Article

2004-05-02 Arabia

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Posted by Fred 2004-05-02 1:08:42 AM|| || Front Page|| [7 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Why, I'm not sure, but no one is saying the obvious: this is an Aramco facility - one of 5 oil refineries in-Kingdom. I know people in Yanbu and it was considered a very quiet (too quiet!) posting, something like being sent to Siberia - except for the fact that the weather is better (read: it is greener and more temperate) on the Western coasts of countries in that latitude, generally speaking. This is the same as an attack on an important Saudi Gov't facility. BUT, and here's the rub they sought, killing their pet ExPats, especially the engineers, will have the desired consequences. I am sure some will now get their families out. If there is a second attack on Expats - many will leave very very quickly and Aramco, despite the endless BS about Saudiazation and vehement protests to the contrary, will begin to suffer. They don't pay these guys what they pay them for fun. The good ExPat engrs keep the plants tuned up for max output.

Posted by .com 2004-05-02 1:46:42 AM|| 2004-05-02 1:46:42 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 ....com,

If their purpose is to scare expats away, why not attack Aramco's main camp: Dhahran? This camp is ridiculously easy to get into and the admiration for Osama runs high, so what is stopping them?

Posted by Anonymous4617 2004-05-02 6:01:07 AM|| 2004-05-02 6:01:07 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Maybe the IQ is higher in Dhahran. It can't be easy finding recruits with this serious of a mental deficiency.

Posted by virginian 2004-05-02 8:10:17 AM|| 2004-05-02 8:10:17 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 ..Actually, they may not have hit Dhahran because it it's a Real Target(TM) on the same order as Riyadh. I get the feeling that the attacks there a few days ago were met with some genuine ruthlessness on the part of the Soddy authorities, and the terrs decided that it would be a lot safer to whack a few infidels out in the (comparative) boonies, where the security is smaller and a lot sleepier.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2004-05-02 9:57:39 AM|| 2004-05-02 9:57:39 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 I have a question about the cars I saw on the news yesterday. The story is that the contractors were shot by the (now dead) gunmen, yet the news cameras showed a car that was a completely burned out shell. Did they get shot with flamethrowers?

Posted by Seafarious 2004-05-02 11:42:37 AM|| 2004-05-02 11:42:37 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 A4617 - Indeed, for Arabs in Saudi "dress" it IS easy. They were hell on wheels about searching the cars of Westerners entering the "Core Area" - used to search me every day - but let Saudis pass through with a wave -- all you need is the right sticker on your windshield. I joked that WE weren't the terrorists with the guards regularly, until one day the Supervisor from Industrial Security was there to tell me this "joke" of mine was not funny and if I persisted they would drag my ass in for "questioning" - so the joke became unfunny damned quickly.

Folks that don't know: Aramco has its own "police" (IS) and they are, relatively speaking, well equipped and trained.

You're right - if they want to kill ExPats, then Dhahran is the place to make a big splash. But they would have zero chance of getting away. Even isolated Yanbu proved how well armed and how quickly Aramco's Industrial Security can act. The killing in Yanbu wasn't the local Barney Fifes - it was IS, armed and trained by American and Brit advisors, though I'll bet most of them have been "replaced" now by Saudis. It would be a bona-fide suicide mission.

Posted by .com 2004-05-02 5:04:15 PM|| 2004-05-02 5:04:15 PM|| Front Page Top

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