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| Zionist remark could mean new rift with Washington |
| 2004-05-05 |
| Only days after the State Department praised Saudi Arabia for its âaggressiveâ and âunprecedentedâ campaign to hunt down terrorists,â Crown Prince Abdullahâthe countryâs de facto ruler-has startled Bush administration officials by blaming âZionistsâ and âfollowers of Satanâ for recent terrorist acts in the kingdom. âWe can be certain that Zionism is behind everything,â Abdullah told a gathering of leading government officials and academics in Jeddah as he talked about the weekend attack on attack on oil workers, which killed six people, including two Americans. âI donât say 100 percent, but 95 percent.â The comments were cited by stunned Bush administration officials and other Mideast watchers today as an ominous sign of possible new rifts in the U.S.-Saudi alliance. Although some top Saudi officials, notably Interior Minister Prince Nayef, have in the past made similar remarks, Crown Prince Abdullah has never before appeared to blame his countryâs internal troubles on the Israelisâa position that is anathema to Washington. The U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, James C. Oberwetter, plans to meet Wednesday with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal to seek âclarificationâ of Abdullahâs comments, a State Department official told NEWSWEEK late Tuesday. âWeâve seen these remarks and, if the Crown Prince in fact made them, we would strongly disagree with such an assertion and consider it unhelpful,â the official said, adding that the State Department planned to withhold further comment until after the meeting. Yet the normally smooth and pro-Western Saud may not prove the most receptive audience for Oberwetterâs visit. The Saudi Foreign Minister seemed to echo his brotherâs remarks in his comments today, telling reporters in Jeddah that last Saturdayâs attack on oil workers in the industrial city of Yanbu-which have jolted the oil industryâ had fed into âa Zionist campaignâ to shake the Saudi monarchy, according to a Reuters report. In an apparent attempt to provide some evidence for his comments, Saud claimed that one of two Saudis who had been linked to the attack were believed to be followers of two well-known London-based Saudi dissidents, Saad al-Fagih and Mohammed al-Masâari, who, according to the Saudi foreign minister, are being financed by Israel. No evidence of such links has ever been made public. "This shows how desperate and hopeless they are," Fagih told NEWSWEEK in a telephone interview from London. "This is like saying George Bush is sponsoring bin Laden." Some former Mideast diplomats today seemed flabbergasted by the remarks by the two Saudi leaders and at a loss to explain them. âIt doesnât make sense to me,â said Chas Freeman, a former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the first Bush administration. âI just canât understand it.â âItâs terribly disappointing that they [the Saudi rulers] resort to this kind of stuff,â says Edward Walker, a former veteran U.S. diplomat and now president of the Middle East Institute, a Washington based group that has received funding from Saudi Arabia. âThey know damn well whatâs happening.â For Crown Prince Abdullah to now engage in the same rhetoric creates awkward new dilemmas. The U.S.-Saudi relationship has been under persistent political attack in the United States, especially from leading members of Congress who blame the Saudis for failing to crack down on terrorist financing in their country and promoting religious extremism. One such member, Democratic senator Charles Schumer of New York, today suggested that Abdullahâs comments were evidence that the Saudi regime may be disconnected from reality. âIf the Saudis are going to continue to deny reality and live in a dream world, then their regime will be short-lived,â Schumer told NEWSWEEK. Ironically, the Bush administration attempted to quell such criticism by issuing a new report last week that lavishly praised the Saudis for a renewed effort to crackdown on terrorism in the wake of last Mayâs deadly bombing at a housing compound in Riyadh. âI would cite Saudi Arabia as an excellent example of a nation increasingly focusing its political will to fight terrorism,â U.S. Ambassador Cofer Black, the State Departmentâs coordinator for counter-terrorism, said in a statement accompanying the departmentâs release of its annual âPatterns of Global Terrorismâ report. Stating that Riyadh bombings and other attacks had âserved to strengthen Saudi resolve,â Black praised the Saudis for a number of initiatives that included arresting more than 600 suspects and working more closely with U.S. officials on anti-terror financing and money laundering initiatives. Black also complimented the Saudis for initiating an ideological campaign against Islamic terrorist organizations that included statements by senior Saudi officials espousing âa consistent message of moderation and toleration.