November 14, 2003
RIYADH BOMBING: 'BLIND FANATICISM' BEHIND
'HEINOUS ACT' CONDEMNED
KEY FINDINGS
** The attack might prompt
Riyadh to "increase its cooperation with the U.S."
** Muslim critics blame
"Israeli barbarism" and U.S. "state-sponsored terrorism"
for the blast.
** Al-Qaida seeks to spark
an Islamic civil war between "modernists and orthodox."
** The "growing loss
of control" by the Saudi royals heralds increasing instability.
MAJOR THEMES
Al-Qaida's threat may bring the U.S. and Saudi Arabia 'closer
together'-- The Riyadh attack proves
"toleration or promotion of extremists does not pay," and observers
predicted it might "turn the Arab public against the
perpetrators." Germany's
center-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung agreed that Riyadh "could
now really turn into a real ally in the fight against terrorism." Pro-government Saudi dailies urged immediate
action against the terrorist "enemy of propriety and life." The Arab News demanded Saudis unite
"to eradicate this menace."
Outside Saudi Arabia, Muslim writers imply 'American
involvement'-- Indonesian, Kuwaiti and
Egyptian dailies speculated that the bombing was "part of a grand and
systematic design to destroy the image of Islam" because only
"enemies of Arabism and Islam" benefited. Egypt's pro-opposition Al-Wafd said
U.S. intelligence warnings "may imply...American involvement" in the
attack. Other Muslim writers termed the
Riyadh blast a "reaction to America's state-sponsored terrorism";
Bangladesh's independent Prothom Alo alleged the U.S.' "'might is
right' policy is increasing the causes of terrorism." Uganda's moderate Weekly Messenger
advised the U.S. to "adequately address" terrorism's roots.
Intra-Islam conflict may cause increased 'fratricide in the name
of Allah"-- The blast is a warning
to Muslims in "open conflict with the Islamic fundamentalists." Italy's leading centrist Corriere della
Sera predicted a "civil war triggered by an army of suicide
bombers" in Saudi Arabia that may "end up destabilizing the entire
country"; Russian and South African dailies said the bombing threatened
"Muslims who have adopted the Western way of life" instead of
al-Qaida's "narrow and bigoted understanding of Islam."
The 'picture of stability has long been false' in Saudi
Arabia-- The "Saudi regime
is in deeper trouble than it has so far anticipated," according to
Britain's independent Financial Times.
It is one of the "toughest, most dubious and least democratic
regimes in the region," said Canada's centrist La Presse, but needs
"much more than repression" to solve its problems. Thus, the bomb "should serve as a motive
to continue with more reforms."
Malaysia's government-influenced New Straits Times concluded
Riyadh must "undertake the necessary reforms, including democratization,
or woe betide it."
EDITOR: Ben Goldberg
EDITOR'S NOTE: This
analysis was based on 56 reports from 32 countries over 7 - 13 November
2003. Editorial excerpts from each
country are listed from the most recent date.
EUROPE
BRITAIN: “Saudi
Reform: The Kingdom Has To Change,
Whatever The Bombers Do”
The independent Financial Times opined (11/12): "Saturday’s attack in Riyadh, which
killed 17 people (among them five children), suggests the Saudi regime is in
deeper trouble than it has so far acknowledged.
That is the more so since it is only relatively recently that the ruling
House of Saudi publicly allowed that it had a problem at all. The roots of Saudi Arabia’s problems are
social, political, economic and religious.
It follows that much more than repression is required to resolve
them. The ruling family (and its allies)
must stay this course, dangerous though it is.... As President George W. Bush acknowledged in
his speech on democracy last week, 60 years of backing Arab autocrats have
merely produced a new breed of terrorist.
He is quite right--‘Stability cannot be purchased at the expense of
liberty.”
“Arabs Are Just As Vulnerable”
The conservative Daily Telegraph remarked (11/10): "The attack demonstrates that one of the
critical pillars of the ruling household’s edifice, namely foreign Arab workers
who comprise much of the managerial classes, are every bit as vulnerable as
American military installations....
There must be an increasing suspicion that the al-Qa’eda analysis of the
shortcomings of the regime--that the Saudi economy has been plundered by the
royals--has taken profound hold of the imagination of wide sections of the
population. Soon, the kingdom could be
facing a fully-fledged insurgency....
George W. Bush was notably lukewarm about the recent minmalistic reforms
of the Saudi state. This has been
interpreted by some as a hint that the special relationship forged between
Franklin Roosevelt and King Ibn Saud near the end of the Second World War is no
longer quite so special. It is high time
that a similar debate was held in this country.”
FRANCE: “Bush’s Failure In
The Middle East”
Pascal Riche wrote in left-of-center Liberation
(11/10): “After the latest terrorist
attack in Riyadh, President Bush will hardly be able to repeat his magic phrase
‘the world is now safer'.... But the
attack will not alter Washington's strategy...of rebuilding Iraq and making it
a model for the region.... President
Bush’s latest speech did not reassure many of his listeners because it stands
as a symbol of the gap between his vision of the Middle East and reality. And
Saudi Arabia is the country that best illustrates this gap: a dictatorship
along the lines of the Taliban dictatorship in Afghanistan, but an
indispensable ally for the U.S.”
“Extremism Against Modernity”
Claude Lorieux stated in right-of-center Le Figaro
(11/10): “Saudi extremists are set on
convincing foreigners not to work for Saudi Arabia.... Some pilgrims to Mecca are beginning to
wonder whether it is opportune to embark on their pilgrimage.... This last attack proves one thing: America’s
spectacularly reduced military presence in Saudi Arabia has achieved very
little in terms of disarming Islamic extremists.”
GERMANY: "Now A Real
Ally"
Center-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich maintained
(11/11): "The Saudi monarchy could
now really turn into a real ally in the fight against terrorism, simply because
its own survival is involved. In Saudi
Arabia and elsewhere in the Islamic world, the conclusion can now be drawn that
the toleration or promotion of extremists does not pay. Some day in the future, such regimes will
suffer the fate of a magician's apprentice.
In addition, we hope that the most recent attack in Riyadh will
contribute to unmasking the terrorists, since the people killed come from Saudi
Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, and Sudan; they were all Muslims. Such arbitrariness is evidence of the fact
that much more is involved than the confrontation of a sincere Islam with the
shameful United States."
