Fahd bin Abdul Aziz
Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz
Naef Bin Abdul Aziz
Salman Bin Abdul Aziz
Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz
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Washington Breathe a Sigh of Relief, CACSA,
September 19, 1996
With the expected re-election of President Bill Clinton in the
coming US elections on November 4, 1996 for a second term, Ambassadors in
Washington are bracing themselves for a continuity of US foreign policy in
world affairs that will be consistent with the last four years of
Clinton's term.
One of the only country expecting trouble on two fronts is Saudi Arabia.
On the first front, the National Security Agency is re-assessing its
policy on Saudi Arabia given the two terrorist attacks that took place in
November 1995 and June 1996. That re-assessment does not question the
strong ties that both countries enjoy but rather looks at alternative
solutions to problems and alternative plans of actions in case the
situation worsens. The fact that this is taking place is extraordinary by
itself and not at all unexpected considering the importance Saudi oil
reserves and oil flow are to world economies.
The second front deals with the effectiveness of Bandar bin Sultan as
Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. An Ambassador's role in a host country
represents the pinnacle of relations between the two countries and in most
cases the Ambassador is a conduit and a facilitator that is able to build
strong ties and maintain them strong for the benefits of the host and
guest countries alike. In the case of Saudi Arabia, Bandar's expiring
style and take-from-Paul-to-pay-Peter type of diplomacy has placed Saudi
Arabia in an awkward and ineffective position that will scar the relations
for a long time.
Add to this angle the health of King Fahd and the dislike Bill Clinton has
for Bandar on a personal level (Bandar snubbed Clinton when he was
Governor of Arkansas by refusing to meet twice and totally forgetting to
meet the third time--Read Bandar bin Sultan) and you have a formula
whereby Saudi Arabia needs to rely on a new Ambassador who will be able to
communicate the King's wishes some of which borders on the insane (King
Fahd recently asked for 24 hour secret service protection for his son
Abdul Aziz when he visits Washington. His son has no official title and
comes to Washington on private visits). When Bandar leaves politics,
Washington will breath a sigh of relief.
Ambassador Wyche Fowler recently left to Saudi Arabia with the specific
task of seeking to understand the depth and importance of Saudis'
displeasure and discontent. This major step towards completing or
complementing the US policy of protecting the oil reserves will lead
eventually to a new reassessment that may have different recommendations
and a different point of view. The arrival of Ambassador Fowler in Saudi
Arabia is making the royal family very nervous and no one is more nervous
than Prince Naef bin Abdul Aziz , the Minister of Interior Affairs and the
brain behind the largest purchase of torture equipment in the world.
On the other hand, Prince Salman, another Sudeiri and Governor of Riyadh,
the bastion of Wahabbism, is keeping himself available to the ailing and
sickly King Fahd. He spends most of his time by his side and is slowly
extracting concessions that are consolidating his hold onto power to the
detriment of Prince Sultan, the Minister of Defense. US Ambassador to
Saudi Arabia Raymond Mabus sent a scathing report to the State Department
last year blasting Prince Sultan and the disastrous results should Sultan
become King. Sultan was not amused by this and given the dislike Fahd has
for him, he has written himself off as the King to follow Abdullah. If
Sultan is out and Bandar is becoming ineffective in Washington (Taking FBI
Freeh to meet King Fahd was a mistake that his uncles have not forgotten
yet), then we expect dramatic changes in the political scene in Saudi
Arabia that will shake the traditional communication pipelines. |
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