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CNN Live Sunday
Senator Calls Riyadh Bombing Wake-Up Call For Saudi Government
Aired November 09, 2003 - 16:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: Well, stopping short of saying I told you so, one U.S. Senator says the car bombing should be a wake upcall for the Saudis to stop what he calls indirect support of al Qaeda. Our Pentagon correspondent Chris Plante has more on the U.S. reaction to the Riyadh attack -- Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kelli. Well, President Bush spent the weekend at Camp David, and shortly after returning just about an hour ago, the White House put out a statement. The first response officially from the administration.
And the statement says that the president spoke to Crown Prince Abdullah this morning and he expressed his condolences to the people of Saudi Arabia and the families of those killed in yesterday's terrorist attacks. The statement goes on to say the president also told the crown prince that the United States stands with Saudi Arabia in the war against terrorism.
Now, earlier today on CNN's "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER" Democratic Senator Joe Biden took the opportunity to slam the Saudis a little bit for their support of religious schools known as Madrases (ph). These are schools that teach a hard line form of Islam combined with military training.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOE BIDEN, (D-DE) FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE: Everybody forgets that al Qaeda's original target was the Saudi royal family and the Saudi kingdom. The truth of the matter is maybe this will wake up the Saudi regime one more click and stop the indirect support of al Qaeda, stop building those Madrases (ph), and get serious about and understand this is about international terror against nation-states, not just about the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLANTE: Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, also speaking to Wolf Blitzer earlier today on "LATE EDITION", also took the opportunity to take a bit of a shot at the Saudis and other Middle Eastern nations, calling on them effectively to clean up their own houses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL, (R-NE) FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE: This reflects on the scope and depth of terrorism around the world. There's no question that the Saudis and our other friends in the Middle East are going to have to do more to deal with this, not just in the short-term focus, but as to what Senator Biden is referring to in the Madrases (ph) and the other extensions here that create radicalism and fundamentalism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLANTE: So some condolences and an expression of unity from the administration and members of the Senate from both sides of the aisle, using the opportunity to point out that the Saudis do bear some of the responsibility with the funding of radical schools and asking them to do more to help straighten the situation out -- Kelli.
ARENA: All right, Chris Plante live at the Pentagon. Thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Government>
Aired November 9, 2003 - 16:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: Well, stopping short of saying I told you so, one U.S. Senator says the car bombing should be a wake upcall for the Saudis to stop what he calls indirect support of al Qaeda. Our Pentagon correspondent Chris Plante has more on the U.S. reaction to the Riyadh attack -- Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kelli. Well, President Bush spent the weekend at Camp David, and shortly after returning just about an hour ago, the White House put out a statement. The first response officially from the administration.
And the statement says that the president spoke to Crown Prince Abdullah this morning and he expressed his condolences to the people of Saudi Arabia and the families of those killed in yesterday's terrorist attacks. The statement goes on to say the president also told the crown prince that the United States stands with Saudi Arabia in the war against terrorism.
Now, earlier today on CNN's "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER" Democratic Senator Joe Biden took the opportunity to slam the Saudis a little bit for their support of religious schools known as Madrases (ph). These are schools that teach a hard line form of Islam combined with military training.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOE BIDEN, (D-DE) FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE: Everybody forgets that al Qaeda's original target was the Saudi royal family and the Saudi kingdom. The truth of the matter is maybe this will wake up the Saudi regime one more click and stop the indirect support of al Qaeda, stop building those Madrases (ph), and get serious about and understand this is about international terror against nation-states, not just about the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLANTE: Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, also speaking to Wolf Blitzer earlier today on "LATE EDITION", also took the opportunity to take a bit of a shot at the Saudis and other Middle Eastern nations, calling on them effectively to clean up their own houses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL, (R-NE) FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE: This reflects on the scope and depth of terrorism around the world. There's no question that the Saudis and our other friends in the Middle East are going to have to do more to deal with this, not just in the short-term focus, but as to what Senator Biden is referring to in the Madrases (ph) and the other extensions here that create radicalism and fundamentalism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLANTE: So some condolences and an expression of unity from the administration and members of the Senate from both sides of the aisle, using the opportunity to point out that the Saudis do bear some of the responsibility with the funding of radical schools and asking them to do more to help straighten the situation out -- Kelli.
ARENA: All right, Chris Plante live at the Pentagon. Thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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