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Riyadh slams The Briefing
Saudi officials and newspapers responded Wednesday to a briefing given to a Pentagon advisory board that described the kingdom as an enemy of the United States and active on all levels of terrorism. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal described the briefing as "pure fiction", stressing that relations were "excellent in all fields." "Things couldn't be better. We are fine. How are you?" "A current has been growing recently in Washington to undermine the historical relations between the kingdom and the United States, at the instigation of certain quarters who are enemies to Saudi Arabia," Okaz daily said. "The danger of this group lies in its great penetration of the institutions that decide US foreign policy." "Cheeze! Those suckers noticed! What do we do now? I know! We'll deny everything!" Okaz said the anti-Saudi campaign in the aftermath of September 11 had influenced decision-makers in Washington "who have opened the way for this fierce attack which makes our most friendly country the most dangerous to our interests and security." They mean that a considerable faction in the U.S. doesn't want to play games with Insidious International Criminal Masterminds⢠and is willing to beat the crap out of them... After speaking over the phone with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Prince Saud said: "The two countries have been friends and allies for over 60 years. "It is unfortunate that there are people in some quarters who are trying to cast doubt and undermine the solid and historic ties between our two countries. I am confident that they will not succeed." The official SPA agency noted that Secretary Powell "reiterated the US governments's long-standing position regarding the close and historic ties between the two countries, and emphasized that there is no change in the strong relations between them." "Oh, of course, Princie, old pal. It's all a tempest in a teacup. But just for form's sake, maybe you want to think about toning down the preachers on Fridays and cutting the money flow to the people who want to kill us? Be a nice move to kinda defuse the tensions, y'know?" US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for his part said Tuesday the July 10 briefing by Rand Corp. analyst Laurent Murawiec "did not represent the views of the government, it did not represent the views of the Defense Policy Board." "You don't want to know what the real views of the Defense Policy Board are. We don't use that kinda language in public statements." Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2002-08-07 |
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