ITALY: "The Contagion
Of Violence"
Igor Man judged in centrist, influential La Stampa
(11/10): "It's an 'internal'
attack. It's the confirmation of an historical shift: in the galaxy of Islam,
taking shape is the conflict, until now dialectical, if not scientific, between
modernists and orthodox. This definition may seem overly simple, (and maybe it
is), however it helps to try and understand what is happening in the region
that is at the highest risk in the world, [the region] which we inappropriately
call the Middle East. It's a safe of yellow and black gold sealed by hatred.
Hatred, born of frustration and of the disaster of war, of the [feelings of
the] so-called Arab world against Israel; hatred, born of humiliation and
injustice, of Palestinians [emotion] toward Israelis considered the armed wing
of a neo-colonialism of American origin."
"The 'Civil War' Triggered By Osama"
Magdi Allam averred in centrist, top-circulation Corriere della
Sera (11/10): "Saudi Arabia is
becoming a country with one of the highest risks of terrorism alongside Israel
and Iraq, with a fundamental difference. The stakes are high: the control of
the planet's major oil reserves and of Islam's most sacred of lands. It is a
characteristic that is everything but irrelevant: we are witnessing a civil war
triggered by an army of suicide bombers on the orders of Osama Bin Laden.
Saudis against Saudis.... The result is
fratricide in the name of Allah. Islamists against Muslims. And that the real
objective of the terrorists is only one: power.... The repeated suicide attacks in Saudi Arabia
coincide with the discovery in the territory of a solid Al Qaeda structure that
has conspicuous financial assets, possesses a considerable weapons arsenal,
controls mosques and Koranic schools. And above all, it relies on the conniving
of sympathizers who have infiltrated the secret services, security apparati, as
well as the State administration and the religious cult.... And it is also likely that it can count on
the sympathy of leaders of the Saudi royal family with fundamentalist
tendencies and hostile to the substantially lay modernity incarnated by the
West.... The outcome of this game,
whether we like it or not, concerns us all, because undoubtedly the earthquake
that has hit Saudi Arabia will end up destabilizing the entire country."
RUSSIA: "Al Qaeda
Blows Up Muslims"
Dmitry Suslov observed in liberal Nezavisimaya Gazeta
(11/10): "The latest terrorist act
is one of the few that have been predicted
by the American intelligence correctly and in advance. Washington reported
last Friday that there was
'an immediate terrorist threat
in Saudi Arabia"
and that "the
terrorists planning the attacks are moving into the operational
phase'.... Even before
the start of Ramadan, the
US, Britain and Australia have called on their citizens
to refrain from travelling to Saudi
Arabia 'in connection with a possible terrorist threat.' Besides, concrete actions were taken to
forestall the threat.... Although this time the target was not American
(though located not far from the
US Embassy and the residential quarters
of American citizens) American interests
are the terrorists' main target....
By blowing up the
families of Arab
diplomats the organizers have demonstrated to the whole world
what may
be in store for those Muslims who have adopted the
Western way of life that prevails in the
diplomatic quarter of the Saudi capital."
AUSTRIA: “Torn Between Two
Directions”
Gudrun Harrer wrote in liberal Der Standard (11/11): “The reaction of the US to the bombing attack
in Riyadh shows a somewhat selective perception. This time--unlike in most
other attacks in Saudi Arabia--no Americans were among the victims, probably
because the terrorists had to settle for a less well-protected target.
Washington immediately pointed the finger: Al-Qaeda wants to overthrow the
Saudi royal family (nothing else). The attack was directed against the Saudi
Arabian people (no-one else). And: If Riyadh agrees, we will be happy to assist
them as a partner. Riyadh has no choice but to accept this friendly offer, even
though the existing ‘partnership’ between the US and the highly repressive
Saudi regime was one of the reasons for Bin Laden’s ascent. The Saudi royal
family is torn between two totally different directions in the country: the
wish for openness and democratization, and that for re-Islamization, i.e.
distance from the US and its goals in the region. The terrorist activity of
al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia is the horrific radicalization of this desire.”
“A Turning Point?”
Burkhard Bischof commented in centrist Die
Presse (11/10): "Bin Laden’s
hatred is directed against everything and everyone who does not share the death
wish of those Al Qaeda’s fanatics....
For all Muslims, the Riyadh car bomb attack should serve as an
eye-opener on bin Laden’s destructive interests. It should also induce them to
take the necessary consequences.... If
all those who have felt the impact of bin Laden’s terror war start working
together and open up a joint front, 09/11/03 might, indeed, emerge as a turning
point in the global anti-terror efforts. Could it be the beginning of the end
for Usama bin Laden?”
CZECH REPUBLIC: "The
Lesson Of Jihad"
Petr Pesek held in center-right Lidove noviny (11/10): "Jews and Christians are enemy Number
One, states the editorial of the new issue of internet magazine 'Voice of
Jihad,' which is considered a mouth piece of terrorist al-Qaeda. The bomb attack in Riyad, which carries the
hand of al-Qaeda, is additional evidence that terrorist attacks will never be
entirely prevented. But an even more
interesting aspect of the night's bloodshed is that not Americans or other 'western
nonbelievers'...but foreigners from Arab and Muslim countries were targeted
this time. This perhaps opened the eyes
of even those in the Arab world, who until now secretly sympathized with al-Qaeda and its attacks on
western targets."
HUNGARY: “Bazaar Bargains”
Prestigious Hungarian-language weekly HVG held
(11/13): "The most recent bomb
attack in Riyadh can backfire on al-Qaeda because the target this time was a
residential area where foreigners of Arab origin reside in villas. This fact can turn the Arab public against
the perpetrators. It can even put the
United States’ fight against terrorism into a different light. The attack might even help the Saudi
authorities in mapping and liquidating the terrorist cells. The slaughtering of Muslims, women and
children amongst them, might loosen up the taboos of the Saudi society, which
rests in large part, on tribal relations.
The conservative leaning Muslims, who would otherwise never ‘betray’
their fellow clan members, might also cooperate with the authorities more
actively."
NORWAY: "Chaos As A
Means To Power"
John Hultgren stated in newspaper-of-record Aftenposten
(11/12): "Saudi Arabia has behaved
like a stable country.... Despite that
the picture of stability has long been false. Internally the country has been
torn between two factions that have gone each their own direction. The one is
now suddenly violent. It consists of religious fanatics that think that Saudi
Arabia's very conservative interpretation of Islam is too liberal. This is a
group of people that condemn every aspect of what we would consider modern. And
the followers are obviously willing to do everything in order to win. Therefore
are more actions very probable.... It is
more interesting to see whom Al-Qaeda attacks in its actions.... American targets are perhaps too well
secured. So are perhaps targets connected to the royal family. But there is
also another possibility; that the bombs actually are not aimed against anyone
specific, but are meant to create chaos."
