According to Middle East Newsline, Saudi officials have confirmed that U.S., British and French forces would leave the kingdom later this year, following the conclusion of a war with Iraq. Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan reportedly said he expects the no-fly zones over Iraq to be eliminated - and with that, any need for Western military presence in Saudi Arabia.
This announcement might presage increased public support by the Saudi regime for a war in Iraq. Riyadh has argued that it cannot support the war because the Muslim masses oppose the action and pose a threat to the Saudi regime. One of Osama bin Laden's primary complaints - in fact, the complaint that initially pitted him and his supporters against the Saudi government - is the presence of
"infidel" troops on sacred Saudi soil. The Saudi government justified the initial deployment in 1990 as a means of defending the kingdom from Iraqi troops then in Kuwait, and has justified their continued presence by pointing out the continued threat from Iraq.
Riyadh now is arguing that ousting Iraqi President Saddam Hussein will end the threat and hasten the departure of Western troops. This argument could be intended to appeal to al Qaeda militants and those who sympathize with their critique of the Western presence in the kingdom: "Support a quick war and the infidels will go away." The question is, will anyone buy this line of reasoning?
STRATFOR
Additional analysis from STRATFOR.com can be found in our Links section and at:
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This article is reprinted with permission from the publisher
This announcement might presage increased public support by the Saudi regime for a war in Iraq. Riyadh has argued that it cannot support the war because the Muslim masses oppose the action and pose a threat to the Saudi regime. One of Osama bin Laden's primary complaints - in fact, the complaint that initially pitted him and his supporters against the Saudi government - is the presence of
"infidel" troops on sacred Saudi soil. The Saudi government justified the initial deployment in 1990 as a means of defending the kingdom from Iraqi troops then in Kuwait, and has justified their continued presence by pointing out the continued threat from Iraq.
Riyadh now is arguing that ousting Iraqi President Saddam Hussein will end the threat and hasten the departure of Western troops. This argument could be intended to appeal to al Qaeda militants and those who sympathize with their critique of the Western presence in the kingdom: "Support a quick war and the infidels will go away." The question is, will anyone buy this line of reasoning?
STRATFOR
Additional analysis from STRATFOR.com can be found in our Links section and at:
http://www.stratfor.com
This article is reprinted with permission from the publisher