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| Primakov sez al-Qaeda's redeploying for Iraq, shills for Soddies |
| 2005-04-18 |
| Former Russian Prime Minister Dr. Yevgeny Primakov has said there is a danger of Al-Qaeda redeploying some of its fighters from an area on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan to Iraq. "This Arab country that is located close to Saudi Arabia can be used by Al-Qaeda as a springboard for spreading its activities to other countries in the region." Dr. Primakov's views are spelled out in a chapter, "Al-Qaeda targets Saudi Arabia", which forms part of the book, "Saudis and Terror" Cross-Cultural Views), which was released at a function held at the Saud Al-Babtain Cultural Center here on Saturday night. A large gathering of Saudi academics, scholars and diplomats was present. The book project, conceived by Dr. Mohammed Al-Bishr, a Saudi political communications specialist, has brought together 27 political thinkers, academics, journalists and writers from around the world. Besides Dr. Primakov, other eminent contributors include Professor Noam Chomsky, Ambassador Edward S. Walker, president of the Middle East Institute, Khaled Almaeena, editor in chief, Arab News, Dr. Faisal ibn Mishael Al-Saud, Dr. Ismat Abdul Maguid, former secretary-general of the Arab League, and many others. In the chapter entitled "9/11 and the campaign against terrorism," Professor Noam Chomsky reviews the actions of the US government in various activities and concludes that it has adopted double standard as in Afghanistan, Iraq and in the Balkans, where Israel, along with Ukraine and Greece, was arming the Serbs. Pointing out that there was no evidence linking the Saudi government with the 9/11 events, Almaeena refers to the 9/11 Commission set up by President George W. Bush and the US Congress. "The commission absolved Saudi Arabia of any involvement in the 9/11 attacks, in the money trail, in events beforehand such as the 1998 embassy attacks in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salam and the attack on the USS Cole at Aden in 2000. It found the Kingdom had provided no assistance nor support for the terrorists." Asked how he embarked on the book project, Dr. Al-Bishr, the head of the research team, told Arab News that he thought of it after the intensive media campaign against the Kingdom, the Arab world and Islam. These media campaigns were biased and misconceived. "So we decided to approach the academics and researchers in the Kingdom and elsewhere in order to bring out the truth and present the real facts to the public about Islam, our country and our society." He said all the papers have been published without any change in the text. While the book has been brought out in Arabic and English, its publication in French, German and other languages, including the Asian ones, is on the cards. It will be dispatched to all think tanks abroad. Commenting on the book, British Ambassador Sherard Cowper-Coles said the launch of the project shows that the members of the Saudi intelligentsia and the government are taking seriously the threat of terrorism, which has, in fact, become an international phenomenon. The ambassador said that besides the intellectual debate, the cancer of terrorism has to be fought at all levels-educational, political, economic and social in addition to the tough security measures that have been seen. Asked whether the US government's effort to refurbish its image in the Middle East will succeed by creating the post of public diplomacy, Dr. Ahmed Saifuddin, professor of mass communications at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, said: "I can see failure in the beginning of this diplomacy, because it is not supported by good intentions and also good actions on the ground. The invasion of Afghanistan and invasion and occupation of Iraq have not only shattered the image of the US in the Arab world but throughout the world. I hope these people will convey to the US administration the true sentiments of Arabs." He was referring to the appointment of Karen Hughes as the undersecretary of public diplomacy and Dina Powell as assistant undersecretary. "Not only the politicians but also the academics, Islamic scholars and Imams carry a lot of weight with the masses. They could serve as a barometer of Arab public opinion in Washington," he said. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #6 The way I read it is that AL Q is getting thier ass' stomped in Iraq and need re-enforcment. |
| Posted by: raptor 2005-04-18 5:21:12 PM |
| #5 Isn't Primakov renowned for his visceral hatred for Israel? |
| Posted by: .com 2005-04-18 12:21:32 PM |
| #4 It doesn't hold water. Let's look at it this way: First: Al Quaiada has never, ever, ever tried to kill one of the thousands of Saudi "princes". It is imposssible to protect them all but not a single try on their lives. Second: Al Quaida has never, ever, ever tried to bomb the oil industry. Conclusion Al Quaida and the Saudi regime are fleh and nail. |
| Posted by: JFM 2005-04-18 12:13:56 PM |
| #3 Primakov's comments may be worth a hearing. He's an old soviet bastard but he also has real expertise in the area and also has access to intelligence sources that we lack. |
| Posted by: thibaud (aka lex) 2005-04-18 10:58:08 AM |
| #2 This is so much Soddy BS that it barely needs comment (but I will anyway;) Since when does anyone care what Chumpsky or Primakov have to say? Grist for the wanker cocktail-circuit. |
| Posted by: Spot 2005-04-18 8:26:42 AM |
| #1 Reality avoidance can be so much fun... but it makes running headlong into reality so much more painful later. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-04-18 6:44:54 AM |