The sickening friendship between the US and Saudi Arabia

[Catherina]

Fascinating stuff. Plenty of good stuff removed from the middle.


US embassy cables: Saudi king's advice for Barack Obama


1. KEY POINTS

-- (S) Saudi King Abdullah welcomed White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan, S/WCI Ambassador Williamson, and Ambassador Fraker to his private palace March 15 for a 90-minute discussion focused on U.S. Saudi-relations, counterterrorism cooperation, the Yemeni Guantanamo Bay detainees, Iran, and Iraq.

-- (S) Brennan presented the King with a letter from President Obama expressing a personal message of friendship, appreciation for our close and collaborative relationship and concern over the disposition of Yemeni detainees at Guantanamo.

-- (S) The King said he had told Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki only minutes before that Iran should stop interfering in Arab affairs, and had given Iran a one-year deadline to improve its relations with Saudi Arabia.

-- (S) The King expressed a complete lack of trust in Iraqi PM al-Maliki and held out little hope for improved Saudi/Iraqi relations as long as al-Maliki remains in office.

-- (S) When asked what advice he had for President Obama, the King said he had "one request": that it was "critically important to restore America's credibility" in the world.

U.S. SAUDI RELATIONS

2. (S) PLEDGES OF FRIENDSHIP: Brennan asserted that the U.S./Saudi alliance must remain strong, and assured the King of President Obama's wishes for a long and healthy U.S./Saudi relationship, and the President's personal commitment that Saudi Arabia had a friend in the White House. The King replied that he appreciated the sentiments and that he had great respect for President Obama. "We (the U.S. and Saudi Arabia) spilled blood together" in Kuwait and Iraq, the King continued, and Saudi Arabia valued this tremendously. Friendship can be a difficult issue that requires work, Abdullah said, but the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have done it for 70 years over three generations. "Our disagreements don,t cut to the bone," he stated.

...

Finally, Brennan said the President wanted the King to know he had a good friend in the White House who would be willing to assist in any way that he could. The King thanked Mr. Brennan, said he appreciated the sentiments, said that he had great respect for President Obama, and reflected that we had been great friends for many years and would remain friends as our disagreements were minor.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/198178?intcmp=239

[gateley]

1. We don't have a friendship. We just kiss their ass as we've been

doing for decades. We're addicted to their dope. Won't ever change until we find other sources of energy.

Obama's doing what Presidents have had to do all along - only difference is Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld (and who knows who else?) made sure we stayed dependent and made a killing off of their interests.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

2. OIL

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Oil and those arms we just sold them.

[Pavulon]

8. They will need them now.

the Iran angle could get warm now.

[tabasco]

12. Eeeeeeeek!!!

DRAMA QUEEN!!!

[Enthusiast]

17. LOL! nt

[2Design]

4. the country responsible for the 911 attack and 18 hijackers

yes we are kissing the wrong people and creating further problems

[TBF]

9. Recommend this post .nt

[Enthusiast]

18. Me too nt

[fascisthunter]

14. How Come we aren't Invading Saudi Arabia....

exactly

[xchrom]

5. Recommend

[GrpCaptMandrake]

6. I was expecting

a disclosure from WikiLeaks that the King slipped DimLeader the tongue back when they were a smoochin' amongst the bluebells.

[Pavulon]

7. Saudi bought the largest arm sales in history from us this year. After this dump

they may well need them. Iran will be reacting. The credibility request in a dumped diplomatic cable is classic.

[XemaSab]

10. Islamofascism is REAL, it's a REAL THREAT, and our "good friend" Saudi Arabia is ground zero

n/t

[Arctic Dave]

11. "a long and healthy U.S./Saudi relationship,"

If we were serious about ending the occupation in the middle east we should have emptied our entire tomahawk arsenal into every saudi palace and military base. Nip the problem in the bud.

[Catherina]

15. Some stuff that won't play well on the Arab streets

"Israel tried to coordinate the Gaza war with the Palestinian Authority, classified diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks said on Sunday, adding that both the PA and Egypt refused to take control of the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/wikileaks-expose-israel-tried-to-coordinate-gaza-war-with-abbas-1.327487?localLinksEnabled=false


"Senator Voinovich asked Soliman why the Israelis continue to report problems with Egypt's anti-smuggling efforts. Soliman said that the Israelis do not complain to him directly, and that GOI-GOE cooperation and exchange of information continues. He was at a loss as to why Israeli politicians continue to criticize Egypt publicly."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/136139


"Siniora expressed his thanks for sustained U.S. military assistance to Lebanon and asserted that U.S. security assistance had contributed to the positive outcome of the June 7 Lebanese parliamentary elections."

http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable/2009/07/09BEIRUT818.html

[JNelson6563]

13. Pretty standard diplomatic stuff.

I still don't think I'll ever hear the equal to Hillary Clinton saying "...my friend, Lee Atwater..."

It's all part of the game aka "International diplomacy".

Julie

[IDemo]

16. advice he had for President Obama...

begin building bicycles by the millions.