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U.S., Saudi Relations Important in Potential War on Iraq
Aired September 30, 2002 - 14:32 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: With the talk of a possible war in Iraq, the U.S. is taking a serious look at its friends and foes. Saudi Arabia could be a major player if a war does happen, but since September 11, the U.S. and the Saudis have been questioning their friendship. There is tension, and both have a list of grievances.
CNN's Andrea Koppel explores the complex relationship between the two countries, along with Saudi Arabia's potential role in the showdown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: Friend or foe? As the U.S. lobbies for support for a possible war on Iraq, it is a question leaders in Saudi Arabia and the United States have been asking a lot, each about the other, and it's shaking the very foundation of this 60-year alliance, built on basic formula: in exchange for Saudi oil, the U.S. Military will defend the Saudi kingdom.
Ever since the September 11th attacks, U.S. officials say, both sides have been forced to confront sensitive issues they had long ignored.
YOUSSEF IBRAHIM, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: The Saudi relationship with the United States has deteriorated to a point where I can describe it, if I want to be melodramatic, as one that is on the verge of a divorce.
KOPPEL: Publicly, both governments deny reports of a serious rift, on display last spring when Saudi crown Prince Abdullah refused to join President Bush at a press conference at a meeting at his Texas ranch.
Privately, Washington and Riyadh point a long list of grievances. The Saudis, outraged about a classified briefing to a Pentagon advisory group suggesting Saudi Arabia should be treated as an enemy. A recent INS decision to fingerprint Saudi men among those from other Muslim countries who are applying for U.S. visas, and a perceived bias toward Israel. which the Saudis say complicate the efforts to end two years of Palestinian Israeli violence.
For its part, the U.S. criticizes the Saudis for refusing to providing enough intelligence on 15 of 19 hijackers who were Saudi citizens, accuses the kingdom of exporting and funding radical Islam, and remains unsure whether Saudi Arabia will support a war on Iraq. In an interview with CNN this month, the Saudi foreign minister indicated his government would cooperate, but only if that action is supported by the U.N.
PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER: Every country that has signed the charter of the United Nations has to fulfill that.
KOPPEL: With several thousand U.S. troops based at Prince Sultan airbase in the Saudi desert, next door to Iraq, U.S. officials say Saudi support will be very important.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: Very important, but far from guaranteed. Saudi officials telling the Bush administration that the ongoing Israeli- Palestinian violence, Kyra, will make it very difficult for them to support any kind of military operation against Iraq.
PHILLIPS: Just one of a number of regional and religious pressures on Saudi Arabia, yes?
KOPPEL: Absolutely. As you know, Saudi Arabia is the custodian of two of the three holiest sites in Islam. They believe -- the Saudis believe that they will have a lot of problems from their own populous, should the U.S. decide to attack not only an Arab state, but also one Iraq, having millions of Muslims there. In addition, its own economy isn't doing well, and, thanks to the advent of satellite television, we have all heard now about Al-Jazeera, thousands of Saudi citizens are able to watch in their own homes critical reports of the kingdom, alleging all kinds of corruption.
So there is a certain degree of dissatisfaction among the Saudi people there -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Andrea Koppel from the State Department, thank you so 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
Aired September 30, 2002 - 14:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: With the talk of a possible war in Iraq, the U.S. is taking a serious look at its friends and foes. Saudi Arabia could be a major player if a war does happen, but since September 11, the U.S. and the Saudis have been questioning their friendship. There is tension, and both have a list of grievances.
CNN's Andrea Koppel explores the complex relationship between the two countries, along with Saudi Arabia's potential role in the showdown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: Friend or foe? As the U.S. lobbies for support for a possible war on Iraq, it is a question leaders in Saudi Arabia and the United States have been asking a lot, each about the other, and it's shaking the very foundation of this 60-year alliance, built on basic formula: in exchange for Saudi oil, the U.S. Military will defend the Saudi kingdom.
Ever since the September 11th attacks, U.S. officials say, both sides have been forced to confront sensitive issues they had long ignored.
YOUSSEF IBRAHIM, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: The Saudi relationship with the United States has deteriorated to a point where I can describe it, if I want to be melodramatic, as one that is on the verge of a divorce.
KOPPEL: Publicly, both governments deny reports of a serious rift, on display last spring when Saudi crown Prince Abdullah refused to join President Bush at a press conference at a meeting at his Texas ranch.
Privately, Washington and Riyadh point a long list of grievances. The Saudis, outraged about a classified briefing to a Pentagon advisory group suggesting Saudi Arabia should be treated as an enemy. A recent INS decision to fingerprint Saudi men among those from other Muslim countries who are applying for U.S. visas, and a perceived bias toward Israel. which the Saudis say complicate the efforts to end two years of Palestinian Israeli violence.
For its part, the U.S. criticizes the Saudis for refusing to providing enough intelligence on 15 of 19 hijackers who were Saudi citizens, accuses the kingdom of exporting and funding radical Islam, and remains unsure whether Saudi Arabia will support a war on Iraq. In an interview with CNN this month, the Saudi foreign minister indicated his government would cooperate, but only if that action is supported by the U.N.
PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER: Every country that has signed the charter of the United Nations has to fulfill that.
KOPPEL: With several thousand U.S. troops based at Prince Sultan airbase in the Saudi desert, next door to Iraq, U.S. officials say Saudi support will be very important.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: Very important, but far from guaranteed. Saudi officials telling the Bush administration that the ongoing Israeli- Palestinian violence, Kyra, will make it very difficult for them to support any kind of military operation against Iraq.
PHILLIPS: Just one of a number of regional and religious pressures on Saudi Arabia, yes?
KOPPEL: Absolutely. As you know, Saudi Arabia is the custodian of two of the three holiest sites in Islam. They believe -- the Saudis believe that they will have a lot of problems from their own populous, should the U.S. decide to attack not only an Arab state, but also one Iraq, having millions of Muslims there. In addition, its own economy isn't doing well, and, thanks to the advent of satellite television, we have all heard now about Al-Jazeera, thousands of Saudi citizens are able to watch in their own homes critical reports of the kingdom, alleging all kinds of corruption.
So there is a certain degree of dissatisfaction among the Saudi people there -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Andrea Koppel from the State Department, thank you so 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
