U.S. Expected to Order Some Diplomats Out of Saudi

[PfcHammer]

Reuters

U.S. Expected to Order Some Diplomats Out of Saudi

Thu Apr 15, 2004 02:01 PM ET
By Arshad Mohammed

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The State Department is expected to order nonessential U.S. diplomats and all dependents to leave Saudi Arabia because of security concerns in the kingdom, U.S. officials said on Thursday.

Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, is battling a wave of violence believed linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network. At least 50 people were killed last year in suicide bomb attacks on housing compounds in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

On Tuesday, suspected Muslim militants killed four Saudi police officers at checkpoints along a road north of Riyadh shortly after security forces defused two car bombs in the capital, a Saudi security source said.

<snip>

A second official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh had asked the State Department for permission to send home people from the embassy as well as the U.S. consulates in Dhahran and Jeddah.

<chop>

U.S. officials initially complained they were not getting enough cooperation from the Saudis on fighting al Qaeda, but they say Saudi efforts have increased dramatically since car bombs on May 12 ripped apart three Riyadh housing compounds and killed 35 people, including eight Americans.

[montanacowboy]

1. Maybe Dumbya

is getting ready to invade

[bahrbearian]

2. Thats so when the Saudis turn off the Spiget because of Iraq

we can Invade them ," the Oil will be Mine all Mine

[JohnOneillsMemory]

3. No troops left to invade with, just minimizing US casualties in the press.

They see fire spreading through Saudi Arabia and don't want more charred American corpses to show up on TV.

Just trying to slow the crumbling dam of public approval for US gov't-sponsored violence.

The wave of domestic outrage is visible on the horizen...