"Al-Qaeda"
Social-democratic Dagsavisen commented (11/12): "The weekend's bomb that killed 17
people in Saudi Arabia shows that the terror network Al-Qaeda is still fully
able to plan and execute greater actions against difficult targets. Also from
Afghanistan come reports about Al-Qaeda still posing a serious threat. Meanwhile the U.S. fritters away the forces
in Iraq, in a war that does more to encourage more terror than to limit its
possibilities."
ROMANIA: "Saudi Arabia
Terrorist Attack"
Roxana Frosin opined in business-oriented Curentul (11/10): "An attempt to undermine Saudi Arabia,
the main ally of the United States in the Middle East and the main oil
supplier, is a new blow against westerners in the Kingdom, a new warning
addressed to the Saudi royal family who are involved in an open conflict with
the Islamic fundamentalists, or all these taken together. The devastating terrorist attack of Saturday
night, in a residential sector of Riyadh, bears the Al-Qaida trademark, as all
Saudi and western sources agree.”
SPAIN: "The Saudi
Contamination"
Centrist La Vanguardia editorialized (11/10): "The shock wave of Iraq which began with
the aim of stabilizing the region, not only has not been able to bring peace
but on the contrary is generating a contaminating effect on Saudi Arabia.... The new terrorist blow in Riyadh has also an
internal key: the gradual loss of control of the situation by the Saud
family.... The intervention in Iraq did
not so much seek to break the unproven ties between Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda
as much as to put Saudi Arabia on the ropes.
The control of Iraqi oil reserves could give Washington an alternative
supply and let it demand from the Saudis an effective commitment against
Islamic terrorism and to open its strict fundamentalism. If this was the purpose, the attacks last
Saturday reflect this with all its crudeness.
The question is if the Riyadh regime is able to confront the
contaminating plague that it itself has helped spread."
TURKEY: "The Riyadh
Bombings"
Sami Kohen observed in mass-appeal Milliyet (11/12): "The latest attacks indicate a growing
wave of terrorism in Saudi Arabia. Al
Qaida is the most likely suspect behind the terrorist acts. It is known that the organization has a
strong network in Saudi Arabia, and that its main targets include the US as
well as the Saudi Royal Family....
Although the US decided to close its military bases in Saudi Arabia, it
seems that Al Qaida continues to treat the Saudi regime as a US puppet. It is very likely that Al Qaida hopes to
create an uprising by weakening the Saudi regime after the terrorist
attacks.... The Saudi government has
pledged minor political reforms in this autocratic country. However, the recent terrorist attacks might
slow down the limited democratization process and maybe even put an end
it. If that happens, it would be very
discouraging for Saudi Arabia's political future and could drag the
oil-producing states into violence and instability which could shake the
political and economic equilibrium around the world."
MIDDLE EAST
EGYPT: "Al Qaeda: Who Benefits?"
Pro-government Al Ahram senior columnist Salama Ahmed
Salama wrote (11/13): "The
murderous suicide bombings...in Riyadh symbolize the utter failure of Al
Qaeda.... Once, Al Qaeda had a goal...regarding
combating U.S. hegemony using terrorist tactics. Now, Al Qaeda has turned its guns on Saudi
Arabia.... It no longer differentiates
between friend and foe.... [The attack]
proves...Al Qaeda lacks a specific political vision or a comprehensive
religious and moral logic.... A chaotic
Saudi Arabia will...perhaps tempt foreign forces to interfere. A clear indicator that the ranks of Al
Qaeda...have been infiltrated are the repeated warnings which preceded recent
attacks."
“Riyadh Explosions: Threat
Against All”
Pro-government Al Ahram Editor-in-chief Ibrahim Nafie
declared (11/11): “The attack served the
enemies of Arabism and Islam...it is enough to view Zionist websites to
discover the Zionist groups’ unjust accusations of brutality against Arabism
and Islam.... Arabs should have a common
strategy to fight terrorist organizations....
Certainly, international powers, chiefly the U.S., are primarily
responsible for international terrorism....
Continuing Israeli thuggery, absolute U.S. support for Israel, and the
U.S. occupation of Iraq...are all factors exploited by terrorist
organizations.”
“The Riyadh Battle”
Essam Kamel concluded in pro-opposition Al Wafd
(11/11): “Undoubtedly, American
[intelligence] warnings of the attack could be a coincidence...but also it may
imply that Americans have launched a psychological war against the Saudis and
may also imply American involvement in the attack. For [if Americans were that clever, why
weren’t they clever as well] in Iraq and before September 11?.... The collapse of the twin towers in the U.S.
led to the fall of two regimes and crushed the bones of Muslims, and the plot
against more Arab capitals proceeds towards a new regional map where only one
master exists: the U.S.”
SAUDI ARABIA:
"The Riyadh Bombings: A Different Reading"
Chief Editor Abd-al-Bari Atwan averred in
London-based independent anti-U.S., anti-Saudi Arabic-language Al-Quds
Al-Arabi (11/12): "The Arab
regimes' indulgence in political and financial corruption is the only
explanation for the wave of bloody violence that currently prevails in the Arab
region, and which began to most truthfully express itself in Saudi Arabia and
Iraq in particular. The bombings that
currently take place in Riyadh and the preceding confrontations in Mecca are
only the result of suppressed anger.
They are a prelude to the eruption of the volcano of hatred and rancor,
which currently lies under the thrones of ruling regimes. This explosion is inevitably coming.... When our rulers are indulged in corruption
and plunder public funds, humiliate the homeland and citizens, fail to support
the causes of right in the Islamic world, and side with colonial forces and
their plans, they must not be obeyed....
We do not support violence as a means of change. At the same time, we
oppose all those who call for not discussing the reasons and causes and who are
contented with demanding that what happened should be denounced as abominable
terrorism. The United States bears a
great responsibility for the emergence and spread of this wave of
violence. It is the United States, which
harbored and encouraged Islamic extremism and financed some of its
organizations, which fought against communism and Arab nationalist and leftist
fervor. It is the United States, which
supported and protected corrupt regimes, covered up their repressive methods,
and allied itself with them against the citizens and their legitimate human
rights.... Regrettably, the bloody
violence in the region will escalate because the regimes do not want to
introduce reforms and because the United States changed its mind and resumed
its support for these regimes only because they stepped up their campaigns of
repression against their peoples on the pretext of fighting extremism and the
al-Qa'ida organization. The Riyadh
bombings are the tip of the iceberg."
