SAUDIS CONSIDER ASKING U.S. MILITARY TO LEAVE
LONDON [MENL] -- Saudi Arabia is quietly debating whether to end the U.S. military presence in the kingdom.
Western diplomatic sources said the Saudi royal family has not relayed any such intent to Washington. But the royal family has been examining the option of calling on U.S. forces to leave the kingdom to relieve the intense pressure by the Islamic opposition.
Crown Prince Abdullah, the sources said, appears to favor such a call. The move is said to be opposed by Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan, a rival to the throne.
An estimated 13,000 U.S. military personnel and support staff are deployed in eastern Saudi Arabia. The U.S. military also has the use of facilities in Dharan, Riyad and Taji for aircraft.
The military personnel is joined by another 30,000 American nationals, many of whom help train the Saudi military and work on weapons programs.
The sources said the Pentagon is aware of the debate within the Saudi ruling family. They said officials have been examining alternatives to the U.S. military presence in the kingdom.
The options could include Oman, regarded as Washington's most reliable ally in the Gulf. The United States could also transfer aircraft and installations to such countries as Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
The debate within the royal family is not meant to end the U.S.-Saudi alliance, the sources said. They said Riyad intends to maintain oil stability, a key interest of Washington.
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