â As is often the case with controversial comments by Saudi rulers, U.S. officials were a bit at a loss as to how to respond to them. One official noted that there were different translations of the Crown Princeâs comments and that some Saudi newspapers had deleted Abdullahâs references to âZionists,â using instead the less inflammatory word âforeigners.â The countryâs leading English-language newspaper, Arab News, which is widely read in the West, did not carry any account of Abdullahâs remarks. An account in the Arab language Al-Riyadh newspaper, translated for NEWSWEEK and running on Sunday under the headline, âOur Country is Targeted, Zionist Hands Behind Whatâs Happening,â states that Abdullah expressed anger to a group of visitors over the Saturday attack in Yanbu. In the attack, a group of Saudi militants sprayed gunfire in the offices of a Houston-based oil contractor, killing two Americans and four others and injuring 25 people. âOur country is targeted,â the story quotes Abdullah as saying. âYou know who is behind all of this. It is Zionism. This is clear now.â The attackâthe latest in a spate of terrorist incidents in the kingdomâwas particularly alarming because it threatens to cause further disruptions in world oil markets. The U.S. Embassy has redoubled its efforts to warn American workers in the country to leave and that exodus alone could threaten Saudi oil production. Oil industry expert Philip Verleger, a fellow at the Institute for International Economics, said that the incident in Yanbu was especially worrisome because the Saudis have repeatedly assured American contacts that security in that oilfield complex is very tight. What is troubling, Verleger said, is not that incidents in the Saudi oil fields will stop the production of Saudi crude, but rather that such incidents will cause both foreign and Saudi engineers and skilled workers to leave the region or the kingdom. Even more potentially damaging, Verleger says, would be for terrorists to somehow shut down, either through a direct attack or by intimidating operating personnel, a number of oil refineries in Saudi Arabia which produce special gasoline blends formulated for the American market. Although those refineries have not been attacked and are still believed to be operating normally, they are fragile, heavily automated plants which could be hobbled by a loss of a relatively small number of personnel, or, alternatively, by a serious terror attack. If terrorists succeed by one stratagem or another in taking down some of the Saudi-based refineries, Verleger said, "it is really, really frightening." A shutdown or big attack on one of the refineries could produce a quick rise in U.S. retail gasoline prices of 50 cents to $1 per gallon, Verleger told NEWSWEEK. If crude production is ultimately curbed by the flight of personnel or a direct attack, Verleger says, the world price of crude could soar to $60 to $70 per barrel unless the United States and other oil-consuming countries dipped into their strategic petroleum reserves to help stabilize the market. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #23 yeah thats it--bin laden is a zionist--yessir--that's the ticket--al zawahiri's a jew--this freakin' jew hating drives sand monkeys mad |
| Posted by: SON OF TOLUI TROLL 2004-05-05 2:03:11 AM |
| #22 [Troll droppings deleted] |
| Posted by: Man Bites Dog TROLL 2004-05-05 2:03:11 AM |
| #21 #17 - Necessity is the mother of invention. When we really, truly are down to the last few year's worth of light sweet crude, we'll get some fine new technology. I'm an optimist. What can I say? As for your statement on SUVs... no one has to drive them. People drive them because they want to. It's really quite simple. They could all drive Priuses. But they don't want to. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2004-05-05 7:00:08 PM |
| #20 We ought to put a wind farm in Nantucket just to piss off Teddy Kennedy We can tune these babies, we have the technology... make 'em moan We Float, We Float, We Float |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-05-05 6:04:15 PM |
