, but just as Jewish as any of us!.
Sorry Rat your knowledge of Jewish law is weak...
DeleteObama was born NOT to a Jewish mother, hence he is one of yours....
Just another Bastard child. Just like you.
After all you didnt KNOW your real father either right?
RECORD 90,609,000 AMERICANS NOT IN LABOR FORCE...
ReplyDeleteEmployment among women hits 24-year low...
Economy 'stalling'.....drudge
Not to worry.......
Yep, and every time a baby is born, there's one more American not in the labor force, and Obama has that much more 'splain' to do.
DeleteYep, and every time a geezer dies......
DeleteEmployment among women hits 24-year low...
Deletebut hooking is at all time high....
Guns don't kill people, Democrats kill people:
ReplyDeleteIn 1865 a Democrat shot and killed Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States.
In 1881 a left wing radical Democrat shot James Garfield, President of the United States who later died from the wound.
In 1963 a radical left wing socialist shot and killed John F. Kennedy, President of the United States.
In 1975 a left wing radical Democrat fired shots at Gerald Ford, President of the United States.
In 1983 a registered Democrat shot and wounded Ronald Reagan, President of the United States.
In 1984 James Hubert, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 22 people in a McDonalds restaurant.
In 1986 Patrick Sherrill, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 15 people in an Oklahoma post office.
In 1990 James Pough, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 10 people at a GMAC office.
In 1991 George Hennard, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 23 people in a Luby’s cafeteria.
In 1995 James Daniel Simpson, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 5 coworkers in a Texas laboratory.
In 1999 Larry Asbrook, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 8 people at a church service.
In 2001 a left wing radical Democrat fired shots at the White House in a failed attempt to kill George W. Bush, President of the US.
In 2003 Douglas Williams, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 7 people at a Lockheed Martin plant.
In 2007 a registered Democrat named Seung - Hui Cho, shot and killed 32 people in Virginia Tech.
In 2010 a mentally ill registered Democrat named Jared Lee Loughner, shot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed 6 others.
In 2011 a registered Democrat named James Holmes, went into a movie theater and shot and killed 12 people.
In 2012 Andrew Engeldinger, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 7 people in Minneapolis.
Who knew palestinians were democrats... Oh that's right, Obama was a big supporter of Hamas and Rashid Khalidi
Delete:)
Deleteheh
That's pretty good. Wish I'd said that.
Harry . Truman, 190,000 either toasted in the moment, of dead from radiation poisoning. Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan
DeleteJust another....
Ripple in still water,
When there is no pebble tossed,
Nor wind to blow.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303448104579149642030106938
ReplyDeleteAllen's article speaks of the coming doctor shortage which I've mentioned once or twice.
DeleteGood article.
ObamaCare is a disaster from beginning to end. Soon, too, I read, we may be doing sex selective abortions.
Isn't this just all so wonderful?
They do that in India and China, and other places too.
Though often in those countries it is infanticide, an unwanted sex put to death after birth.
Vast majority being little baby girls.
We must keep up!
Anon, There has been an acute shortage for years in certain specialties. This legislation will insure physician shortages everywhere. Granted, a good deal of money is going into the training of PA's and NP's, and that's fine, as it goes. But the reality is it doesn't go nearly far enough.Had the greed of the trial lawyers been reined in and more training facilities allowed by the AMA we would have many more doctors now. But, we are where we are: looking about 11,000,000 new minted Americans coming on board. We are in for one rough ride.
DeleteWe still don't have a medical school in Idaho. And Boise is big enough now to house a teaching hospital. All this money going into OCare would have been much better spent creating a new and larger generation of doctors, etc.
DeleteIt's madness.
The Medical Cartel, the Association of Doctors will not certify more schools.
DeleteThe Doctors Union has caused the shortage of doctors.
Investigate who certifies the teaching hositals, the universities.
It is the Doctors Union, .... the AMA, its' subsidiaries and auxiliaries.
ReplyDelete“So great moreover is the regard of the law for private property, that it will not authorize the least violation of it; no, not even for the general good of the whole community. “
America has weak private property laws...
DeleteAsk an Indian
ReplyDelete“No other rights are safe where property is not safe.”
Yep in America. We are under attack, unless you squat on 350 prime acres in AZ
DeleteMadison understood that the protection of property is the foundation of all freedoms.
