US to pull out of Saudi Arabia.

[Dinner]

BBC &CNN report the U.S. is going to remove nearly all of its military forces out of Saudi Arabia. The Saudis & the Americans are both saying the Saudi government has not asked them to leave and that the U.S. is going to relocate it's forces to other bases with in the region. No word yet which bases will get the troops but just about everyone expects them to move into Iraq.

I don't know about you folks but I think this is a very positive step. The Saudis are exactly the type of repressive, dictatorial regime the west should not be associating with especially since the country is filled with religious fanatics who want to kill everyone who is of a different religion. I doubt this will do anything to appease the Islamic Fundamentalists as these homicidal maniacs will just find some other demented reason to justify their desires to kill human beings.

What do you folks think?

[OneFootInTheGrave]

surely a step in a positive direction

[Dinner]

Also, since these troops will most likely be setting up shop in Iraq what impact do you see for that country?

FYI today there was an incident were Iraqi Gunman opened fire on American troops while hiding in a mob of deminstrators. The Americans returned fire and 15 Iraqis were killed & 73 injured during the gun fight. I have yet to hear the propoganda coming out of Al Jeizra but I'd bet my bottom dollar they're blamming everything on the U.S. and are placing no responsibility upon the evil Arab gun man who are intentionally trying to get their countrymen (or fellow Arab) killed.

[Chemical Ollie]

Is the next step to put Saudi on the Axis of Evil list? They surely belong there.

[TCO]

I'm not so sure it is a good idea.

[Dinner]

I wish they would. Can you believe that it is a death sentence for any non-Muslim to hold a religious service in Saudi Arabia? They sentenced an American Catholic priest to death for providing Sunday Mass to Philippine "Guest Workers" in Saudi Arabia but the Saudi Government commutted the sentence and expelled him from the country when several conservative members of the U.S. Congress began to demand sanctions against the Saudi tyrants. The Phillipino Priest who was assisting him hasn't been as lucky and he is still on death row because the Philippines just doesn't have the international clout that the U.S. does.

This is an evil regime, which should be whipped from the face of the earth.

[Pekka]

!!!!!

And next time I hope they go back there with helmets on and ready to fire.

[Kontiki]

And just think, all the US had to do to achieve this was invade another soveriegn country within the region and unilaterally decide to establish more-or-less permanent bases there. I can't see how any anti-US sentiment could come from this. :rolleyes

I think the US is far better off maintaining bases where they are welcomed by the (non-US installed) government.

[Sandman]

FYI today there was an incident were Iraqi Gunman opened fire on American troops while hiding in a mob of deminstrators. The Americans returned fire and 15 Iraqis were killed & 73 injured during the gun fight. I have yet to hear the propoganda coming out of Al Jeizra but I'd bet my bottom dollar they're blamming everything on the U.S. and are placing no responsibility upon the evil Arab gun man who are intentionally trying to get their countrymen (or fellow Arab) killed.

The demonstrators claim that the Americans fired first. ITN news reporters noted that the school the Americans had occupied (and the parents demostrating wanted back) had no bullet holes. The Americans evidence for the gunmen was three AK-47s they claimed to have recovered.

I see no reason whatsoever to believe the soldiers' version of events.

[monkspider]

This is great news.

[PLATO]

News reports are indicating that most of the forces will probably relocate to Qatar, not Iraq.

This is a positive development in that the US will be able to exert more pressure on the Saudi's to reform their government. With the presence of US troops, Arab opinion probably would not allow change, even if it was for the good.

Sandman, Your position is that US soldiers wantonly opened fire on a peaceful crowd?? You should eithier get a life or get an education on US rules of engagement.

[Agathon]

If only the US could pull out of Tony Blair......

[Lawrence of Arabia]

One down, 100 to go.

[monkspider]

I wonder if this will pave the way for US to withdraw from Germany, S. Korea, and so on. We can only pray....

[Japher]

Go in, Pull out... we'll be back in, that's how you screw someone.