| #19 Alaska Paul- Ted Kennedy IS the windmill in Nantucket ;-) |
| Posted by: Anonymous4152 2004-05-05 5:50:13 PM |
| #18 Reality check for Abdullah: If the "Zionists" (Israelis) were in Arabia, you and you ilk would be dead, asshole. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-05-05 4:58:50 PM |
| #17 Before you guys start calling me an environmental nut....why the hell don't we start getting more energy efficient? Yeah, yeah, I know.....lots of energy locked up in the ANWR. Doesn't mean we all have to drive huge friggin' SUVs that are bigger than my old college dorm room (ever try to park one of those suckers? Damn.) I'm probably not one to talk, since the Vette is a gas guzzler. I'm guilty as charged, and won't give the damn thing up even if gas goes to $5 a gallon. But still.....wouldn't that be the best way to make the Arabs shut up? By choking on their damn oil in the first place? Not like they have anything else to offer the world. I'm still amazed that where I live they don't do more with solar energy. Yeah, the technology so far on it isn't that great, but isn't that why you do research...to improve technology? Hell, I just wish the Joooooos were doing something with that. That would really get Abdullah's panties in a twist, wouldn't it? |
| Posted by: Desert Blondie 2004-05-05 3:25:46 PM |
| #16 Why f-up more of our diminishing natural areas when enviro-friendly alternatives exist? (#13) And isn't it true that Indonesia would be a good ally regarding oil. I know the Islamoidz have their eyes on it, sure as shootin'. |
| Posted by: ex-lib 2004-05-05 3:06:43 PM |
| #15 Steve White---There is alot of work still being done up here in trying to get a gas pipeline out of Prudhoe Bay through Canada and on to the midwest. Market forces seem to favor Indonesia and LNG, but security would sure favor opening up Prudhoe gas to export. Directional drilling has come a long way. They are drilling for gas down in the Kenai, Alaska area on shore and going laterally 15,000 ft, which is almost 3 miles. I could see that kind of technology being applied off the coast of California if you can overcome the the enviroweenies objections. All this stuff needs to be done, now. We need action on many front, not just putting our eggs in pie in the sky baskets. We ought to put a wind farm in Nantucket just to piss off Teddy Kennedy. There was a windmill in Nantucket...... |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-05-05 2:28:38 PM |
| #14 Last week I called Abdullah a good man who is out of his element. I take back the "good" Please feel free to use other adjectives, Ranters. The FM? Mr. Princeton? I guess Bernard Lewis was never one of his professors. |
| Posted by: Michael 2004-05-05 2:06:57 PM |
| #13 Plant out of Missouri that processes biowaste into petroleum products at an 80% effeciency rate.Get a few of these big mothers running and kiss the rag-heads good-bye. ROTARY CLUB NOTES The first commercial Renewable Environmental Solutions plant will be operational in Carthage in about two weeks, Don Sanders, operating manager of the plant, told Carthage Rotary Club Thursday night (August 7) at Broadview Country Club. Sanders said the plant, which will convert waste from the Butterball Turkey Plant into renewable energy, is in the final construction stages and once operational, ground will be broken at five other locations in the United States and Italy. Changing World Technologies, which is in partnership with ConAgra in the local plant, will build, license and operate future plants. Plans are to build five plants a year. The five plants scheduled this year are partially funded by the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition to the plant in Italy, others will be at Enterprise, Ala., Longmont, Colo., and Reno and Tahoe, Nev. The Carthage plant received $5 million EPA funding. The plant uses the same process as the earth did in converting dinosaur remains into fossil energy. He explained how waste products from the turkey plant that are not food products are processed through a depolymerization technique using pressure and heat. A pulp-like mixture resembling pumpkin pie filling is first converted to fertilizer, followed by a liquid fertizer, fatty acids that can be converted to plastics and a breakdown into carbons that eventually convert to diesel fuel and oil that can be sold to a refinery. The final product from the carbon is coal. The only waste, Sanders said, is water, which because of the process, is clean. The plant, with a capacity of 200 tons of material a day, will not be overtaxed by Butterball because of its seasonal operation which has periods of low production. But Sanders noted that underground tanks of grease at many area restaurants would provide enough waste material for the plant to operate without Butterball's waste. The speaker was introduced by Joe Adrian, program chairman. |
