Saudi minister says Iraq headed for disintegration

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N22585835.htm

Saudi minister says Iraq headed for disintegration

WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Iraq is heading toward disintegration, raising fears of a wider regional conflict, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal warned on Thursday.

He said he did not believe the country was engulfed in full-scale civil war but the trend was moving in that direction.

The comments, to journalists invited to meet with the foreign minister at the Saudi Embassy, marked the second time in two days Saud spoke publicly of his alarm over developments in Iraq and appeared to reflect a growing disagreement between the kingdom and the Bush administration.

"Iraq is a very dangerous situation and a very threatening situation," he said.

[Minstrel Boy]

1. Which has always been the intention.

Balkanize Iraq and spread the conflict.

When you realize that peace and stability are the enemies of these criminals, things start making sense.

[drduffy]

11. boy you got that right

[Laelth]

13. I thought PNAC's plan ...

... was to establish a permanent US military presence in the Middle East in a central location (like Iraq) which, not coincidentally, is the home of 20% of the world's oil reserves, with a puppet government controlled by the US. As a bonus, the PNAC folks figured a permanent military presence would make America safer by giving terrorists a nearby target (in their backyard) so that they wouldn't feel the need to attack within the US. Finally, perpetual conflict in the Middle East is good business for the military-industrial complex.

Undoubtedly, this was a misguided and hideous plan. But I have a hard time believing that PNAC wanted what it's actually getting ... perpetual insurgency in IRAQ, Saudi Arabia nervous, and calls for an immediate pull-out on the home front. No, I think things are going very badly for PNAC right now. I don't think what we see now is part of some kind of master plan. What we see now is the utter failure of a very bad plan.

-Laelth

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. Gee, why doesn't the Saudi government send some of its

surplus princes to stabilize it?

[fooj]

3. "We're making progress"---Didn't he get the memo?

OMG! This is just too much. I can't believe how they lie so easily! Shrub doesn't care about Iraq. Just its oil. Like he said this a.m.---"The war is beyond Iraq. It's a GLOBAL war."

I don't feel good about any of this. I never have. Now, things seem to be spiraling out of control! They are OUT OF CONTROL!!! How in the hell do we stop them?

Peace.

[drduffy]

12. ah, the $64,000 question

anybody got any ideas? I sure don't"

[anotherdrew]

16. how do we stop them?

everyone could stop their tax withholding and refuse to pay until they have some meaningful representation in the government. their is some precedent for that. meanwhile everyone would withdraw as much cash money as possible from their banks and sit on it. boycott everything possible until changes are made in the government. demand proportional representation in congress and the senate. Then demand special elections. Then impeach bush, restore Gore, let him put the sane adults back in charge, fire a SHIT-LOAD of people from the military, and most any appointment bush made anywhere in government. Then in about a month a plan to save iraq and ourselves should be do-able, exactly what it will be is too soon to say.

That's all tonights dream at any rate.

[MidwestTransplant]

4. Bandar Bush better get this guy back in line. Somebody didn't get the

talking points.

[sabra]

5. Bandar is MIA, coincidence?

[happyslug]

8. Bandar is gone.

For more on Bandar bin Sultan:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/07/21/news/saudi.php
http://www.ourjerusalem.com/opinion/story/opinion20011118.html
http://www.saudi-us-relations.org/international-relations/prince-bandar.html

He was replaced by the previous Ambassodor to England Prince Turki Al-Faisa, (who had been the head of the Saudi Intelligence before Ambassador to England):
http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/072305Chin/072305chin.html
http://voanews.com/english/2005-07-24-voa28.cfm
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/saudi_arabia/saudi_faisal.html
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/turki-bin-faisal.htm

[cliss]

6. Well, then why don't they do something?

Saudi Arabia is our supplier, for God's sake. They've got us "over a barrel", pun intended. We're the end user.

Why are they such whimps? One phone call to George Einstein, and that would be it. The US is not the "world power" it claims to be. We're a paper tiger.

Do something, then.

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. He has cause for alarm, Iraq is just a warm up for the "insurgency"

that will eventually topple the Saudi royal family.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. Making way for the Oil Nazi.

"No oil for you!"

[Javaman]

10. Obvious man, save me!!!

[kineneb]

14. well, like duh!

I get to say "I told you so." See what happens when ideology trumps logic?

PNAC to world "Why am I in this basket, and where am I going?"

[anotherdrew]

15. these saudi's sure have had a lot of helpful advice lately, what's up ?

"He said he did not believe the country was engulfed in full-scale civil war but the trend was moving in that direction."

So... uh, hows that new Constitution coming? new elections any day now right and that new 'iraqi army' must be coming along real well right? not like they're short a billion dollars, wasted on nothing and worthless equipment, or anything right? I mean, our guys were in there, helping and all right? Not like someone could just drive a billion dollars out of the bank and the country or anything right? how's the go-pill supply holding up? just fine I'm sure. Things have never been better in new, Saddam free, liberated iraq; the land of peace and opportunity, ushering in a new dawn for islamic culture, a bright beacon of hope and democracy. let it shine. :puke: :puke: .. :puke:

[Roland99]

17. Does this mean the rest of the Arab world is going to help out now?

Their absence from helping restore peace in post-invasion Iraq has been quite disconcerting.