Pearles of Wisdom

Hobart

I was watching Newsnight on Tuesday night. Jeremey Paxman was doing a piece on the recent killing of Iraqi civilians by Us troops and then moved onto a story involving the pull-out of US troops from Saudi.

He introduced Richard Pearle from Washington (via satelite) and he had a female Arab Professor in the studio (who's name escapes me). I understand Richard Pearle is a good friend and confidant of Donald Rumsfeld and an advisor to GWB. I was astounded by both the tone and content of what he had to sya. He used phrases like "The US were Happy to go" and that the US merely "Tolerates" the Saudis. He alluded to the fact that 15 of the terrorists involved in 9/11 were Saudi and intimated that the Saudi Government and some rich Saudi's were involved in funding terrorism.

This is despite the fact that the US are still involved in equipping and training the Saudi military. He finished his piece by saying that the US will try to 'persuade' the Saudi's that some of their polocies should change and that the US, if it so wished, could isolate the Saudi's.

Does Richard Pearle speak for the US Government or is he just some kind of war mongerer?

The Corinthian

Originally posted by Hobart
He used phrases like "The US were Happy to go" and that the US merely "Tolerates" the Saudis.

Yes. I saw that. Must say when Paxman challanged him on his use of the term "Tolerate", I found his attempt to squirm out of it very amusing.

Given this, I also find the attitude that any government would "Tolerate" another very disturbing - I wonder if they currently or in the future only "Tolerate" us..?

Clintons Cat

None of what pearle is saying is new.There is a civil case going through the us courts allegeing amonst other things that the saudi royal family paid al queedia around 300 million dollars "protection" money,plus a saudi princess and wife to the ambassador was passing money to the san dieago al queedia quartermaster who is currently in jail.

Makes you wonder why the government "ignored" the saudi link until after they had finished in iraq though.

I seem to remember that shortly before the US abandoned attempts to get a second resolution,Pearle was writing articles about how the UN had become an irrelevence,so i think it is safe to say he has the presidents ear.


Heres a few links Saudi Princess accussed of passing money to terrorists...wash post

more from cbs

Saudis deny paying protection money in court action newsmax

Hobart

What suprised me most, more than any single phrase he used, was the actual tone and manner in which he came across. It was a kind off 'we will do what ever we like' type attitude. I have never seen a spokesman (If you could call him that) for the US government behave in such a manner. It was frightening, to say the least.

Originall posted by The Corinthian
Yes. I saw that. Must say when Paxman challanged him on his use of the term "Tolerate", I found his attempt to squirm out of it very amusing

Yea. He said something like, "Of course these are my views and not necessarily* the views of the US Government. "

* my emphasis

BattleBoar

Originally posted by The Corinthian
Yes. I saw that. Must say when Paxman challanged him on his use of the term "Tolerate", I found his attempt to squirm out of it very amusing.

Given this, I also find the attitude that any government would "Tolerate" another very disturbing - I wonder if they currently or in the future only "Tolerate" us..?

More accurate to say that the Saudis tolerated the US presence. The US soldiers in Saudi Arabia were never welcome...even while gulf war 1 was taking place. The dislike for the US presence there has only grown stronger since. This move is long, long overdue.

BattleBoar

Originally posted by Clintons Cat
None of what pearle is saying is new.There is a civil case going through the us courts allegeing amonst other things that the saudi royal family paid al queedia around 300 million dollars "protection" money,plus a saudi princess and wife to the ambassador was passing money to the san dieago al queedia quartermaster who is currently in jail.

Makes you wonder why the government "ignored" the saudi link until after they had finished in iraq though.

Does it make you wonder? Here's a hint : look up Saudi Royal familiy contributions to the Bush campaign...

The Corinthian

Originally posted by BattleBoar
More accurate to say that the Saudis tolerated the US presence. The US soldiers in Saudi Arabia were never welcome...even while gulf war 1 was taking place. The dislike for the US presence there has only grown stronger since. This move is long, long overdue.

I agree. Related to this I always found hilarious the exclusion of Saudi Arabian citizens from the US’s Homeland Security Act of 2002’s high risk group, considering that practically all the 9-11 conspirators were Saudis.

Biffa Bacon

Looks like the US has examined the root causes of 9-11 and done something about it.

No more US troops near the holy cities. OBL must be rejoicing at this historic victory.

Sparks

Funny you should say that Biffa...

The Secrets of September 11

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

Éomer of Rohan

Looks like the US has examined the root causes of 9-11 and done something about it.

Yeah right. The US have ignored the debate (which takes place in other countries generally) on what the cause of Sept 11th was and have simply painted Bin Laden and co as evil, automatically making all discussion of the flaws in US foreign policy irrelevent since evil must be crushed, or so says George W. Bush. I personally think that this is another of the Manifest Destinies of the President Taft style.