Saudi Arabia:Abdullah Will Try to Create Distance with U.S.(French expert)

[sabra]

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http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.192953774&par=0

SAUDI ARABIA: ABDULLAH WILL TRY TO CREATE DISTANCE WITH U.S.

Paris, 2 August (AKI) - Saudi Arabia's new king, the former Crown Prince Abdullah, will try to distance his country from the United States, but not from Iran, Dominique Thomas, a French expert on radical Islam, told Adnkronos International (AKI). Internally, he will aim to open up to moderates and the Shiite minority, and 'focused appointments' at the heart of the security services, and these will be pivotal to the kingdom of the new Saudi king Abdullah, who will be officially confirmed as monarch at a ceremony on Wednesday.

Thomas says he is convinced that the succession to the Riyadh throne "will not cause upset", even though the new sovereign appears intent on aiming at a greater autonomy in his foreign policy, especially in his country's relationship with the United States.

Pointing out that the sovereign received a very strict religious education and doesn't speak any foreign languages, Thomas explains: "Abdullah will try to distance himself from Washington, and will probably turn out to be less maleable than his predecessor." He believes the same goes for Iraq. The former crown prince has never actually looked favourably on Saudi territory being used by the US forces as a base for its military operations in Iraq, he says, and he could prove more reluctant than King Fahd when it comes to making concessions to the US over oil.

But it still remains to be seen how Washington will react when faced with a scenario of this kind: "I doubt that they will leave, in fact, it is likely that the US administration will exert such pression on the Saudi regime that it prevents a substantial change in Riyadh's foreign policy," says Thomas. A policy which, at a regional level, "will continue to be centred on dialogue and on an easing of relations with the Iranians," he believes.

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[Fovea]

1. Juggling Nitro

He has to empower the whabbists, and nod to Iran.

The upshot of this will be a greater likelihood to move Saudi Oil from the dollar to the Euro to match moves by Iran. Saudi control of OPEC will be crippled in a world of chronic shortage. If you can't be the gray emininence, you better start selling high and making all the money you can.

China will be anxious to be the new Saudi strategic partner. And Saudis have less baggage with China by far. Like the Bush family, the royal family of Saudi Arabia jettison's those they no longer profit from.

I expect a lot less lovin and kissin from Saudi Princes for Bush, and a lot more dissin.

[readmylips]

2. This new king has been itching to bring Muslins into....

world power. They got the oil, the wealth and respect. The game is over for the US. Watch China move closer to mid-Eastern power. Together, the first nation they'll fry is Israel, that fake domacratic country.

[Fovea]

4. If they can destroy our ability or will to assist

Israel, then they will have more than half the battle won.

And our economy is where we are most vulnerable. Sink the dollar, and you sink the American ability to project power. That is how I see it, anyway.

If Saudi Arabia and the other islamic OPEC nations decided tomorrow to trade oil in Euros or the Yuan, our economy would fall over like Arty Johnson on a tricycle.

The question is, would they be willing to sacrifice their investments in American business to make that happen?

I think that before Iraq, they would not. But increasingly, they see us as their greatest threat.

[Behind the Aegis]

10. That will please many people...

...what you describe is another Holocaust. Will the world sit by and let it happen again?

[Fovea]

11. Rather what is described is more like WW3

because the European Jews in 1936 did not have the bomb.
Of course, there was no bomb then.

Now, it would be like pouring a giant can of gas on the map of the region, and striking a match.

Not so much a struggle, as a massive conflagration.

[Jim Sagle]

20. Nothing fake about Israel's democracy. And if they try to fry Israel,

they'll GET fried instead. Tons o' nuclear fun!

[cliss]

3. Amazing. I just read that Cheney will be

leading a delegation to SA for the funeral. Yes, there's probably going to be some heavy sweating, pleading, begging, cajoling, threats and bribing by the U.S.

The winds are changing direction. I can feel it.

I'm going to follow the events of the next few days with interest. We'll probably be treated to more information about what's really going on.

[readmylips]

5. We need to read and listen to foreign press....

US press and TV is all lies.

[cliss]

7. You're right, Read.

We turned off the TV several years ago. I don't even bother with it. I get all my news right here, on the Internet.

At least here we get the facts.

[wli]

9. boycotting it since 1991

Prior to then I didn't really have a choice.

[wli]

8. winds changing direction is not necessarily a good sign

All too often it means they turn their attack dogs loose at home.

[sidpleasant]

15. Heavy sweating? No way

Cheney will probably wear a tank top, shorts, and sandals to Fahd's funeral. The words "appropraite dress" are meaningless to him; you'll recall that he disgraced himself, embarrassed the United States, and dissed the Holocaust victims by wearing a parka, rubber boots, and a knit cap with a logo to the ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

[anakie]

17. his funeral has already happened

and was broadcast on BBC and CNNI about 2 hours before you posted this message.

It was very interesting and very austere.

on edit

a link to the story and who was there. No mention of anyone from the bush junta.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200508/s1428709.htm

[MiniMe]

18. Well, its too hot for a parka, hope he doesn't show up in shorts!

After that awful scene at the holocaust remembrance.

[readmylips]

6. If you think about it that guy Chelabi(?)...

the bush stooge (with stupid reporter Miller) were at the head of pushing for the Iraq war. Later to learn that Chelabi was meeting secretly with the Iranians. The outcome of all this mess will be mid-eastern nuclear power just like chelabi planned and binLaden enforced. This was exactly the same plan the Cubans were selling to President Kennedy, and he did not take their bate. Little bush, as an oil baby, took the bate and the bullshit and now our country is in a big mess.

[Deja Q]

12. No surprise, I'm afraid.

I fear for 2006.

[SkipNewarkDE]

13. This is speculative crap

Abdullah has been running the country for the past ten years, what makes you think that the death of Fahd is going to cause him to do anything differently?

[eissa]

14. My view as well

Unless my "creating distance" they mean he'll just walk along with *, instead of holding hands.

[Coastie for Truth]

16. Gives them something to post

and show how little they really know -- see and just being a progressive doesn't enow you with brilliance or analytical ability.

[sabra]

19. who is "them" ?

[ignatius 2]

21. I suspect that pulling our military bases from Sau had more to do with the

kings illness than with 9-11. The Saudis have an extremely high unemployment rate and much political unrest from what I gather. Money was paid to Osama and other groups by the royals to keep them from causing problems inside the kingdom, akin to the "protection" money paid during the Elliot Ness/Al Capone days in Chicago. I also suspect that at least part of the reason for the Iraq war was to build "permanent" U S bases there.

However, best laid plans of mice and men go oft astray. The King is dead, the bases are built, but the "permanence" is questionable.

Wherever this administration goes, death and destruction follow them as sure as night follows day.