Saudis see Dubya 2nd term as a catastrophe

[Pallas180]

From Salon

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2004/09/21/saudi_arabia/index_np.html

The Saudis just say no to Bush
The desert kingdom's elite say a second term would be "catastrophic."

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By Claude Salhani



Sept. 21, 2004 | Once staunch allies and supporters of President Bush, many influential Saudi Arabians -- whose nation the president's father, George H.W. Bush protected from Saddam Hussein during the 1990-91 Gulf War -- view the prospect of Bush's reelection as "catastrophic." Indeed, on a trip to the desert kingdom earlier this month, I was hard-pressed to find anyone, at any level of society, in Saudi Arabia who speaks positively of President Bush, or looks favorably on the prospect of another four years of the Bush administration in the White House.

Many fear that a Bush victory in November would only mean more turmoil and violence in the Middle East. They point to the "failed policies" of the Bush administration as cause for their concern: the apparent descent into civil war in Iraq, the stalemate in the Palestinian-Israeli dispute (and the administration's pro-Israeli tilt), the alienation of the Arab and Islamic world, and the rising tension from U.S. accusations about Iran and Syria concerning their nuclear weapons programs and support of terrorism. Saudis also worry about a suggestion by U.S. neoconservatives inside the Bush administration calling for the breakup of the Saudi kingdom into two or three smaller states.

-more-

[Eric J in MN]

1. Wow. It's incredible how much Bush has turned people in other

countries against his Administration.

[Lefta Dissenter]

2. yeah, well, join the club... (eom)

[Renew Deal]

3. Does that mean gas prices are going up?

[coloradodem2005]

4. Is there any country that wants Bush to remain?

With his close connections to the Saudis I am extremely surprised by this.

[dansolo]

5. Perhaps they finally read the PNAC documents

After Iraq, it is only a matter of time before the neocons have their sights on Saudi Arabia.

[rednek_Liberal]

6. Is that a Catastrophic Success?

or failure?

[soothsayer]

7. Well, he was half right when he called it a catastrophic success. n/t

[RobertDevereaux]

8. We are *all* Saudi's now! n/t

[Doctor_J]

9. EVERYONE thinks that

except for the nation's 20 million limbeciles and 30 million fundies.