Interesting column on SA. from the WP. I have no idea about the author.
washingtonpost.com
Saudi Support Defined
Overthrowing Saddam Hussein should result in the removal of U.S. troops from Saudi Arabia.
By Nawaf Obaid
Saturday, October 5, 2002; Page A21
Saudi Arabia has joined the chorus of nations supporting strong U.N. action against Iraq. The kingdom -- which has spent many years in Saddam Hussein's cross hairs -- has as much cause as any country to fear Iraq's ability to wreak havoc on its neighbors. What's more, eliminating this threat would bring another important prize: the removal of U.S. troops from Saudi soil.
The Saudis have long desired regime change in Iraq but often wondered where the United States stood on this issue. In 1996, when opposition groups staged a revolt in northern Iraq, the United States did not act. The resulting slaughter of these fighters by Hussein's forces undermined Saudi faith in America's commitment to forcibly deal with Hussein.
In recent months, as it became apparent that President Bush was getting serious about Iraq, Saudi reluctance had more to do with the U.S. approach than with any affection for the Iraqi president. The headlong and unilateralist style of the U.S. administration gave the Saudis -- along with nearly every other country in the world -- reason to pause.
Senior Saudi leaders -- especially Crown Prince Abdullah and the minister of defense, Prince Sultan -- wanted to address the Iraq problem with the backing of the rest of the world. This was a key topic at last month's meeting between President Bush and Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi ambassador to the United States. In these discussions, Prince Bandar made clear that if the United States presented a defined strategy to remove the threat Hussein poses, one that included appropriate U.N. Security Council resolutions and a multilateral coalition, the Saudis would back the effort.
So when Bush outlined his plan to the United Nations, the Saudis immediately expressed their support. "All signatories to the U.N. charter, including Saudi Arabia," said the Saudi foreign minister, "are obligated to abide by the decisions of the Security Council." Senior Saudi leaders have begun to build support among their people for coming actions against Iraq.
The task will not be easy. Anti-U.S. sentiment in Saudi Arabia has grown in recent months, fueled by perceived American bias against the Palestinians and reports of the demonization of the kingdom in the American media. But Crown Prince Abdullah and Prince Sultan can draw upon a sizable reserve of domestic support. Prince Sultan began his outreach by visiting Buraida (in the central Qassim region), the hub of Saudi conservatism. Prince Sultan, a powerful leader with influence among those in the religious establishment, is in a good position to make the government's case. In the end, there is every reason to expect at least tacit approval for a campaign against Hussein.
The government's position will be strengthened by the fact that success in Iraq would pave the way for the removal of the U.S. military from Saudi Arabia. American troops are stationed in the kingdom to patrol the no-fly zones and prevent Iraqi aggression; once these threats have passed it is logical that they would leave. It is in the interest of both countries.
The withdrawal of American troops would sit well with Saudis from all walks of life who resent their presence, removing one of the main irritants between the American and Saudi governments. It would also belie the fringe but persistent belief that these 3,000 soldiers remain to protect the royal family against domestic opposition. The absurdity of this notion is clear to anyone who has more than a cursory understanding of Saudi Arabia. If foreign soldiers ever raised arms against the Saudi people, the government that hosted them would instantly lose all legitimacy.
There are those who argue against the evacuation of U.S. troops on the grounds that it would hand Osama bin Laden's supporters a victory by succumbing to his key demand. On the contrary: Such a policy would undermine extremists by strengthening the kingdom and its partnership with the United States. It also would undermine to a certain extent bin Laden's critique of the Saudi government as dependent on the U.S. military. Finally, a withdrawal would improve America's relations not only with Saudi Arabia but also with the entire Muslim world. The presence of U.S. troops on the land that hosts Islam's two holiest sites, in Mecca and Medina, has long rankled Muslims.
Defanging Hussein will bring relief to his neighbors and a semblance of normality to the long-suffering Iraqis. Once the job is complete and U.S. troops leave Saudi Arabia, America's position in the region, its partnership with the kingdom and its relations with the Arab world will be strengthened.
The writer is an oil analyst and author of the forthcoming book "Saudi Arabia Since 9/11."
washingtonpost.com |
