All not well between Saudi Arabia, U.S.

By Kesava Menon

MANAMA (BAHRAIN) OCT. 16. An uncharacteristic public outburst against the U.S. by Saudi Arabia is amenable to several interpretations. The Saudis could be intensely feeling the pressure that the U.S. is applying on several levels, they may feel that they have to show their resentment at being marginalised in the U.S. scheme or they may be thinking that they have a chance to re-assert themselves into the process of formulating policy on Afghanistan.

Saudi Arabia had been consulted by the U.S. administration as it built up its ``coalition against terror'' and prepared and launched its military plans. The U.S. Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell's visit to the kingdom earlier this month was the most prominent event in the several rounds of discussions. But the tone emanating from Washington since September 11 suggests that the U.S. administration is not fully confident that the kingdom will extend the unstinted support that it has given in the past. It could be said that the U.S. appears to be constantly holding the Saudis up to the litmus test of their stated ``with us or against'' policy.

Saudi Arabia is in a delicate situation. While the authorities have no reason to like Al-Qaeda, which after all has the downfall of the monarchy as one of its prime objectives, they have to take into account the popularity that Osama bin Laden enjoys among sections of the population. The royal family also, like the rest of the Saudi citizenry, will not at all be happy about the military strikes against a fellow Muslim country. But the Saudis have reason to feel that Washington is treating their response to the crisis with scepticism rather than the trust that they expect from an ally.

The Saudis have responded to the crisis by de- recognising the Taliban, promising to track down the sources of funding for terrorist organisations and sharing intelligence with the U.S. But almost on each of these counts, the views being projected from Washington are that the Saudis are not doing enough, especially that they are not doing enough to make up for their past sin of supporting the Taliban.

The Saudis have also reason to resent their being kept out of the efforts to mark out a post-Taliban scenario in Afghanistan. Given the difficulties that the U.S. is currently encountering in working out a Pakhtoon alternative to the Taliban, the Saudis have also reason to believe that they have a chance to make a contribution.

All these factors appear to underlie an uncharacteristic outburst by the kingdom's Interior Minister, Prince Nayef bin Abdelaziz. In a statement issued to the official news agency, Prince Nayef refuted the insinuation that their co- operation in the anti- terror operation was not sufficient.

It was the U.S, and the West in general, that had failed to give the kingdom the same level of co-operation that the Saudis had given the West, he said. Prince Nayef also said the kingdom was not at all happy that innocent civilians were being killed in the air assault on Afghanistan.

The Saudi Interior Minister reiterated the Arab position, which has not been retracted, that the U.S. has not produced sufficient proof to show that the alleged perpetrators of the September 11 attacks were actually the ones who carried it out. ``There were more than 600 passengers on the four hijacked planes.We are surprised why Arabs, particularly Saudis, have been singled out for blame,'' Prince Nayef said, adding that they had not received any material evidence so far.

Prince Nayef also said that the kingdom could not crack down on charities or other financial institutions unless there was proof that these institutions were providing funds to terrorist groups.

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Section  : International
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