Adam
08-06-02, 07:57 AM
Saudi Arabia enemy of America: Report
Part of `terror chain,' says briefing to Pentagon advisers
By Thomas E. Ricks
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
WASHINGTON — A briefing given last month to a top Pentagon advisory board described Saudi Arabia as an enemy of the United States and recommended U.S. officials give it an ultimatum to stop backing terrorism or face seizure of its oil fields and financial assets invested in America.
"The Saudis are active at every level of the terror chain, from planners to financiers, from cadre to foot-soldier, from ideologist to cheerleader," stated the explosive briefing, presented July 10 to the Defence Policy Board, a group of intellectuals and former senior officials who advise the Pentagon on defence policy.
"Saudi Arabia supports our enemies and attacks our allies," said the briefing prepared by Laurent Murawiec, a Rand Corporation analyst. A talking point attached to the last of 24 briefing slides went even further, describing Saudi Arabia as "the kernel of evil, the prime mover, the most dangerous opponent" in the Mideast.
The briefing runs counter to the present U.S. stance that Saudi Arabia is a major U.S. ally in the region, yet represents a point of view that has growing currency within the Bush administration, especially on the staff of Vice-President Dick Cheney, the Pentagon's civilian leadership, and among neo-conservatives allied with administration policymakers.
One administration official said opinion about Saudi Arabia is changing rapidly within government. "People used to rationalize Saudi behaviour," he said. "You don't hear that anymore. There's no doubt people are recognizing reality and recognizing that Saudi Arabia is a problem."
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Saudi Arabia `the kernel of evil, the prime mover, the most dangerous opponent' in the Mideast.
Laurent Murawiec,
Rand Corporation analyst
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The decision to bring the anti-Saudi analysis before the defence board also appears tied to the growing debate over whether to launch a U.S. military attack to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. The board chairman is former Pentagon official Richard Perle, one of the most prominent advocates in Washington of just such an invasion. He did not return calls for comment.
Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke said in a statement last night: "Neither the presentations nor the Defence Policy Board members' comments reflect the official views of the department of defence." Saudi Arabia, she said, is a longstanding friend and ally and co-operating fully in the global war on terrorism.
Murawiec said in his briefing the U.S. should demand Riyadh stop funding fundamentalist Islamic outlets, stop all anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli statements in the country, and "prosecute or isolate those involved in the terror chain, including in the Saudi intelligence services." If the Saudis refused to comply, the briefing continued, Saudi oil fields and overseas financial assets should be "targeted."
The report concludes by linking regime change in Iraq to altering Saudi behaviour. This view holds that once a U.S. invasion has removed Saddam from power, a friendly successor regime would become a major exporter of oil to the West. That would diminish dependence on Saudi exports, and let the U.S. finally confront the House of Saud for supporting terrorism.
"The road to the entire Middle East goes through Baghdad," said the administration official, who is hawkish on Iraq. "Once you have a democratic regime in Iraq, like the ones we helped establish in Germany and Japan after World War II, there are a lot of possibilities."
WASHINGTON POST
Source. (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1026143935581&call_page=TS_World&call_pageid=968332188854&call_pagepath=News/World&col=968350060724)
Part of `terror chain,' says briefing to Pentagon advisers
By Thomas E. Ricks
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
WASHINGTON — A briefing given last month to a top Pentagon advisory board described Saudi Arabia as an enemy of the United States and recommended U.S. officials give it an ultimatum to stop backing terrorism or face seizure of its oil fields and financial assets invested in America.
"The Saudis are active at every level of the terror chain, from planners to financiers, from cadre to foot-soldier, from ideologist to cheerleader," stated the explosive briefing, presented July 10 to the Defence Policy Board, a group of intellectuals and former senior officials who advise the Pentagon on defence policy.
"Saudi Arabia supports our enemies and attacks our allies," said the briefing prepared by Laurent Murawiec, a Rand Corporation analyst. A talking point attached to the last of 24 briefing slides went even further, describing Saudi Arabia as "the kernel of evil, the prime mover, the most dangerous opponent" in the Mideast.
The briefing runs counter to the present U.S. stance that Saudi Arabia is a major U.S. ally in the region, yet represents a point of view that has growing currency within the Bush administration, especially on the staff of Vice-President Dick Cheney, the Pentagon's civilian leadership, and among neo-conservatives allied with administration policymakers.
One administration official said opinion about Saudi Arabia is changing rapidly within government. "People used to rationalize Saudi behaviour," he said. "You don't hear that anymore. There's no doubt people are recognizing reality and recognizing that Saudi Arabia is a problem."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saudi Arabia `the kernel of evil, the prime mover, the most dangerous opponent' in the Mideast.
Laurent Murawiec,
Rand Corporation analyst
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The decision to bring the anti-Saudi analysis before the defence board also appears tied to the growing debate over whether to launch a U.S. military attack to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. The board chairman is former Pentagon official Richard Perle, one of the most prominent advocates in Washington of just such an invasion. He did not return calls for comment.
Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke said in a statement last night: "Neither the presentations nor the Defence Policy Board members' comments reflect the official views of the department of defence." Saudi Arabia, she said, is a longstanding friend and ally and co-operating fully in the global war on terrorism.
Murawiec said in his briefing the U.S. should demand Riyadh stop funding fundamentalist Islamic outlets, stop all anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli statements in the country, and "prosecute or isolate those involved in the terror chain, including in the Saudi intelligence services." If the Saudis refused to comply, the briefing continued, Saudi oil fields and overseas financial assets should be "targeted."
The report concludes by linking regime change in Iraq to altering Saudi behaviour. This view holds that once a U.S. invasion has removed Saddam from power, a friendly successor regime would become a major exporter of oil to the West. That would diminish dependence on Saudi exports, and let the U.S. finally confront the House of Saud for supporting terrorism.
"The road to the entire Middle East goes through Baghdad," said the administration official, who is hawkish on Iraq. "Once you have a democratic regime in Iraq, like the ones we helped establish in Germany and Japan after World War II, there are a lot of possibilities."
WASHINGTON POST
Source. (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1026143935581&call_page=TS_World&call_pageid=968332188854&call_pagepath=News/World&col=968350060724)