How has diplomacy been affected in regard to Saudi Arabia and terrorism in recent time?
The purpose of this site is to discuss US diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia in regards to terrorism. I became interested in this topic when I read a newspaper article that discussed the corruption with the Bush administration. I began to wonder why our nation continues to support Saudi Arabia despite their continued support and funding of terrorism, and violations of human rights. To find my answers, I researched past events relating to the Saudi-State relationship and evaluated the facts to determine important factors which needed to be considered. On this website you will find a timeline, complete with important events that I found pertained to the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Also included are a glossary of related terms, a background history, a scale rating the diplomatic actions of both the Saudis and the Americans, and links to other websites with similar information.
Diplomatic Rating Scale (1-3)
1: This is the worst rating which an event can receive on the diplomatic
rating scale through means of diplomacy. To obtain a rating of 1, the event
contains many negative diplomatic actions such as
-Entangling alliances
-Negotiations don't benefit all fairly
-Aggravate relations
-Greed in taking resources
-Overextend a nation's power or boundaries
-Alienating/isolating a nation from communications
-Time consuming
and has been slowed or hampered by one or more of the following:
-Insults/Disrespect
-Unreasonable or unrealistic demands
-Diplomats are verbally untalented
-Misunderstanding of issues, demands, etc.
-Stubborness
-Treaties or promises are broken (Formal or informal)
-Different Ideas (power, solution, cultural)
-Violence (War, terrorism)
-Poor economy
-Corruption
-Unwilling to compromise
-Inability to agree
-Passiveness
-Ignorance
-Ignoring
2: This is an average or mutual rating on the diplomatic rating scale. To obtain a rating of 2, the event most likely includes: an equal amount of both the negative and positive aspects of diplomacy and hasn't been slowed too much by actions that could potentially hamper positive outcomes. If selected for this catagory, the event may not sway too far to the negative nor the positive outcomes of diplomacy.
3: This is the greatest rating that can be acheived by an event through means of diplomacy. To obtain a rating of 3, the event has accomplished one or more of the following:
-Increase/open trade
-Build stronger relations
-Alliances (military-tourism)
-Nonviolent settlement of disputes
-prevents a potentially violent situation
-Feeling of safety/security
TIMELINE
1945-SAUDI-STATE RELATIONSHIP BEGINS
Franklin D. Roosevelt initiates the oil-for-protection relationship with the Saudis in 1945. The state-Saudi alliance is held together by oil. The relationship between the Saudis and the State is strengthened during the oil crisis' in 1973 and 1979 where Saudi almost tripled the price of oil exported to the US. The balance of power shifts toward the Saudis and the state became willing to comply with Saudi demands.
(Dangerous Diplomacy)
[This event recieves a 3 on the diplomatic rating scale. This rating is given because many positives of diplomacy can be seen. The oil-for-protection relationship between the US and the Saudis has:
-Opened and increased trade between the US and Saudi Arabia
-Built a stronger relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia
-Begun a trade alliance between the two nations.
-Gave a more secure feeling to Saudi Arabi in exchange for oil to the US.]
OIL CRISIS' of 1973 and 1979
OPEC nations place a crude oil embargo on the US and other western nations with influence from Saudi Arabia's King Faisal. The reason for this cease of oil trade was meant as a punishment to those nations which supported Israel with
weapons and financial aid. When they realize the influence they have with oil, they begin to sell again. Saudi Arabia triples the price of oil exported to the United States. Saudis realize they are able to use oil as a social and economic weapon. US becomes more compliant with Saudi demands.
(http://www.ccds.charlotte.nc.us/History/MidEast/04/horton/horton.htm)
[This event recieves a 1 on the diplomatic rating scale. This rating is given due to the large number of negative outcomes of actions such as:
-Relations were aggravated when Saudi Arabia cut oil exports to the United States
-Saudi Arabia overextended it's power in oil. The power was used to manipulate actions of the US.
-Negotiations didn't benefit all fairly because Western nations were denied the resources that they needed.
-This was time consuming, because the Saudis would son realize the power they had in regards to their oil exports.
Also, there were many reasons which contributed to the slowing of diplomacy:
-Inability to agree about financing Israelis.
-Saudi Arabi was unwilling to compromise with the US and instead, cut the flow of oil exports.
-Different ideas such as the debate about supporting Israelis.]
1988-BUSH'S TIES TO THE SAUDIS
Saudis buy a portion George Bush Jr.'s small oil company, Harken, which is located in Texas. As a result, Harken sets up a contract in the Persian Gulf takes off financially. Because this seems suspicious, Wall Street Journal in 1991
stated that it "raises the question of ... an effort to cozy up to a
presidential son." Two major investors in the company are Salem bin Laden (Osama's father) and Khaled bin Mahfouz.
(http://www.unansweredquestions.net/timeline/AAtimelineshort.html)
[This event receives a 3 on the diplomatic rating scale. The rating was given because the use of diplomacy resulted in positive outcomes such as:
-George Bush's company was able to open trade within the Persian Gulf.
-A stronger relationship was built with oil providers in the middle East.]
August 6, 1991-SAUDIS INVITE US TROOPS TO KINGDOM
The Saudis were consulted and greatly contributed to decision making concerning Gulf War action. During the Gulf War, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia invites American forces into the Saudi Kingdom. This led to the defense of Saudi Arabia
and the liberation of Kuwait. This worked because in order to persuade the Saudi leadership to support American policy, the policy had some realistic prospect of success and that served the interests of the Saudis.
