Statement By The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia (Prince Bandar)

[susu369]

Statement By The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
Sunday June 26, 9:11 pm ET

WASHINGTON, June 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, DC issued the following statement today:
In response to media inquiries, the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia wishes to confirm that Ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, continues in his position as Ambassador to the United States. Prince Bandar is currently on vacation and is expected to return to his office at the end of August.

-snip-

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050626/nysu021.html?.v=9

===
Yesterday we read Prince Bandar was resigning due to depression and over use of antidepressants.

:shrug:

[Doomy]

1. Maybe

He is in Texas hanging out with the bu$h twins.

[Wright Patman]

2. His bro in the White House

is pissed because his vacation in Crawford doesn't begin for another month.

[Junkdrawer]

3. Just getting a Limbaugh retread....

Send him to a dry out farm, and he's good for another 4 years or 40,000 miles, which ever comes first.

[MadisonProgressive]

4. The end of August?

That's a nice vacation!

[acmavm]

5. Maybe they think detox is going to take a couple of months.

I know I'd need drugs or booze (probably both) if I had to hold a conversation with bush**, and lots of 'em.

[Binka]

6. He's Not Going Into Detox He's Going Into The Ground

I'll bet $1000 right now he is dead real soon. REAL SOON. The Saudis are just saving face here the dude is a dead man walking.

[brokensymmetry]

8. Why would that be?

What did he do to deserve that?

[Binka]

9. He Knows Too Much

IMHO this whole story is a set-up because Bandar was going to spill some hummus. Now he's been told to shut up and go away but the dude has to know he isn't coming back. Remember Osama's bro the one killed in an air plane crash after leaving Texas. Same MO. Just sayin'.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. Bandar Bush?

George loves him. Isn't that enough? Or is this part of the upcoming power struggle in Saudi Arabia?

[Binka]

11. Bush Is The Saudis Butt Wipe Boy This Is Much BIGGER Than *Bush

King Faud to Bush: WHO CARES WHAT YOU THINK. I'm a real good handicapper I'd give 5/2 odds that Bandar is in an accident soon.

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. What did Bandar do to piss off his family?

Did he suddenly fall out of favor somehow?

[Binka]

13. He's A Liability

Read this old DU thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x655980#top

[Junkdrawer]

14. Bob Graham said similar things in his book "Intelligence Matters"...

The Saudi Government funded 9-11

[Monkie]

18. if the Saudi's funded 9-11 why use Saudi Passports?

Thats not how intelligence ops work,one uses FALSE passports.
this is born out by the fact that it is known that 4 of the people whos passports where used are still alive.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1559151.stm
"Another of the men named by the FBI as a hijacker in the suicide attacks on Washington and New York has turned up alive and well.

The identities of four of the 19 suspects accused of having carried out the attacks are now in doubt.

Saudi Arabian pilot Waleed Al Shehri was one of five men that the FBI said had deliberately crashed American Airlines flight 11 into the World Trade Centre on 11 September. "

[Junkdrawer]

19. Since they had the Osama cover story...

they didn't have to get too cute with the passports. They just had to make it look like something an Osama follower might do.

[Monkie]

23. that 4 of the supposed hijackers are know to be alive doesnt bother you?

that 4 of the supposed hijackers have been found alive proves that someone WAS getting cute with at least some of the passports used in 9-11.
i dont see how anyone can believe the Saudi's are that stupid or suicidal to point a finger at themselves if they where involved.

[Junkdrawer]

24. OK. Four of the hijackers were given the passports of other Saudis...

Some have speculated that it would take very well trained pilots to pull off what we saw on 9-11 - not kids with a couple of hours of flight school.

"Getting cute" would have been to issue passports for non-existent people. As it stands, the Saudis could claim that Osama's people simply got their hands on innocent Saudis passports or applied for passports with stolen identities.

[susu369]

17. Flash from the past

http://www.saudi-american-forum.org/Newsletters2004/SAF_Item_Of_Interest_2004_06_09.htm

Little tid bit:

"Both were relatives of the prince. One died in a one-car crash on the way to the prince's funeral. The other was found in the desert, having apparently died of thirst."

==
Some peculiar stories surrounding the Saudi royal family.

[Danmel]

7. Maybe he should meet with Tom Cruise

He'll be able to cure him of his depression without meds!:eyes:

[warsager]

15. Im confused

This sounds like he might be going back to SA and maybe taking a new postition?

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States Prince Bandar bin
Sultan is still in his post and will return to work at the end of August, officials said on Monday, responding to reports he had offered his resignation.

Diplomats in Saudi Arabia have speculated for months that the veteran envoy, who has served for two decades in the United States and been a key figure in U.S.-Saudi relations, was likely to move, citing his low profile since late last year.

Some diplomats suggest he could return to Saudi Arabia to fill the position of intelligence chief left vacant by the resignation in January of Prince Nawaf bin Abdul-Aziz.

