Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal, the ex-ambassador to the US has a real knee slapper of an editorial in Pravda-on-the Hudson today.
Called, 'Veto A State, Lose An Ally', al-Faisal threatens the US if we veto 'Palestine's' unilateral declaration of statehood in the UN:
The United States must support the Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations this month or risk losing the little credibility it has in the Arab world. If it does not, American influence will decline further, Israeli security will be undermined and Iran will be empowered, increasing the chances of another war in the region.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia would no longer be able to cooperate with America in the same way it historically has. With most of the Arab world in upheaval, the “special relationship” between Saudi Arabia and the United States would increasingly be seen as toxic by the vast majority of Arabs and Muslims, who demand justice for the Palestinian people.
Saudi leaders would be forced by domestic and regional pressures to adopt a far more independent and assertive foreign policy. Like our recent military support for Bahrain’s monarchy, which America opposed, Saudi Arabia would pursue other policies at odds with those of the United States, including opposing the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Iraq and refusing to open an embassy there despite American pressure to do so. The Saudi government might part ways with Washington in Afghanistan and Yemen as well.
* chuckle* so unless the US abrogates two treaties it's a signatory to (the Road Map and The Oslo Accords) and delivers Da Jooos, the Saudis aren't going to be our friends any more! And this ultimatum gets delivered the day after 9/11, no less... you have to just love the sheer contempt with which this 'ally' treats us.
What a choice, eh? A perennially loyal and valuable ally like Israel or our old 'friends' the House of Saud!
We dealt harshly with the wrong countries after 9/11.
As for this puffed up desert brigand, the last thing he or his pals back in the KSA want is for us not to be their friends and watch Iran or insurgents in their own country gobble them up.
And I love this bit:
Israel should see the Palestinian bid for statehood not as a threat, but as a chance to return to the negotiating table and prevent further conflict. Recent polls show that up to 70 percent of Palestinians say they believe there will be a new intifada if the deadlock is not broken shortly; this should encourage Israel to seek peace with the moderate Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
I see...so, the 'Palestinians' abrogate two treaties when it suits them now that they got what they want, and then they're ready to make yet another deal? Sounds fair, no?
'Moderate' Palestinian boss Abbas has already said that he isn't going to accept Israel as a Jewish State ( which means the conflict can continue, you see) and will not make a single concession for peace...he wants all of Judea and Samaria, half of Jerusalem and the right to swamp what 's left of Israel with genocidal 'refugees, and he won't settle for anything less. And according to al-Faisal, if Israel doesn't surrender there's gong to be violent attacks and terrorism directed against its civilians anyway.
Those aren't negotiations, they're an ultimatum. Why would the Israelis bother?
3 comments:
I'm afraid Saudi Arabia litterally has us "over a barrell." Losing Saudi Arabia as an "ally" probably means losing access to that oil and it probably means a more actively hostile policy toward us than the one they currently have. The loss of this oil supply and the more actively hostile stance toward us will hurt us allot more than it will Saudi Arabia. To be blunt, we need their oil more than they need to sell it to us and we need whatever nominal coopreation from them more than they need to give it to us.
It didn't have to be this way. We could have spent the last few years developing all of our own oil and gas reserves, utilizing coal to oil technolgoies, and building more refineries. Had we done this we would have more leverage in situations like this today. Alas, we did not do this.
Understanding that our lack of foresight and planning is "water under the bridge" so to speak and there is nothing that can be done to undo that now what can be done at this juncture? I realy see only one of two options. 1.)Submit to Saudi demands. Politicians and other leaders will likely be tempted to do this because the Saudis can release multiple 911 style attacks against America at any time and they can devestate our economy any time they desire. Essentially they can hurt us far more than we can hurt them. Also, if pushed they can ally with Iran against us. They may even seek cooperation with Russia and China against our interests. 2.)We can do the right thing and stand with Israel in this matter. History is full of examples of men and women of integrity who did the right thing regardless of the cost. It should be understood that principled stands are not for the faint of heart.
I deplore option 1 not only because it is morally reprehensible but even if we capitualte to the Saudis now hoping they won't do the things they threaten to do we should understand that eventually they are going to do those things regardless. Its simply a matter of timing. When they feel the time is right they will do all of these things.
Doing the right thing here will not be easy. We should understand that. We need to be sure we are not "held over a barrell" again, if at all possible.
We should GET MOVING without delay on delveloping all of our own oil and gas reserves, The first areas of focus should be land based drilling. The techonolgy to do this is much further along in development and its going to be easier to contain if there's an accident.
Officials: 22 Shiite pilgrims found dead in Iraq
Published: 09.13.11, 00:54 / Israel News
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Two officials say the bodies of 22 Shiite pilgrims who were shot dead have been found in a remote desert area in western Iraq.
All of the dead were men. They appeared to have been forced off a bus of pilgrims traveling to a Syrian shrine Monday and shot one by one. Two officials said the pilgrims all were from the holy Shiite city of Karbala in southern Iraq. (AP)
Dear Mr. Poster,
The Saudis do not have us over a barrel. They need to sell the oil as much as we need to buy it. The world oil market is vast and fungible. We can simply buy it from someone else. And if we don't buy it, what will the Saudis do with it? How will they buy their limos.
As for attacks, remember those 14 Ohio class subs I was telling you about, they're still out there under the sea, full of nuclear SLBMs capable of incinerating any country in the world at a moments notice; to say nothing of frozen shrimp, soft serve ice cream, DVDs and really brave sailors that aren't claustrophobic.
You are 110% right about developing our own energy resources and refineries. The current occupant of the White House will do nothing positive about it. In fact we haven't had an energy policy since Jimmuh Cata occupied the White House, or ever really...
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