"Why?"
The English-language pro-government Arab News
opined (11/11): "The bombing of the residential compound in Riyadh on
Saturday night sent several messages. The first was that Al-Qaeda are a
presence in the Kingdom and have declared war on everyone who lives here,
Saudis and foreigners alike. Saudi Arabia is now the front line in the war on
terror and we must all stand shoulder to shoulder with the security forces to
eradicate this menace from the home of Islam’s two holiest shrines.... This is a decisive battle against the forces
of evil, whose goal of bringing about instability and chaos is anathema to all
decent-minded Saudis. The fact that
Arabs and Muslims were targeted has been made much of in both the Arabic-language
and Western media. And rightly so. That the attack occurred in Ramadan merely
increases the revulsion, and should leave no one in any doubt that Islam and
its values were far from the minds of those who chose to take their own lives
along with so many others. What has such terror to do with Islam? Having said that, the attacks would have been
no less barbaric had they targeted an exclusively Western compound.... The time is over for stupid conspiracy
theories which blame every event that shows the Kingdom in a less than perfect
light on hidden foreign hands. This was not the work of Mossad. This was not
the work of the CIA. The time has come for all of us to pour scorn on anyone
who takes that all-too-easy way out. This attack was carried out by Saudis, and
rather than remain in denial about the fact, we must face up to it--and
everything it implies.... If any good
can come of such horror as the Riyadh blast, it is surely that no one who now
hears the name Al-Qaeda will have any image in their mind other than one which
truly reflects what the organization stands for: Innocent men and women being
rushed to hospitals dripping with blood or trying to comfort their terrified
children. Al-Qaeda are terrorists, pure and simple. They stand for nothing but
death, destruction and disunity.
"Let's Be Courageous And Call Things By Their True
Names"
Abha's moderate Al-Watan declared (11/10): "Making incoherent speeches seems to be
the most our religious scholars can do...appealing to the terrorists, whom they
describe as the youth of Jihad, not to resort to violence and destruction but
rather to engage in dialogue.... We
expect them to use clearer language, espouse sincere and genuine positions, and
decide whether they are for or against the terrorists.... At the other end of the political spectrum,
we find (Saudi) nationalists who do nothing but issue repeated anti-American
statements...expressing no clear opinion about what is going on inside our
country. We want them to clearly
denounce terrorism, too.... Look for
example at their arguments regarding the warning by the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh
few days ago. Some of them argued that it was part of a Zionist media campaign
against Saudi Arabia in the United States.
But we all know that these terrorists are Saudi youths."
"Terrorists Didn't Do Their Homework"
Jeddah's English-language Saudi Gazette commented
(11/10): "Before this week, perhaps
some in the Kingdom still believed that the terrorists were pursuing some noble
cause. Today they know for sure that
that no nobility can possibly attach to their heinous act.... No good can come out of this week's
mayhem. Yet the dispelling of any doubt
about the terrorists' motives ought to ensure that this whole country,
government and people, are hand in hand against this enemy of propriety and
life. If the terrorists still believe
that they can win, they surely have to do their homework [about public
opinion]."
"Midnight Terror"
Riyadh's English-language moderate Riyadh Daily noted
(11/10): "The suicide bomb attacks
in Riyadh late Saturday night clearly reflect the terrorist groups' growing
anger at defeat.... Whatever the target,
mass murder for whatever cause is simply beyond the comprehension of any sane
person.... Now, after the second
devastating terror attack this year in Riyadh, the Kingdom stands firm in its
resolve to take on the terrorist groups.
No number of terrorist acts will force the Kingdom to submit to
blackmail. It will continue to strive
for harmony, while at the same time making every effort to continue flushing
out the slippery terrorist forces until they are wiped out forever."
JORDAN: "Attacking
Riyadh Using Sharon’s Methods"
Mahmoud Al-Rimawi maintained in semi-official influential
Arabic-language Al-Rai (11/10):
“It has always been rightly said that extremists are allies, even if
their aims are different. The horrifying
events in Riyadh come as an echo to the supports that the neo-conservatives in
Washington give to Israeli barbarism. In both cases civilians are attacked, in
the name of religion and in the name of spreading democracy. Either way the acts are guided by blind
fanaticism and lack of respect for human life, even though Sharon is more
blatant in implementing his policy of ethnic cleansing with total American
support, which the U.S. gives without shame.”
KUWAIT: "Torturing
Bodies To Frighten Nations"
Mohammad Al-Ajmi noted in independent Al-Watan
(11/12): "The terrorist attacks in
Saudi Arabia coincided with the beginning of reforms in the Kingdom through
establishing an open dialogue. This signifies that those who are behind the
attack do not believe in the language of dialogue and reject reforms. They
strongly believe in violence and killing as a means to achieve their goals.
Such terrorist attacks should not hinder reforms. Instead, they should serve as
a motive to continue with more reforms."
"Riyadh's Incident"
Khudair Al-Anzi remarked in independent Al-Qabas
(11/12): "We are in a real crisis.
There is no guarantee that what happened in Saudi Arabia will not happen in
Kuwait or any other country. Extremism has become an international phenomenon.
The attacks in Riyadh and Mecca indicate we are facing a dangerous
ideology.... There should be no dialogue
with such ideology, but rather eradicating such thought will protect the whole
of society."
"Mecca And Riyadh Explosions"
Sami Al-Nisf opined in independent Al-Anba (11/11): "In Riyadh, apostates of Islam chose a
safe residential complex occupied mostly by Muslims to act out their
cold-blooded crime. Can anything justify such a criminal act during this holy
month [of Ramadan]?.... Who else would
benefit from such organized criminal acts by Al-Qaeda terrorist organization
except the enemies of Arabism and Islam."
"What Do Terrorists
Want?"
Liberal Secretary General of the National Democratic Forum Dr.
Ahmad Bishara wrote in independent Al-Qabas (11/11): "These terrorists exploit internal
conditions [in Saudi Arabia] such as unemployment, a deteriorating economy, and
restraints on public freedom. On the other hand, wide freedoms are given to
Islamic groups and organizations to spread their narrow vision of life and
religion. Such an atmosphere provides fertile ground for terrorist
ideology.... Confronting terrorism
requires winning over regular citizens and making them feel they are part of
the battle against terrorism. Passive citizens who lack a role in their
countries become fuel for the battle."
