“Bush wants to make it look like he is solving the problem. The king wants to actually solve [it.]"

[BurtWorm]

Not that the Saudi governmnet is such a gift to world, either. But how can the US expect to be taken seriously in the Arab world if it thinks it can dictate to them what's best? Why aren't the US, Europe and the UN, who are only too willing to lick the Arab world's governments' feet when it comes to economic and internal politics, willing to concede that the Arab world knows better how to deal with regional politics than the US does? Why can't the US give them the support to solve their own problems, rather than the whip to make them do it "our" way?


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/29/world/middleeast/29saudi.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print


U.S. Iraq Role Is Called Illegal by Saudi King
By HASSAN M. FATTAH

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 28 — King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia told Arab leaders on Wednesday that the American occupation of Iraq was illegal and warned that unless Arab governments settled their differences, foreign powers like the United States would continue to dictate the region’s politics.

The king’s speech, at the opening of the Arab League meeting here, underscored growing differences between Saudi Arabia and the Bush administration as the Saudis take on a greater leadership role in the Middle East, partly at American urging.

The Saudis seem to be emphasizing that they will not be beholden to the policies of their longtime ally.



...

“I don’t think that the Saudi government has decided to distance itself from Bush just yet,” said Adel alToraifi, a columnist here with close ties to the Saudi government. “But I also think that the Saudis have seen that the ball is moving into the court of the Democrats, and they want to extend their hand to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.”

Turki al-Rasheed, who runs an organization promoting democracy in Saudi Arabia, said the king was “saying we may be moving on the same track, but our ends are different.”

“Bush wants to make it look like he is solving the problem,” Mr. Rasheed said. “The king wants to actually solve the problems.”

...

[jobycom]

1. Nice statement, although I think Bush has a different "problem" he wants solved

than the king or the rest of the world. Everyone else wants the problem of the chaos and occupation of Iraq to end. Bush wants the problem of him not controlling all the oil and money from Iraq to end. He just doesn't state it that way.

Mr. Rasheed is spot on, though.

[rwork]

2. bush* said one time on a golf course

when asked about stem-cell research "I am still thinking about it".He is such a deep thinker.

[BurtWorm]

3. In order to solve you a problem, you have to use your brain and give a damn.

In order to use your brain, you have to have a brain worth using.

That's three strikes against Bush boy.

[BurtWorm]

4. Dupe.

Bush sucks.

[EstimatedProphet]

5. THE KING OF SAUDI ARABIA IS CALLING THIS ILLEGAL!

When the king of the closest ally in the region says it is illegal, I think it may be time to listen!

[BurtWorm]

6. Yep.

:kick: