President Bush will meet next week with Saudi Arabian Ambassador Prince Bandar as strains between their two countries complicate the president's plans to oust Iraq leader Saddam Hussein. "He's coming to talk about a variety of regional issues," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Friday. The meeting will take place Tuesday at Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. The ranch visit, a coveted diplomatic plum, is designed to smooth relations with the Saudi government after a series of setbacks, including a recommendation to a Pentagon advisory board that the Arab ally be given an ultimatum to stop supporting terrorism or face retaliation.
"Y'all just cool down for now. We'll get to you later, if you haven't changed your ways..." |