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American Morning

Look at Relationship Between U.S. and Saudi Arabia

Aired October 01, 2002 - 08:50   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.


PAULA ZAHN, ANCHOR: As the U.S. seeks international backing for a military campaign against Iraq, it is running into stiff opposition from the nation that provided much of the support for U.S. troops during the first Gulf War. Saudi Arabia has not given the U.S. permission to its territory for a unilateral attack on Iraq. And now, in the second part of our series "Inside Saudi Arabia," Barbara Starr joins us from the Pentagon to examine how critical Saudi Arabia's help is to America.
Good morning, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Indeed, the U.S./Saudi military relationship remains very much to be resolved if war breaks out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR (voice-over): It is from here, Prince Sultan Airbase, that U.S. warplanes begin their missions over southern Iraq, watching for deadly anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles. The air base is now the centerpiece of U.S./Saudi military relations, home to 5,000 U.S. Air Force personnel, and up to 100 U.S. and coalition aircraft.

Fighters conduct regular patrols in the Iraqi no-fly zone, supported by AWACS and RC-135 surveillance aircraft. But Saudi Arabia so far has only allowed patrols under the no-fly zone rules. It has not yet given permission for the U.S. to use its territories to launch new offensive attacks against Iraq.

Saudi Arabia could still be a vital launchpad. Prince Sultan also houses the critical air operations center, used to host the war over Afghanistan, and needed for any new Iraq action.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), FMR. NATO SUP. CMDR.: It's very important to have Saudi airspace, and it would be better if we had access to those airfields.

STARR: For Pentagon war planners, the question is, how much does the U.S. Need access to Saudi military bases? Can there be a war without Saudi support?

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), U.S. ARMY: We can do the operation without Saudi Arabia. It would be advantageous to have Saudi Arabia, and I think once this thing starts, Saudi Arabia will change its mind and support us. STARR: The official Saudi government position is it will support whatever resolutions are passed by the United Nations. Senior pentagon officials believe they will have full access to Prince Sultan and other airbases if needed. But the decades-old military relationship, once unshakeable, may be strained if it comes to that.

ADEL AL JUBEIR, ADVISER TO SAUDI PRINCE: I believe that no government in the world supports a policy of regime change anywhere. There is no sanction for it in international law, there's no basis for it.

STARR: The U.S. is prepared for alternatives. In nearby Qatar, the U.S. is expanding operations at Al-Hudade (ph) Airbase and installing a backup air operations center. And the U.S. Central Command is moving its headquarter there temporarily for now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: Ten years ago during Operation Desert Storm, of course, Saudi Arabia felt directly threatened by Iraq and invited U.S. troops on to its soil for protection. But this time, it appears neither side is rushing towards a new military relationship -- Paula.

ZAHN: Let's talk a little bit about how 9/11 forever will have had impact on this relationship between Saudi Arabia and America, given the fact that the majority of the hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Can you spell out for us this morning exactly how that's impacted this relationship?

STARR: Well, indeed. I think that everyone would agree it is an undercurrent between Saudi Arabia and the United States, and perhaps the most important point that the U.S. remembers, that the U.S. military always remembers, is that a key element of Osama bin Laden's religious doctrine of his policy is to get U.S. troops out of Saudi Arabia. That's how he started his whole campaign, his campaign against the U.S. military in the Persian Gulf, and specifically in Saudi Arabia and the royal family's support for U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia, so that element is always there lurking.

ZAHN: Barbara Starr, thanks 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 October 1, 2002 - 08:50   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, ANCHOR: As the U.S. seeks international backing for a military campaign against Iraq, it is running into stiff opposition from the nation that provided much of the support for U.S. troops during the first Gulf War. Saudi Arabia has not given the U.S. permission to its territory for a unilateral attack on Iraq. And now, in the second part of our series "Inside Saudi Arabia," Barbara Starr joins us from the Pentagon to examine how critical Saudi Arabia's help is to America.
Good morning, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Indeed, the U.S./Saudi military relationship remains very much to be resolved if war breaks out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR (voice-over): It is from here, Prince Sultan Airbase, that U.S. warplanes begin their missions over southern Iraq, watching for deadly anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles. The air base is now the centerpiece of U.S./Saudi military relations, home to 5,000 U.S. Air Force personnel, and up to 100 U.S. and coalition aircraft.

Fighters conduct regular patrols in the Iraqi no-fly zone, supported by AWACS and RC-135 surveillance aircraft. But Saudi Arabia so far has only allowed patrols under the no-fly zone rules. It has not yet given permission for the U.S. to use its territories to launch new offensive attacks against Iraq.

Saudi Arabia could still be a vital launchpad. Prince Sultan also houses the critical air operations center, used to host the war over Afghanistan, and needed for any new Iraq action.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), FMR. NATO SUP. CMDR.: It's very important to have Saudi airspace, and it would be better if we had access to those airfields.

STARR: For Pentagon war planners, the question is, how much does the U.S. Need access to Saudi military bases? Can there be a war without Saudi support?

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), U.S. ARMY: We can do the operation without Saudi Arabia. It would be advantageous to have Saudi Arabia, and I think once this thing starts, Saudi Arabia will change its mind and support us. STARR: The official Saudi government position is it will support whatever resolutions are passed by the United Nations. Senior pentagon officials believe they will have full access to Prince Sultan and other airbases if needed. But the decades-old military relationship, once unshakeable, may be strained if it comes to that.

ADEL AL JUBEIR, ADVISER TO SAUDI PRINCE: I believe that no government in the world supports a policy of regime change anywhere. There is no sanction for it in international law, there's no basis for it.

STARR: The U.S. is prepared for alternatives. In nearby Qatar, the U.S. is expanding operations at Al-Hudade (ph) Airbase and installing a backup air operations center. And the U.S. Central Command is moving its headquarter there temporarily for now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: Ten years ago during Operation Desert Storm, of course, Saudi Arabia felt directly threatened by Iraq and invited U.S. troops on to its soil for protection. But this time, it appears neither side is rushing towards a new military relationship -- Paula.

ZAHN: Let's talk a little bit about how 9/11 forever will have had impact on this relationship between Saudi Arabia and America, given the fact that the majority of the hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Can you spell out for us this morning exactly how that's impacted this relationship?

STARR: Well, indeed. I think that everyone would agree it is an undercurrent between Saudi Arabia and the United States, and perhaps the most important point that the U.S. remembers, that the U.S. military always remembers, is that a key element of Osama bin Laden's religious doctrine of his policy is to get U.S. troops out of Saudi Arabia. That's how he started his whole campaign, his campaign against the U.S. military in the Persian Gulf, and specifically in Saudi Arabia and the royal family's support for U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia, so that element is always there lurking.

ZAHN: Barbara Starr, thanks 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