NBC News said on Sunday that Bandar had recently tendered his resignation to de facto ruler Crown Prince Abdullah.

A statement issued by the Saudi embassy in Washington did not confirm or deny whether the prince had offered to resign.

It said he "continues in his position" as ambassador to the United States.

***MORE***
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=8898300

[sazemisery]

16. He also lives next to Hunter S. Thompson's..

Owl Farm in Woody Creek CO. Maybe he had one too many cocktails at the Woody Creek Tavern with the Gonzo journalist...

where's my tin foil top hat?

[warsager]

20. I think this could be

potentially a big deal. Does anyone have any more insight?

[smirkymonkey]

21. Does anyone else think that Prince Bandar and George W.

Bush are the same exact person?

[daleo]

22. Something awfully peculiar here

Bandar better stay away from ultra-lights.

[warsager]

25. monkey

that is too funny!

I was just reading in House of Bush House of Saud that not long after Dubya's 1st term, Bandar was going to sever the ties because chimpy wasn't playing the game right. Then daddy had a talk with Bandar Bush and everything was fine.

But then 9-11 happened.

I think things are getting so bad, and chimp is such a unilateralist, NOT concerned with many things his daddy was concerned about (albeit corrupt in different ways) and SO stupid because now Al Queda only has more and more fuel for their war against the US and are not protecting the Saudis as they once were, in fact the book even claimed that bin Laden has vowed to bring not only the US down, but the house of Saud too, that its just getting too tough for Bandar to be best buddies with US.

I could be wrong, but this sounds like someone higher up is saying enough is enough.

[daleo]

28. Interesting information

That is a book I have to get around to reading.

[warsager]

33. definately!

I flew through it.

[susu369]

26. Now, Prince Bandar is resigning AGAIN

Is he or isn't he????

Saudi ambassador to US resigns
>By Stephen Fidler in London and Guy Dinmore in Washington
>Published: June 28 2005 19:12 | Last updated: June 28 2005 19:12
>>
Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US for more than two decades, has resigned his position.

According to people close to the Saudi government, Prince Bandar, the longest serving ambassador to Washington, has decided to quit. However, he will remain formally in his role as ambassador until an announcement from the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The announcement could take months.

The Saudi embassy in Washington said that a statement on Sunday, in which it said that Prince Bandar remained ambassador to the US, still stood. “Prince Bandar is currently on vacation and is expected to return to his office at the end of August,” the statement said.

But one Saudi government adviser said: “He is determined to go. But as there is no formal decree relieving him of his duties, he by default and by name remains ambassador.” Another said that Prince Bandar, 56, had already moved his belongings out of the Washington residence, though this could not be confirmed.

Several reasons are cited for his expected departure, including poor health, which has encouraged him to spend more and more time away from Washington in recent years.

--full story:

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/2d131c72-e7ff-11d9-9786-00000e2511c8,_i_rssPage=79844dc0-cbe5-11d7-81c6-0820abe49a01.html

[daleo]

29. Welcome to the Hotel BFEEfornia, Bandar

You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.

[happyslug]

27. King Fahd about to Die? Or is he dead?

Remember Saudi Arabia is a typical Dictatorship, the Dictator is the first among equals. All power comes from the Dictator but since he rules through and with other people power is almost always joint.

Please note I do NOT mean dictatorships like Hitler, Stalin or even Saddam. Those are the EXCEPTIONS to the rule by Dictators. Each of them could kill anyone they wanted in their country. Such absolute real power is NOT the case in most Dictatorships, the closer you are to the power center the less likely you can be killed. Under Hitler, Stalin and Saddam, each of them had absolute power in theory as while as fact, in most Dictatorships Dictators have absolute power is theory but rarely in fact. Thus in most Dictatorships you want to be as close to the King as Possible for it is the safest place to be.

In the case of Saudi Arabia, it has been a Dictatorship since it was founded by the Original King Saud in 1932. With his death in 1952, his Sons ruled. The problem is today, the youngest of them must be over 50 years old (and most are older, 70s and 80s, through King Saud had lots of sons to different wives, the exact numbers of sons and other relatives of King Saud is unknown to most foreign observers of Arabia).

Since 1952 the sons have ruled as a collective group with one of them technically king. Such King has legal Absolute power, but since he rules through his brothers his real power was shared with his brothers and other hangers on to the royal family. In the mid 1990s King Fahd had a nearly fatal Stroke and almost died. His full-brothers could not afford him to die, for the House of Saud had basically agreed that their half-brother Abullah would succeed Fahd. The full brothers of Fahd are some of the most corrupt members of the House of Saud, as such no one will ever permit them to be King, but the last thing these brothers want is for their honest brother Abullah to be King. Thus when Fahd had his stroke, his brothers did every thing they could to keep King Fahd alive even if all he can do is be a walking vegetable.