LEBANON: "The Saudi
Complex"
Sahar Baasiri held in moderate, anti-Syrian An-Nahar
(11/12): "Following the latest
blast...Saudi Arabia looks like a front open to many conflicts...that could be
detrimental. These conflicts are
several: the Saudi regime's war on terrorism, Al-Qaida's attempts to topple the
current Saudi regime, in addition to calls for reform. Whatever these conflicts may be, there is no
doubt that the Saudi front is getting increasingly dangerous.... The crisis is really deep because ever since
the kingdom was established, it was based on religion...today, there are those
who are defying the Saudi monarchy by using religion itself...and the monarchy
can no longer contain this crisis....
King Fahd said that he will strike with an iron hand...however, will
striking be beneficial? Those who are
defying the legitimacy of the Saudi regime are the sons of this regime and its
Moslem beliefs."
SYRIA: "The Potentials
for Resurgence and Self-Achievement"
Omar Jaftali declared in government-owned Tishreen
(11/11): "The targeting of the
infrastructure of fraternal Saudi Arabia that recently took place and the
attempt to plant the seeds of chaos among its sons is likely to be repeated in
countries other than Saudi Arabia. Foreign plotting with its Zionist tentacles
has now found its place in view of the divisions and regionalism that are
besetting the Ummah and in view of the fragmentation of will and the
decision-making process.... Expeditious
Arab action can benefit from the fact that the viewpoints agree that the best
road for the Arabs is to regain solidarity....
On behalf of Syria, President Bashar Asad condemned the bombing in
Riyadh that targeted innocent civilians....
The internal and external dangers threatening Saudi Arabia threaten
Syria and all the Arab countries as well. These dangers should prompt the
forces of the nation to think seriously and come up with cures and possible
alternatives in order to put the Arab house in order once again based on a
genuine will founded on integration, cooperation, and a common destiny."
ASIA-PACIFIC
AUSTRALIA: “Riyadh Bomb
Will Not Deter Reform Vision”
An editorial in the national conservative Australian read
(11/10): “In its randomness and bloody
mindedness, yesterday's attack on a residential compound in Riyadh, which
killed at least five people and injured more than one hundred others, had
al-Qa'ida written all over it.... Saudi
Arabia has begun a dialogue on human rights, committed itself to a limited
degree of electoral freedom, and even allowed demonstrations by pro-democracy
groups. This may be, in fact, what provoked the renewed attack by the
terrorists: in Saudi Arabia, as in post-Hussein Iraq, they will quite rightly
see any movement in the direction of democracy, and rights for women, as a dire
threat to their interests. As citizens in Arab countries experience the
economic and social benefits that democracy and human rights, in co-operation
with Islam, can bring, the influence of religious radicals will wane and the
terrorists' recruiting-swamps will dry up. This is the basis of the Middle East
vision outlined by George W. Bush in his keynote speech last week.... But yesterday's attack on Riyadh should
convince even more Saudis that the Islamists are their enemies, and that the
Bush vision is their lifeline.”
CHINA: "Saudi Arabia:
Terror Attacks Promote Anti-Terror Alliance"
Yin Zheng wrote in official popular Beijing
Youth Daily (Beijing Qingnianbao) (11/7): "Since 9/11...Saudi Arabia has faced
great pressure from the international community, especially from the U.S. But in the two years after 9/11, Saudi remained
independent from the international anti-terror alliance.... But the successive bombings since May 12 have
changed things. Considering Saudi as a
target indicates that the terrorists' targets are expanding. Saudi has to increase its cooperation with
the U.S.... In this sense, objectively
speaking, international terrorism has helped strengthen the international
anti-terror alliance.... Actually the
Saudis' only choice is to get closer to the anti-terror alliance. If not...its economy will take a severe
hit.... Besides, if the U.S. finds Saudi
uncooperative in the anti-terror fight, it may adopt various measures to
promote democratic reform in Saudi, and this no doubt will shake the Saudi
royals' position."
INDONESIA: “Local, Regional
And Global Contexts Of Terrors In Riyadh”
Leading independent Kompas commented
(11/11): “In the regional context, the
terrorist acts in Riyadh only added to the complexity of the chain of violence
in the Middle East. The suicide bombing
in Riyadh only worsened the bad image of the Middle East as a region full of
violence.... In the global context, the
discourse on terrorism has shifted. The
incidents in Riyadh have dismantled the ideological bias, misperception, and
attitude that have caused generalizations between terrorism and Islam. It is
becoming clearer that terrorism has nothing to do with religion.”
“The U.S. And The Ever-Growing Violence”
Independent Media Indonesia editorialized
(11/11): “It is rather difficult not to
link the suicide bombings with the worsening situation in Iraq because of U.S.
aggression. It is also rather difficult
to separate the suicide bombing in Riyadh with U.S. plans to hunt down Osama
bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.... If
Saudi Arabia has also become a target of attacks by the militants, the world
has indeed become a mess and scary because the country, Mecca in particular, is
a holy place where Muslims all over the world meet. No matter the cause, the U.S. has a major
contribution in fostering violence by militant groups in the Middle East.”
“Vicious Circle of Terror”
Independent Koran Tempo observed
(11/11): “Very obviously the series of
terror in Saudi Arabia was not separated from U.S. foreign policy in the Middle
East. The U.S. said the bombings were
masterminded by Al Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden. This could be true or false. However, even in the absence of bin Laden,
opposition groups still continue to appear....
The U.S. is launching a war against terrorism. But for these groups, the U.S. foreign policy
in the Middle East constitutes terror.
And they have no other choice than to resist terrorism with
terrorism.... This circle of terror must
be stopped after so many victims. One of
the ways is that the U.S. must review its foreign policy in the Middle East.”
“Saudi Arabia Is Being Targeted Now”
Muslim intellectual Republika commented
(11/10): “The motive of the attack in
Riyadh early Sunday is still not yet known...whether the attack was related to
the anti-American attitude or part of an external pressure for Saudi Arabia to
adopt democracy. It has also yet to be determined whether the attack aimed to
tell the world that Saudi Arabia is a terrorist exporting country as the West
has accused since September 11. The bomb
attack in Riyadh must be condemned. No
matter who they are, or what their agenda is--including attacks in Mecca some
time ago--the attackers must be people who do not understand Islam and its
principles. To Muslims, the attacks in Riyadh and Mecca raise a question amid a
situation where Muslims all over the world have been cornered since September
11. The U.S. government has many times
tried to convince them that there is no link between terrorism and Islam, and
yet terrorist acts have occurred in Muslim countries, including Indonesia. Is this just a coincidence? Isn’t there any possibility that the
terrorists attacks in Muslim countries are part of a grand and systematic
design to destroy the image of Islam as a religion of peace and compassion to
the whole universe?”