| Posted by: Anonymous4152 2004-05-05 1:23:06 PM |
| #12 ANWR and Prudhoe West would help, but a pipeline from them to the upper Midwest (with a spigot in Manitoba) would help as much or more. The natural gas sitting up north would make a substantial difference in the lower 48. And then we need to be less squeamish about drilling just offshore in places like California, the Florida panhandle and Cape Hatteras. And then we need to build a few new refineries, remodel some old ones, and reform the silly EPA gasoline formulation rules. And help the Canadians develop the Albertan oil sands/shales. And help the oppressed peoples of the Republic of Eastern Arabia, a 40-km strip of land .... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2004-05-05 1:10:39 PM |
| #11 Crown Prince Abdullah was blaming âZionistsâ and âfollowers of Satanâ for recent terrorist acts in the kingdom. âWe can be certain that Zionism is behind everything,â Yeah, Prince, a bunch of them jooos are hidin' under your bed. Better call your footman and his broom to get 'em out of there! LET'S DRILL IN ANWAR! NOW! |
| Posted by: BigEd 2004-05-05 12:26:42 PM |
| #10 ANWR would help, so would the petroleum reserve west of Prudhoe Bay, Alberta, etc. The point is that it will take a crisis like Saudi Arabia going down to wake us up, much less the rest of the world. On BOTH sides of the aisle, from Dimmis to Repubs we have seen ZERO leadership and commitment in getting us off the ME oil tit since the warning embargo of '73. And that started by our dear allies, the Saudies. This country HAS to get off bottom dead center with respect to energy supply, and that is and will be a MAJOR effort. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-05-05 11:24:11 AM |
| #9 We wouldn't need Arabia's oil if we had opened up the Alaska Wildlife Refuge Reserves Reality check - the high end projection of ANWR production is about 10% of what SA alone produces today, and about 40% less than what we alone import from them. A start, but no replacement. Even if we get ourselves off the OPEC tit, we're still a trading nation and the rest of the world economy is going to remain hostage to them for a long time. |
| Posted by: VAMark 2004-05-05 10:11:37 AM |
| #8 Does Antisemite write Abdullah's speeches--or does he write hers? |
| Posted by: BMN 2004-05-05 9:27:28 AM |
| #7 Actually, if terrorists hit the plants, it might be a blessing. In the short term it would really hurt, but (hopefully) it would be enough to get us off the OPEC oil tit. We have a lot of new technoligies that weren't around during the 70s and could use them fairly quickly and then tell OPEC to go to hell. |
| Posted by: LC Matthew 2004-05-05 2:38:21 AM |
| #6 Alberta tar sands. Don't forget the oil shale. We'll be waiting... |
| Posted by: Attaboid 2004-05-05 2:23:06 AM |
| #5 Charles, bro, thats so un PC. But ask yourselves Burgundians. Who profits by our refusal to drill? Follow the money! |
| Posted by: Lucky 2004-05-05 2:20:18 AM |
| #4 [Troll droppings deleted] |
| Posted by: Man Bites Dog TROLL 2004-05-05 2:03:11 AM |
| #3 We wouldn't need Arabia's oil if we had opened up the Alaska Wildlife Refuge Reserves. We have ways to work around the eco-system, yet we still can't open them up! And Saudi dependancy is the result. |
| Posted by: Charles 2004-05-05 1:48:05 AM |
| #2 Charles Schumer: âIf the Saudis are going to continue to deny reality and live in a dream world, then their regime will be short-lived,â Clown Prince Abdullah ... bringing Chuck Schumer and Rantburgers together. The man's a miracle worker. |
| Posted by: Kirk 2004-05-05 12:58:55 AM |
| #1 US gas has already gone up 50 cents/gallon since December. Don't worry about the expense, Arabia going off line would probably cause shortages and rationing. All those foreigners working in a country which despises them, discriminates against them and occasionally persecutes them -- that never made any sense to me. Stock up on canned goods... |
| Posted by: Tresho 2004-05-05 12:33:01 AM |