This is compounded by Fahd's wife and son, who are as corrupt as Fahd's brothers, and again the last thing they want is a honest man to be King. Thus Abullah has been "Crown Prince" and de facto ruler of Arabia since the mid-1990s, but without the full power of being a King to clean up the Kingdom (all the responsibilities but none of the power, classic recipe for disaster).

Thus King Fahd had some sort of relapse last month, and now Bandar is "sick"? Bandar is NOT is line for the kingship (he is a member of the House of Saud through being the son of the family, but not through a regular wife, instead through a "maid", the exact situation is not clear, but he is out of the running to be "King" but can be a king-maker given his power as ambassador to the US). Thus Bandar is a key ally to anyone who wants to be the next king of Arabia, but if Bandar picks wrong Bandar can be the next body found. Thus the story of going to re-hab may be a cover story for Bandar to be "sick" doing the next month or so. In the old Soviet Union when you had power struggles a lot of top official became "Sick" to avoid having to pick a side.

Trying to determine what is happening in the House of Saud is like trying to figure out the old Soviet Politburo, what is going on? Who is winning the battle to be the next king? Is King Fahd's health so bad that a new king must be selected NOW? Remember as long as King Fahd is alive, Abullah can do nothing nor can Abullah claim to be King. Unlike King Fahd, Abullah has no male relatives (other than his sons and grandsons) to support him, AND Abullah's support is weak compared to King Fahd's full-brothers, sons and grandsons (Through Abullah controls the Saudi National Guard, the most Islamic radical group of the Saudi Military).

My first suspicion is that Bandar is "Sick" to avoid having to decide who to support in the coming struggle to be the new king. My Second Suspicion is Bandar wants to be in Arabia to help in the Selection, my third is Bandar is actually sick. I give the odds as 50% to the First type of sickness (i.e. avoiding the knives of his relatives as they fight to be king), 40% possibility of wanting to be one of the persons with a knife, and 10% actually sick.

[daleo]

30. Good post.

It explains a lot.

[happyslug]

31. Some background on Saudi Arabia and the Royal Family from last year

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=611956

Go down to my thread and I really go into how Dictatorships rarely last more than 60 years. I review it and I had been on a roll and you might find the information helpful in understanding what is happening in Saudi Arabia today.

[warsager]

32. Did you read

House of Bush House of Saud by Craig Unger? Its a great book. I need to find more good ones. Very insightful and frightening.

[happyslug]

34. No, I did do some Net Research last year

And that where I learned about Abdullah's Control of the Saudi National Guard and the infighting between Fahd's full blooded relatives and his half-brother Abdullah (Spelling?). If I remember right one of the Brother control the Saudi Army (which is separate from the National Guard).

Some more on Abdullah and Saudi Arabia:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/abdullah.htm
http://www.freelebanon.org/articles/a344.htm
http://searchingforthetruth.typepad.com/searching_for_the_truth/
http://www.hudson.org/files/publications/Henderson%20--%20Saudi%20Royal%20Family.pdf#search='Sudairis.'

Here is two pro House of Saud Sites:
http://news-server.org/a/ab/abdullah__crown_prince_of_saudi_arabia.html
http://www.saudiembassy.net/Publications/MagFall98/Abdullah.htm

Some background on Saudi Arabia, if you can ignore the anti-jewish attitude of the writer (I would say Anti-Semitic, but I suspect he is an arab and thus a Semite himself):
http://www.geocities.com/saudhouse/article25.html

[warsager]

35. great info

thanks so much!!! I really appreciate that.

[Disturbed]

36. Could Banda be forced to testify about the ...

pre-planning of the Iraq Invasion? He was shown the docs before C. Powell, according to Bob Woodward.

[susu369]

37. Interesting question

Today's profile on "Bandar Bush":

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4635383.stm

Profile: Prince Bandar
By Matthew Davis
BBC News, Washington

Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Arabia's long-serving ambassador to the United States, is one of Washington's smoothest diplomats.

A man of extraordinary drive and energy with a colourful lifestyle, the former fighter pilot was once memorably described as an "Arab Gatsby".

--snip--
Outside diplomatic circles he is probably best known for appearing in Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore's award-winning film about the alleged connections between the Bush family and the Bin Ladens.

Two nights after the terror attacks on the United States, President George W Bush invited Prince Bandar over to the White House for a private dinner and a talk, the film claims.

"Bandar is so close to the Bushes they considered him a member of the family. They even have a nickname for him, Bandar Bush," Moore says.

'Plan of Attack'

Prince Bandar's stratospheric connections were also laid out in a recent book on the build-up to the second Iraq war, by the respected Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward.

--snip--
In Plan of Attack, Mr Woodward claims that in January 2003, Prince Bandar was shown essential details of the war plan against Saddam Hussein, even before then Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Prince Bandar casually mentioned the Saudis hoped to increase oil production so as to hold gas prices down. He requested and received a subsequent meeting with the president himself, Woodward says.