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To: Kayaker who wrote (105418)	9/22/2001 11:43:15 PM
From: S100	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 152472

Gulf states meet for crisis talks The Gulf states are the Muslim world's wealthiest By the BBC's Frank Gardner in Cairo Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia and the five other Gulf Arab states are gathering in the Saudi port of Jeddah for an extraordinary meeting to discuss the current crisis over terrorism. Diplomats are hoping the meeting may give some clues as to how much military help Washington can expect from its Gulf allies in America's coming retaliation, which may be much less than it would like. The Gulf Arab states are caught in an impossible position - they would like to help America fight terror, but they dare not enrage their Muslim populations by openly joining a military coalition that could end up targeting other Muslims. Bin Laden is himself from a powerful Gulf Arab family Not since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 have their governments been put in such an awkward position. The aim of the summit, which was called by Bahrain, is to try and thrash out a common Gulf policy in reaction to the devastating attacks on America. Washington will be watching the meeting closely. It needs all the support it can get from its Gulf Arab allies, both politically and in terms of military facilities, to fight its new war against terrorism. Divided loyalties The US can certainly count on Kuwait, which has jumped at the chance to repay America for its liberation from Iraqi occupation. Bahrain, too, is unlikely to put any restrictions on the US Navy's 5th fleet which is headquartered there. But for Washington, Saudi Arabia could be a problem. Saudi Arabia is one of the few states to recognise the Taleban regime Thousands of US airmen and their warplanes are based there all year round but the Saudi Government is acutely aware of its own devout Muslim population. Many see the Americans as infidel invaders, as defilers of the land that gave birth to Islam. If Saudi Arabia refuses to allow Washington the use of its bases for a military strike, it would force the Pentagon to rely more on its naval task forces in the Gulf and that could delay military action by several days, or possibly weeks. Palestinian angle There is also the complication of Israel. While the Gulf Arabs condemn terror, they also condemn Israel's ongoing occupation of Arab land. In fact, most see the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, not Osama Bin Laden, as the biggest threat to Middle East peace. Arabs see America as part of the [Palestinian] problem Because Washington is such a close ally of Israel's, Arabs see America as part of the problem. So the Gulf states will doubtless hedge their current support for the US by reminding the world that a fair solution to the Palestinian problem cannot be delayed for much longer. news.bbc.co.uk

To: Kayaker who wrote (105418)	9/23/2001 12:01:29 AM
From: Mark Fleming	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 152472

MSNBC is not a mainstream news site? BTW, they did not quote the web site I got this from--it was a military analyst discussing the problem independently. I'm not judging it to be 100% accurate, but you sure seem to be judging it 100% inaccurate.

To: Kayaker who wrote (105418)	9/23/2001 10:35:48 AM
From: Mark Fleming	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 152472

Is AP News mainstream enough for you? Saudi Arabia rejects U.S. request to use its territory for attacks on Afghanistan By TAREK AL-ISSAWI The Associated Press 9/23/01 8:58 AM DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Saudi Arabia, apparently concerned about possible strikes on a fellow Arab state, has rejected a U.S. request to use its air bases for an offensive against terrorism, a Saudi official said Sunday. In Washington, the State Department praised Saudi military cooperation and said it looked forward to continued assistance from the kingdom. A diplomat in Riyadh said the two sides were still negotiating. America is preparing to retaliate for the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States. Washington blames a pan-Arab network of Islamic militants led by exiled Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden for the attacks on New York and Washington that left more than 6,000 people missing or dead. Officials indicate a strike on Afghanistan, where bin Laden has found a haven, could come at any time. Saudi officials, though, say the United States cannot use the Prince Sultan Air Base, south of the Saudi capital Riyadh, for U.S. retaliatory attacks. Last week the commander of the U.S. Central Command's air operations, Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Wald, shifted his operations from South Carolina to the base. "Saudi Arabia will not accept any infringement on its national sovereignty, but it fully backs action aimed at eradicating terrorism and its causes," said the official, who refused to be identified further. A diplomat in Riyadh, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Saudis were negotiating with the United States over the anti-terrorism campaign. The concern appeared to be the possibility other Arab states would be targeted. In the past, Washington has accused Yemen, Sudan and Iraq of harboring terrorists. People in those countries now fear a U.S. attack. The Saudis were pushing for a multilateral campaign that would allow them some influence over the targets of American retaliation, the diplomat said. In Washington, a State Department official said Sunday that "Saudi military cooperation with our international effort has been excellent." The official noted that President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell have said "there will be many facets to our international effort to bring to justice those responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, including efforts in law enforcement, diplomacy and international finance. As we move forward, we will be looking to the Saudis and others for assistance in these efforts." The United States and Saudi Arabia have been close allies for more than half a century. U.S. troops have remained in the kingdom since leading the multinational coalition that ended Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1991 Saudi Arabia hosts about 4,500 U.S. military personnel and an undisclosed number of warplanes at Prince Sultan Air Base. U.S. warplanes patrolling a no-fly zone over southern Iraq take off from Saudi Arabia. Copyright 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. nj.com