MALAYSIA: "Acts Of
Sacrilege In Riyadh"
Government-infleunced English-language New Straits Times
opined (11/11): "That Sunday’s car
bomb attack in Riyadh, underlines the fact that nothing is sacred to
terrorists. Despite the crackdown on the
militants and warnings that such an attack was likely, nothing could be done to
prevent the recent tragedy. It remains to
be seen whether the Saudi authorities will be able to foil further
attacks. Although the royal family seems
to be the target of the terrorists, the unpalatable truth is that Saudi Arabia
is where al-Qaeda was born, and the puritanical and militant doctrines of the
official Wahhabi sect is the source of al-Qaeda ideology. What sets the Islamists against the Saudi
royalty is the latter's 'unholy alliance' with the United States, and by
extension with US favourite Israel. The
terrorist network inside and outside Saudi Arabia feeds on the widespread Arab
anger against the US because of its pro-Jewish policies, its invasions of
Afghanistan and Iraq, and its perceived prejudice against Islam. Regardless of whether the blast is connected
to alQaeda, it has served notice that no war against terror is going to
extinguish terrorism, unless the roots of injustice are exterminated. Capturing Osama bin Laden or detaining
hundreds of suspects will not cripple the terrorist network because hundreds
more are ready to take their place.
Fighting terrorism requires policies and strategies which douse the
fires of hatred rather than those which serve only to inflame them to the
extent that militants are prepared to commit acts of murderous sacrilege during
the fasting month. The House of Saud
must be prepared to undertake the necessary reforms, including democratisation,
or woe betide it."
SINGAPORE: "Terror In
Saudi Arabia"
The pro-government Straits Times editorialized
(11/13): "Saudi Arabia has for long
promoted its puritanical brand of Islam, Wahhabism, by funding charities and
schools the world over. There is evidence that some, if not a large portion, of
this money has found its way to terrorist groups.... Last weekend's bombing in Riyadh, which
killed at least 17 people, all of them Arab, indicates Saudi Arabia itself is
reaping what it sowed. That was inevitable, for Al-Qaeda's chieftains,
especially Osama bin Laden, have never camouflaged one of their chief
aims--nothing less than the overthrow of the Saudi monarchy, which they believe
is corrupt and pro-Western. The fact that this attack took place despite the US
withdrawal of its military forces from the country shows that the US presence
in Saudi Arabia was not the main, or only, quarrel Al-Qaeda had with the Saudi
royal family. Its chief quarrel was with the family itself.... Al-Qaeda's aim being to overthrow the Saudi
monarchy, it does not matter to it who it kills in the process, Muslim or
non-Muslim, so long as it succeeds in creating mayhem, confusion, uncertainty
and instability. It wins, not by eliciting mass support for itself, but by
exposing the regime's inability to protect the people, by revealing the emperor
really has no clothes, by instigating capital flight and a loss of confidence
in the government. To fight back, that
government must first show its strength and determination. The Saudi
government, to its credit, has done that, and well before the latest
attack.... Few will disagree that
oppressive regimes (supported often by the US, as Mr. Bush admitted) provide
fertile recruiting grounds for radical Islamic groups. But democracy alone will
not drain that ground. More crucial than elections are the rule of law,
educational reforms and economic justice. What angers ordinary Saudis most: the
fact that they do not have municipal elections or that they are ruled by a
family, numbering in the thousands, that is widely perceived (with good reason)
as self-indulgent, opulent and corrupt?"
SOUTH ASIA
INDIA: "Terrorism In
Riyadh"
Urdu-language pro-Congress Qaumi Awaz declared
(11/11): "The growing incidents of
terror attacks are a direct offshoot of the US policy of interference in the
Arab world. The invasion of Iraq only poured fuel to the raging fire. As a
result, not only the US but also Saudi Arabia and other countries that
collaborated with the invaders in Iraq are now being targeted.... In Iraq, the popular outburst against the
invaders is being linked with Al-Qaeda. Without making a case for the terror
organization and its nefarious acts, it is unrealistic to hold Al-Qaeda
responsible for every single act of violence everywhere. It was too tempting to
see Al-Qaeda's hands behind the blast in Riyadh. But, it was surprisingly
ignored that the US had not only warned against the attack and closed its
mission two days in advance. If the US intelligence had firm information about
the attack why not did it share with and alert the Saudi authorities? Instead
of just focussing on Al-Qaeda, the US policies in the region should also be
kept in mind while ascertaining the causes that provoked the blasts in Riyadh
and elsewhere."
"Warriors Of Chaos"
The nationalist Hindustan Times maintained (11/11): "The Riyadh blasts are pointers to
several aspects of Islamic terrorism. First, they show that al-Qaeda is still
capable of wreaking havoc at a time and place of its choosing. Second, westerners
are no longer its sole targets. It can strike even at fellow Muslims.... As long as they can spread terror, their main
objective, no communities are spared. In the case of the attacks in Riyadh, the
target is evidently the Saudi regime....
It has been suggested that the latest strikes will alienate the Muslim
community. It's possible, however, that al-Qaeda simply doesn't care.... Its aim is to terrorize the people into
submission, as in Afghanistan under the Taliban, so that its version of a
puritanical Islamic regime can be established. To al-Qaeda, the Saudi royals,
with their lavish lifestyle, are no better than the Great Satan, which is the
US.... The disturbing evidence of
al-Qaeda's capacity to unleash terror has come at a time when the Turkish decision
against sending troops to Iraq means that there is not going to be any relief
for the US.... As in Saudi Arabia,
al-Qaeda is not bothered if the Red Cross's departure entails greater suffering
for the ordinary Iraqis. Indeed, as the organized structures of governance
collapse, Osama's insensate warriors will have reasons to cheer."
"Monster Ball"
An editorial in the pro-BJP right-of-center Pioneer read
(11/11): "Operationally, the
bombings at the al-Muhaya residential complex in Riyadh resemble the series of
blasts that shook three housing compounds in the Saudi Capital on May
12.... Both were carried out late at
night. Both were fidayeen attacks on soft targets: Expatriate communities.
Though no one has yet claimed responsibility for the latest attack, both are
also considered the Al Qaeda's handiwork....