ReplyDeleteHe said, “… a man is said to have a right to his property, he may be equally said to have a property in his rights.
Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected.
No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possissions”.
He also said, “Government is instituted to protect property of every sort. . .
This being the end of government, that alone is a just government, ...
....which impartially secures to every man, whatever is his own.”
Tell that to Americans with Obamacare are a required tax
DeleteFormer Senator Weicker says he was ‘lobbied’ to be silent about Palestinian suffering
ReplyDeleteOctober 21, 2013
“When I think of Israelis, Palestinians and today’s wall I’m reminded of yesterday’s East German wall and when that obstruction came down I remember an America that stood up and cheered. What then is the difference between that wall and the one that stands as an abomination in the holy land today? The difference is a resigned silence.
“It is one thing for a nation to defend itself against nonstop murderous sallies, as was the case in the early times of Israel. Quite another to use history as justification for an ongoing policy of isolation, internment, deprivation and humiliation as waged against today’s Palestinians.”
“Instead of insisting that Israel get to the business of peace in short order, the United States fuels indifference to Palestinian suffering by continuing a steady flow of aid, military and economic, to Israel as if they were the sole aggrieved party in the present standoff.”
“The United States Congress past (and that included me) and present has been successfully lobbied to close its eyes to the travesty that consumes the holy land.”
What is suffering?
DeleteThe arab world has control of 899/900th of the middle east and 22 nations.
Any time the arab world and all it's oil riches chooses to solve the problem it could be solved.
PLENTY of land in the west bank under Palestinian control to build villages and homes.
James M. Buchanan’s book,
ReplyDeleteProperty as a Guarantor of Liberty.
“The central argument is that private or several property serves as a guarantor of liberty, quite independently of how political or collective decisions are made. The direct implication is, of course, that effective constitutional limits must be present, ...
... limits that will effectively constrain overt political intrusions into rights of property, ...
.... as legally defined, and into voluntary contractual arrangements involving transfer of property.
If individual liberty is to be protected, such constitutional limits must be in place ...
... prior to and separately from any exercise of democratic governance.”
If Native Americans started to put up "villages" in public parks?
Deletethey would be removed.
In the Israel? the palestinians are not natives. They moved there in the early 1900's from other arab lands seeking work.
I leave you with this quote from the testimony of Professor Steven Eagle, George Mason School of Law, to the House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, September 23, 1997 (online at http: //www.house.gov/judiciary/22354.htm):
ReplyDelete“Property does not have rights. People have rights….
In fact, a fundamental interdependence exists between the personal right to liberty, and the personal right in property.
Neither could have meaning without the other.
That rights in property are basic civil rights has long been recognized.”
Bedouin citizens of Israel who live in “unrecognized” villages suffered discriminatory home demolitions ...
ReplyDelete... on the basis that their homes were built illegally.
Israeli authorities refused to prepare plans for the communities and to approve construction permits, and rejected plans submitted by the communities themselves, but have retroactively legalized Jewish-owned private farms and planned new Jewish communities in the same areas.
In 2012, the Israel Land Administration demolished 47 Bedouin structures as of September, ...
... not including tents erected by villagers from al-Arakib, which Israeli authorities have demolished 39 times the Bedouin-rights group Dukium reported.
As of November 27, Israeli authorities had demolished 568 Palestinian homes and other buildings in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), displacing 1,014 people.
DeleteBuilding permits are difficult or impossible for Palestinians to obtain in East Jerusalem or in the 60 percent of the West Bank under exclusive Israeli control (Area C), whereas a separate planning process readily granted settlers new construction permits. Israel approved donor-funded construction of 14 schools and 5 clinics for Palestinians in Area C, but threatened entire Palestinian communities with demolition, such as 8 villages in an area designated as a military training zone.
Settlers continued to take over Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, based in part on discriminatory laws that recognize Jewish ownership claims there from before 1948, but bar Palestinian ownership claims from that period in West Jerusalem.
squatting on public lands and putting up tin huts does not constitute ownership of the lands.
Deleteno city in America would allow such squatting as settlement of public lands without permission.
ReplyDelete"The system of private property is the most important guaranty of freedom, not only for those who own property, but scarcely less for those who do not."
People who build tin huts on public lands are not owners of private property.
Delete