Saudi Prince to oil-begging George W. Bush: Kiss My Ass

[marmar]

from the NY Times:



Bush Rebuffed on Oil Plea in Saudi Arabia

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: May 17, 2008

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — With the price of oil hitting record highs, President Bush used a private visit to King Abdullah’s ranch here Friday to make a second attempt to persuade the Saudi government to increase oil production. And while Saudis appeared to rebuff the request, the Saudi oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, announced that the kingdom had increased output by 300,000 barrels a day, starting May 10.

The Saudis have previously rejected American requests to increase production, and Mr. Naimi insisted that the increase was in response to demands from some 50 “customers” worldwide. He did not specify further. “Our response is positive,” he said at a news conference. “If you want more oil you need to buy it.”

The increase means that Saudi Arabia aims to produce 9.45 million barrels a day.

Prince Saud al-Faisal, the foreign minister said, at the briefing, “The president showed great concern for the impact on the American economy,” adding, “We of course sympathize with that.”

Earlier, the White House press secretary, Dana Perino, told reporters aboard Air Force One on the way here from Jerusalem that Mr. Bush was asking for increase production so that American consumers could get some relief at the gasoline pump.

“Clearly, the price of gas is too high for Americans and it is causing a hardship for families with low income,” she said. “We do count on the OPEC countries to keep adequate supplies out there so the president will talk with the king again about that.” But the Saudis have not been eager to solve the American gas problem. When Mr. Bush was last here in January, a similar request caused him some embarrassment. The president asked the Saudi oil minister to increase production, and his request on that occasion was publicly turned down. He then took up the matter with the king, but the conversation did not get very far. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/17/world/middleeast/17prexy.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[Ghost in the Machine]

1. Saudis to Bush: "Sorry, we don't negotiate with terrorists"... n/t