The killing of Arab Muslims during Ramzan has led to shock and
bewilderment. Attacks on Shias and blasts at the UN and, more recently, Red
Cross headquarters in Baghdad have evoked similar confusion in the recent past.
But the no-holds-barred way unexpected targets are being picked off is only
apparently inexplicable. Within the traditional strikes on Western interests in
the Mideast, a new pattern of violence has emerged: Anyone perceived to be
cooperating with the West, providing a colluding support system for its
continued presence in the region or under its cultural influence is on the
hit-list. Creating a generalized climate
of fear is, of course, still directed at the US and its friends.... In Iraq, the work of international bodies and
humanitarian agencies is seen as indirectly helping the US to prolong its
'occupation.' A similar gory lesson is
being held out to the US-friendly House of Saud.... The Bush Administration, on its part, is seen
as blinking at the world's real terror exporters--Saudi Arabia and Pakistan,
strategically important client states. Barking up the wrong tree, it has also
virtually invited the Al Qaeda to fish in the troubled waters of war-ravaged
Iraq.... Clearly, the U.S.' rhetoric
about leading the global anti-terror combat is not scaring the enemies of the
free world. If the war is to be won, state terror sponsors cannot be allowed to
use their coziness with America to disown culpability for creating and
nurturing the monsters of radical Islamic jihad."
PAKISTAN: "U.S. War
Against Terrorism And The Muslim World's Travails"
Center-right Urdu-language Pakistan thundered (11/10): "America neither learned a lesson from
Vietnam, nor is it willing to soften its stance in view of the Iraqi and Afghan
nations' wrath. While the U.S. will face
losses due to this attitude, it will also bring unrest, turmoil and eventually
civil wars within Islamic states. Any
Islamic country will tomorrow face the same devastation that Saudi Arabia is
facing today. America must review its
operations and the outcome they are producing.
The path it has chosen to combat terrorism is causing hostility on
earth. If the U.S. holds peace dear, it
must pack its bags and leave Iraq and Afghanistan. Withdrawing (from these countries) would not
be cowardice--because what it is doing right now is not bravery either, but can
be termed a new form of Nazism."
"Reaction To The American Crusade, And The
Muslim Ummah"
Second-largest Urdu-language Nawa-e-Waqt
held (11/10): "The November 8 bomb
blast in Riyadh, preceded by the May 12 explosion, and the two helicopter
incidents in Iraq within a short span of time are not ordinary happenings. They demonstrate that the U.S. policy of
responding to alleged terrorism with state-terrorism has failed.... The Riyadh bomb blasts are a reaction to
America's state-sponsored terrorism. Muslim countries must counter this
crusade--that the U.S. has started to protect the tiny state of Israel--in a
unified manner. We, the so-called
Muslims have set our own house on fire instead of pondering the implications of
this crusade."
BANGLADESH: “Terrorism And
The Saudis”
Independent English-language New Age commented
(11/11): "To all intents and
purposes, the attackers are against the reforms the Saudi authorities have, of
late, been trying to bring about in its system of governance. And in the process, the vested quarters among
the ruling elite, who are for the status quo, are growingly feeling threatened. Recently, in its drive to catch the
trouble-mongers and terrorists the Saudi government has netted about 600
extremists. The government has also
become more restrictive about what is preached in the mosques, propagated
through the media or taught in the school textbooks, especially regarding
religious tolerance. Traditional Muslim
charities have come under stricter scrutiny and surveillance. These are reasons enough to infuriate the
terrorists who might be engaged in a last-ditch struggle to survive and also
carry on with their activities as before.
The outside world is not so much concerned about the internal reforms
under way in the Saudi system of governance and society as in the stability of
the country and the entire Middle East for that matter. That is because, for any lasting change in
any system of governance, it is democratization that can really work. If terrorism is in the way, then again, it is
more democracy, or in their words more involvement of the people in achieving
the end, that is be the most effective safeguard against the forces of reaction
and status quo. Switching between one
police state and the other is hardly ever the answer under the
circumstances. On the contrary, it may
cause to fan the flames of hatred and intolerance on which any form of
violence, including the modern-day terrorists, thrive. It is hoped the Saudi government will
consider these aspects of the problem in their uphill battle against
terrorism."
“Bombing In Riyadh”
Independent Bangla-language Prothom Alo said (11/11): "The incident once again reminds us that
al Qaida is still active and the U.S. acknowledged it. This means that the U.S. war against terror
after September 11 to eliminate terrorism has failed. We have seen that in the name of eliminating
terrorism, it has launched indiscriminate attacks on Afghanistan and occupied
Iraq. But it could not stop the
activities of the al Qaida network.
Terrorist attacks were also not stopped.
Citizens of the West, including the U.S., fear more such attacks at home
and abroad. This situation has questioned
the U.S. strategy to eliminate terrorism.
We do not support suicide or terrorist attacks, because these cannot
solve any problem. But we think that the
role of the West, including the U.S., is greatly responsible for increasing the
risk of terrorism all over the world.
The U.S.’ Middle East policy, the American support to Israel in spite of
its barbaric attacks on Palestinians and developments in Afghanistan and Iraq
have angered the world Muslim community.
It is more important to eliminate these causes of terrorism before it is
to be eliminated. Instead, the 'might is
right' policy is increasing the causes of terrorism. The sooner the U.S. realizes, the
better."
AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA: "Terror
In Riyadh"
The Afro-centric pro-government Sowetan
declared (11/12): "Terrorists
struck again in Saudi Arabia this week....
Many terrorist groups have since been scrambling to claim responsibility
for the attack.... Since the attack of
September 11 2001 on America, the Saudi kingdom has been under intense pressure
to do more to join the fight against terror. It would be remembered that most
of the suicide attackers were from Saudi Arabia. So was their leader, Osama bin
Laden, the head of the al-Qaeda network, the master mind of that and several
other attacks. In their own way, the
Saudi authorities have responded. Which, in part, explains the rising terrorist
backlash against them. Their perceived close relationship with the American
administration has also fuelled the resentment of the attackers towards the
kingdom. Now that the attackers have taken their battle to Riyadh, it is
tempting for Saudi authorities to respond in kind. This would play straight
into the hands of their attackers. A violent response to this attack will just
strengthen the resolve of the attackers to bring down the kingdom. Tempting though it is to employ George Bush's
doctrine of terror, the Saudi house must avoid falling into the trap. It must
play its cards wisely. First, it must defend its citizens and their guests.
