Could someone pls help me with some resources on Iraq, Saudi Arabia

[complain jane]

As many here already know from my pesty questions, I'm on this PNAC kick lately and I've become quite familiar with them. But I have a question now about Saudi Arabia & oil.

If Saudi Arabia's the biggest oil producer (and I hope I have that correct) in the world, how are they feeling about our invasion of Iraq to gain more control over Arab oil (which obviously I believe is the case), and second, what were the Saudis' feelings about us invading Iraq in the first place (being that we were attacking an Arab nation even though the Bush's and Saud's are shiny happy people together)?

Even just a link anyone could point me to that sums up the answer would be much appreciated.

[pk_du]

cant vouch for the accuracy but this piece is interesting

http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/attack/consequences/2003/0305howwill.htm

<snip>
Oil production in a post-war Iraq is likely to rival that of OPEC heavyweight Saudi Arabia within nine years as its output almost triples because of financial needs and huge crude reserves, a report suggested Wednesday. If the Iraqi regime is toppled the country's production capacity is expected to soar from a current level of 2.8 million barrels per day (bpd) to 8.0 million over nine years, the Centre for Global Energy Studies (CGES) said.
<snip>


more to follow...

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[burrowowl]

2. Google and

go to http://www.pinr.com and search!

[complain jane]

8. Nice site, thank you.

[pk_du]

3. This was the official Saudi view in 2002 on war with Iraq

http://www.iraqwatch.org/government/Saudi/saudi-jubeir-081502.htm

<snip>
We have also said - we live right next to him, remember Jan, and we're the country most threatened by him - we have also said that there has to be a legal sanction. A case has to be made. We have not seen this case being made. And we have said that diplomacy seems to be working, let's give it a chance.

Has anybody thought through the consequences of war in terms of human suffering? In terms of financial cost? In terms of impact on the region? Has anybody ever thought through what the day after will look like? Is Iraq going to be dismembered? Who is going to take over?

This is not - we're not playing video games here. This is very serious.

Has anybody thought about the resources that have to be spread thin? You have one war in Afghanistan, you have another between war Israelis and Palestinians. The last thing the region needs is another war, in terms of Iraq.

And so the point we make - which is the point that the Germans and the French and the British and the Australians and the Spanish and virtually every country in the world makes - is, let's think this through. Let's make the case, and let's see - and let's give diplomacy a chance. And if we can allow the inspectors back into Iraq, we will have achieved the objective without firing a single bullet.

And the irony of this is the inspectors on the ground have been able to do more damage to Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program than all of the bombings combined.

Let's try it.

HOPKINS: Thanks very much, Adel Al-Jubeir.

<snip>

[Tinoire]

5. What a horrible statement to read... They were so right. As were we.

This is not - we're not playing video games here. This is very serious.

[pk_du]

4. And here is the official Saudi view right before the war

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2773759.stm

<snip>
Saudi Arabia has warned the United States against a possible war against Iraq in an exclusive interview with the BBC.
<snip>

[Tinoire]

6. Good question and answers. Thanks. Hope more people weigh in!

Thank you for asking this. And thanks for the answers posted!

[complain jane]

9. I really appreciate the help,

DU's been such a big help in learning more about what goes on in the world than tv news. I was friggen absolutely clueless before Bush, I couldn't have cared any less about politics or foreign policy. I know my questions must sound so stupid sometimes and I appreciate all the time and patience I've found in other DU'ers here.

Thanks!

[Tinoire]

12. Your questions don't sound stupid at all. It took a lot of reading

and a lot of asking questions/discussing for most of us to start understanding what was going on. I'll bet you were happier before Bush too - like me.

Just keep reading-especially LBN and you'll be answering other people's questions in no time. I wish I could help you more with this one but the twisted relationship between the US & SA isn't one of my best areas.

Hope 2005 is a better year for all of us. Peace

[firebee]

7. This is the deal... QUIT LOOKING AT THE NATIONS!!!

Start looking at who's doing business with who. Why doesn't Saudi Arabia care if we're jackin' Iraq? Because they're INVESTED IN OUR OIL COMPANIES!!!! You see... the Bush family and their cohorts are in business with the Saudi royal family and their cohorts. The Saudis weren't making money off the Iraqi oil before this war, but... THEY ARE NOW!!!

NOW... Tell me why we didn't bomb Saudi Arabia when 19 of the hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, Osama Bin Laden's from Saudi Arabia and well... the majority of our terrorists are coming from Saudi Arabia? Oh well... everybody in that country hates us and wants to kill us, but we're makin' money with the f#<kers in charge, so we'll leave em' alone.

When corruption is at play... FOLLOW THE MONEY!!!

[complain jane]

10. I know.

This much, I know; at least as far as us seeming to ignore Saudi Arabia after 9/11 even though that's where the hijackers came from (and they refused to freeze the hijackers' assets afterwards).

I saw F9/11, I learned about PNAC and I created PNAC.us I just don't get the Saudi - US thing. Looks like they hate us but... they don't.

?

[complain jane]

11. ok so could it be that

we invaded Iraq with Saudi Arabia's blessing (under the radar)? They couldn't attack Iraq themselves because they're Arabs, so we did it instead as was planned years ago in RAD, and they're making a fortune off it through us? But I thought they hated us, or do they not hate us, just the extremists inside their country?

[Tinoire]

13. Hmm

As I said, this isn't my area but I don't think SA wanted us anywhere near Iraq. From reading LBN daily at the time, my assessment was that they were very concerned about how it would destabilize the ME and weren't in favor of it. The US at the time, kept churning out stories about how SA was going to allow them to expand their bases there as if to present SA with a media fait accompli but SA kept refusing.

I think the SA government LOVES Bush - they're business partners- but they're still Arabs and they know how precarious their power base is.

[Tinoire]

14. Kick - Can anyone shed some light for Dogfish? n/t

[Tinoire]

15. Check your in-box n/t

[complain jane]

16. Thank you-

that site was very informative.

:thumbsup:

[theboss]

17. Trying to figure out the Saudi position on anything is troubling

First of all, the opinion of the Saudi royal family is not the same as Saudi Street. And the princes are masters of saying one thing that appeases the Street while saying the exact opposite in Washington and somehow managing to come up with a third opinion with OPEC.

What do I think the Saudis think?

1. I doubt they miss Saddam at all. He was no longer a serious military threat since his military was in shambles and the US would defend SA. But he was capable of causing trouble and the last thing the Saudis want is the image of US soldiers defending the regime.

2. I am sure they are very concerned with how this will impact OPEC and the world oil markets. They've been the key player in this game since the 70s. But a US-Iraqi alliance would almost certainly end their domination of the world markets. But at the same time, I am sure the princes have cut some backroom deal to protect themselves.

3. They almost certainly don't like the instability next door. No country does. But as long as Iraq remains a bubbling cauldron, they can probably live with it. In fact, it gives an outlet to all the disaffected young men who may otherwise be plotting against them. The royals again have always been masters at turning anger against any other source - generally the US.

4. Having said that, they certainly don't want a fundamentalist takeover next door. Because they would be next to fall and they would either have to flee or die.

5. They probably like the fact that US bases are moving to Iraq. That's what really pissed Bin Laden and his ilk off.

In the end, unless Iraq becomes a fundamentalist state, the Saudi royals will find a way to muddle through, keep making the US look like the bad guy, while selling us their oil.

[Tinoire]

18. Very good summary... Thanks