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| Arabia |
| Farewell to Saudi |
| 2003-08-27 |
| The US air force quietly deactivated its 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing at Prince Sultan Air Base Tuesday, marking the end of an era of US air patrols to safeguard the oil-rich kingdom against Iraq. Air Force Major General Robert Elder, the deputy commander of US air forces in the region, led a ceremony disbanding the unit at the remote desert base. Goodbye, Saudi. Thanks for nothing. The base in Al-Kharj, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Riyadh, once was the home of the largest US air operations in the region with a state-of-the-art command center, thousands of troops, and squadrons of fighter jets, AWACS radar surveillance and tanker planes. But on April 30, US Defense Secretary announced that the United States would withdraw its combat forces from the kingdom, effectively ending a 13-year military presence because Iraq no longer posed a threat. The combined air operations center was moved out the same day to neighboring Qatar, followed by about 100 aircraft stationed there at the end of the war in Iraq. Most of those left behind were "support folks, security folks, civil engineers who were shutting down operations," said Arasin. "They’ll either be returned to their home stations or forward deployed somewhere else in theater," he said. Pentagon officials say several hundred US military personnel remain in Saudi Arabia, performing tasks such as training and tending to military sales. Around 50 trucks were lining up outside the base Tuesday, ready to move remaining US military equipment to Qatar, while reception premises for coalition force were shut and placards bearing the sign "welcome to the coalition forces" were thrown away. In related news, Saudi officials were puzzled over the sudden appearance of a large "X" painted on the ground in the middle of Prince Sultan Air Base. Developing. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #13 ...When I was at PSAB, one of our daily jobs was to keep the sand off the Defense Survey markers at every mag or revetment. These had the GPS coordinates of the site on them, engraved on a brass disk that was then set into concrete. When I asked why every mag had one, I was told - and take this for what it's worth - that the coordinates were for whatever we sent in to level the place if it was about to be overrun. And every building at PSAB had one. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2003-8-28 12:10:41 AM |
| #12 Just an "X"? The local Saudi supply of paint must have been lacking. I'd have expected a large painting of concentric circles with a nice 'bullseye' in the middle. Target practice, anyone? |
| Posted by: Kathy K 2003-8-27 9:06:30 PM |
| #11 Pappy...not to worry. When we lost Vietnam, we had to sit back and watch the USSR move in because we were in a nuclear stand-off with them, and it wasn't worth fighting WWIII over the issue. If the Big Oil Tick Tribe goes down, we'll blow Prince Sultan and the rest of their military facilities so fast it'll make their little heads spin. |
| Posted by: Watcher 2003-8-27 9:00:22 PM |
| #10 In spite of the problems we have had with the Saudis, one area that officialdom there never really questioned was the role of our AF elements based in Al-Kharj. Sometimes we have to take what hosts are willing to give and move on in spite of the friction involved. Patience is a virtue. The clincher is that the Prince Sultan airbase is still a viable facility, and usable should the House of Saud fall or the wrong elements in the Saud rabble win control. Cam Ranh Bay redux. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2003-8-27 8:43:01 PM |
| #9 In spite of the problems we have had with the Saudis, one area that officialdom there never really questioned was the role of our AF elements based in Al-Kharj. Sometimes we have to take what hosts are willing to give and move on in spite of the friction involved. Patience is a virtue. |
| Posted by: Michael 2003-8-27 4:49:44 PM |
| #8 In spite of the problems we have had with the Saudis, one area that officialdom there never really questioned was the role of our AF elements based in Al-Kharj. Sometimes we have to take what hosts are willing to give and move on in spite of the friction involved. Patience is a virtue. |
| Posted by: Michael 2003-8-27 4:49:38 PM |
| #7 How many US citizen-infidels are still left in Saudistan? |
| Posted by: Tresho 2003-8-27 4:03:52 PM |
| #6 I think the was meant to be a target for coalition bombing, not disrupting further use of the base. Leveling the base with tactical nukes would be effective too. |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-8-27 2:36:55 PM |
| #5 We should take a tip from Mayor Daley in Chicago and bulldoze an "X" in the runways (ala Meigs field) in the middle of the night. |
| Posted by: Spot 2003-8-27 1:35:35 PM |
| #4 In related news, Saudi officials were puzzled over the sudden appearance of a large "X" painted on the ground in the middle of Prince Sultan Air Base. Developing. Send in a bunch of engineers to say "Gee, these runways aren't safe to land or move aircraft. They'll have to come up." Then send in the heavy equipment... |
| Posted by: Pappy 2003-8-27 1:35:04 PM |
| #3 We should of expanded the perimeter and demanded tribute. |
| Posted by: Lucky 2003-8-27 12:29:56 PM |
| #2 The delivery of 6 C-130's full of wild boar from Arkansas was not noted in this story for some reason. A successful use of the "trap and release" program by the Arkansas Dept. of Wildlife. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2003-8-27 11:13:12 AM |
| #1 Too bad we couldn't spirit some of those American women and children to Kuwait, too. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-8-27 10:48:42 AM |