That is every government's responsibility. However, it must not do so at the
expense of civil liberties. Security is important. But so too is freedom. Simply put, this means
getting the basics right: strengthen the intelligence capacity. That is the
first line of defence. Unlike Americans,
they must try to hunt down the attackers and bring them to justice before the
newly established International Criminal Court. This court is there for such
criminals. In doing so, it will feel the warmth of the embrace of the international
community. Second, it must press ahead
with the reforms. They are good for the kingdom and the region. Outsiders must
support this effort."
"Car Bombs In Riyadh"
The liberal Witness declared (11/11): "It is all to easy for people,
particularly in the West, to perceive Al-Qaeda as a torchbearer for
Islam.... The attacks in Saudi Arabia,
which is a Muslim state, show that this is a simplistic and inaccurate
view. Al-Qaeda is prepared to attack a
Muslim state in its pursuit of a narrow and bigoted understanding of
Islam.... Al-Qaeda is being shown in its
true light or, more correctly, its true darkness that authentic Muslims find
unacceptable. "
UGANDA: "Saudi
Innocent"
The moderate Islamic Weekly Message editorialized
(11/11): "Hours before bomb blasts
went off in the Saudi capital Riyadh last weekend, the United States had closed
her diplomatic missions there, wary of possible attacks. The U.S also condemned Saudi authorities for
not cooperating in volunteering information leading to terrorist sources of
funding. The immediately after news of
the attacks was broken, while other nations expressed sympathy for the Royal
Kingdom, Washington through its State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher,
vowed to continue the fight against terrorism and reiterated its earlier warned
to Saudi Arabia. It appears that
Washington is determined to put Saudi Arabia in an awkward situation. Saudi Arabia has fallen victim to terrorism
as much as the U.S has. America should
therefore stop apportioning blame and should adequately address the causes of
terrorism."
WESTERN HEMISPHERE
CANADA: "Action,
Reaction"
Mario Roy wrote in French-language centrist La Presse
(11/13): "The attack in
Riyadh...puts the White House in a difficult position.... That of firmly and openly supporting the
regime presently in power in Saudi Arabia, one of the toughest, most dubious
and least democratic regimes in the region. Simultaneously, the intervention in
Iraq continues to be described as the bridgehead of a 'global democratic
revolution,' to use George W. Bush's own words.
Even if we admit that reality requires such gymnastics from Washington
and, despite the cynicism, recognize the concern for democracy, it is obvious
that the image thus far presented to the Arab world is brutal.... The clumsiness of the present
administration's actions and the duplicity of its rhetoric are slowly but
surely backfiring. American public opinion also cannot be controlled or
subjugated for very long."
ARGENTINA: "War Within
The War"
Claudio Uriarte wrote in left-of-center Pagina 12
(11/9): "It seems Al-Qaeda has
again said present. And it has done so in Ramadan. After last week's serial
attacks in Iraq...what happened yesterday in Saudi Arabia seems a highlight.
After all, Saudi Arabia is Osama bin Laden's motherland, and the source of part
of his financial resources. Its forced reappearance on the stage has an
unequivocal goal: pointing to the organization and its particular and rigid
beliefs as the Arab world's leader by hitting on the current cause against
it--the US occupation of Iraq. Because, after all, a great deal of the domestic
wars in the Arab World are waged among enemies whose goal is retaining the
leadership of the Arab world.... Due to
its dependence on oil and its business with Saudi Arabia, the US feeds the same
terrorists who will attack it afterwards....
Al Qaeda is betting on destabilization, and the US on something else,
and the end of this confrontation is not written anywhere. What is clear is
that the Arab world cannot consider itself as a whole but as an outfit of
warring factions. And it is on this point where the Bush administration's hope
lays."
BRAZIL: "Saudi
Arabia's Political Stability Is Fundamental To The Entire Middle East."
Right-of-center O Globo stated (11/11): "In last Saturday's attack on a
condominium in Riyadh neither Americans nor Europeans died. But although the terrorists' objective might
have been to indirectly hit the Royal Family--rather than protesting against
the American presence in the region--the violent episode goes beyond the limits
of the Saudis' internal affairs. Saudi
Arabia, with the Mecca and Media sanctuaries, is the center of gravity in the
Islamic world. And its political
stability is fundamental for the entire Middle East."
"Targeted By Terror"
Liberal Folha de S. Paulo observed (11/11): "Most analysts agree that the terrorist
attack in Riyadh over the weekend has a strong 'domestic' component. In
contrast to Al Qaeda´s other actions, the majority of the victims are now
Arabs. Many see the attack as part of a campaign to destabilize the Saudi
regime. Osama bin Laden and his followers have long pressured the royal
family.... The predicament of the Saudi
princes is in truth difficult.... The
Saudi government did not want to, or could not, break its alliance with the
U.S., a decision that has earned it a 'declaration of war' from bin Laden. It
will not be a surprise if further attacks follow. A future fall of the royal family
is not a remote possibility. It is certain, however, that the U.S will not
passively watch the rise of a fundamentalist power supported by Al Qaeda in the
nation that has the world's largest oil reserves. Given the nation's strategic
character, the evolution of developments in Saudi Arabia must be followed with
concern."
"Terrorists Aim At Saudi Authorities"
Liberal Folha de S. Paulo remarked (11/10): "The attack in Riyadh has sent Saudi
leaders a clear message: the announcement that U.S. troops would be withdrawn
from the cradle of Islam was not enough to placate the terrorists who are
determined to destabilize Saudi Arabia. According to analysts, the attack
attributed to Al Qaeda calls attention to pressures the Saudi royal family has
been subjected to as a result of the alliance it maintains with the
U.S.... Osama bin Laden has demanded
that U.S. troops be expelled from the land of Islam's most sacred sanctuaries,
in Mecca and Medina. But in the past the Saudis denied that bin Laden had
followers in Saudi Arabia.... Even so,
the U.S. will continue to pressure Saudi Arabia to pursue reforms. By demonstrating a common threat to both
nations, the attack may help bring the two governments closer together.... The Saudi regime is beginning to face opposition
coming from the streets, which was completely unthinkable in the past.
Demonstrators have protested against the lack of rights and demanded more
political liberty. In addition, Saudi leaders are facing serious social and
economic problems that may deepen the crisis."
COLOMBIA: "Saudi
Kingdom's Quandary"
Medellin-based El Colombiano stated (11/11): "For the last few months, Saudi Arabia
has been passing through one of its most serious moments after the terrorist
attacks...by Al Qaida...to create social and political chaos.... In addition, the Saudi Kingdom is trying to
balance changes requested by liberal reformers... and by allies in the West.”
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