(http://www.mepc.org/public_asp/forums_chcs/27.asp)
[This event receives a 3 on the diplomatic rating scale. This rating was given because the events resulted in positive diplomatic action such as:
-US provided Saudi arabi with a sense of safety and security due to their assistance.
-Prevented a potentially violent situation between Kuwait, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.
-A stronger relationship was built between the Saudis and the state.]
Early 90s-US IGNORES SAUDI FUNDING OF TERRORISM
The State favored "non-violent" fundamentalist Islamists and saw no harm in radicals such as the Taliban. According to the Washington Post, the Taliban were "anti-modern", not "anti-western". Saudi Arabia is home of the Wahhabi
Muslims, many of whom have a favorite phrase--"Death to America". The state department is well aware of the Saudi royal family's open support of suicide bombers who kill Israelis. Saudi Arabia is the biggest financial backer of terrorism, although not officially because it is not considered one of the official seven state sponsors of terrorism, thanks to the state.
(Dangerous Diplomacy)
[This event receieves a 2 on the diplomatic rating scale. This rating was given because it contains positive elements of diplomacy although it has been significantly slowed by certain actions.
The positive elements are:
-Prevents a potentially violent situation
The diplomacy though, was slowed by the following:
-Being passive and not taking actions against the Saudis although they were funding suicide bombers.]
1996-BIN LADEN LED GROUP DISCOVERED
FBI is prevented from investigating Abdullah and Omar bin Laden (Osama's brothers). It was suspected that the World Assembly of Muslim Youth was a terrorist organization and that Abdullah was the US director of the organization. Four of the hijackers from September 11 later lived three blocks from the WAMY offices in Washington DC while the bin Laden brothers were there. WAMY still has not been put on a list of terrorist organizations in the US.
(http://www.unansweredquestions.net/timeline/AAtimelineshort.html)
1996-TERRORIST GROUPS ATTACK US MILITARY DORMS, US LAUNCHES VISA EXPRESS
Hezbollah terrorists attack the Khobar Towers in Dhahran (U.S. military dormitory). Nineteen U.S. soldiers are killed and 372 are severely wounded. Although the state had information that al Qaeda was operational inside Saudi Arabia, they went ahead with their plan to launch a nationwide VISA Express Program. This was a huge threat to U.S. security as travel agencies were those who collected the VISA applications. Three of the hijackers from September 11 got into the United States through the VISA Express Program. After the attack of the United States, 102 more applicants were processed at the Jeddah consulate. Only two of those were interviewed and not one of them was refused. At first the state simply dropped the name VISA Express, but kept the program functioning. Officials worried that if the program ended, Saudi relations would worsen with the stricter requirements.
(Dangerous Diplomacy)
1999 -SAUDI PUNISHED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO AL QAEDA
Bin Mahfouz is placed under house arrest in Saudi Arabia as a result of contributions he provided to organizations linked to al-Qaeda.
(http://www.unansweredquestions.net/timeline/AAtimelineshort.html)
June 28, 2000-CIRF RECOMMENDS SAUDI ARABIA BE LISTED AS A CPC
A letter is sent to Madeleine Albright from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (Established by Congress, 1998) acknowledged that Saudi
Arabia has no religious freedom. The CIRF recommended that based on evidence of religious persecution and denial of any form of religious liberty that the state designate Saudi Arabia as one of the nations considered a Country of
Particular Concern. Saudi Arabia qualified under ever criterion and was seen as possibly the worst offender in the world. The US did not comply because being listed as a CPC is despised because it is known to trigger sanctions.
(Dangerous Diplomacy)
February 9, 2001-STATE IGNORES PROOF OF BIN LADEN ATTACK
US learns that it has been proven that Osama bin Laden was behind the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole. But because they were afraid of ending secret negotiations concerning a pipeline, the US does not retaliate against al-Qaeda bases in Afghanistan.
(http://www.unansweredquestions.net/timeline/AAtimelineshort.html)
September 11, 2001-TERRORISTS ATTACK US
Fed up with the U.S troops stationed in Saudi Arabia, terrorists plot attack of the United States. Funds from Saudi Arabia are used to finance terrorist groups such as the international terrorist network called al Qaeda. The money
was then used to plan the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the United States. Fifteen of the nineteen hijackers in this attack were Saudis. Since the attacks, relationships between the US and Saudi Arabia have been strained. Saudis are frustrated that the US will not take a firmer stand against Israel and have opposed the war in Iraq.
(http://www.terrorismanswers.com/coalition/saudiarabia.html)
September 13-19, 2001
Members of bin Laden's family and many important Saudis are flown out of the US following the September 11 attacks. The New York Times says, "The young members of the bin Laden clan were driven or flown under FBI supervision to a
secret assembly point in Texas and then to Washington from where they left the country on a private charter plane when airports reopened three days after the attacks." Flights carrying Saudi royalty occured on September 13, while the ban on all nonmilitary flights is in effect.
(http://www.unansweredquestions.net/timeline/AAtimelineshort.html)
October 2001-DISTURBING MATERIALS DISCOVERED AT HIGH SAUDI COMMISION
NATO forces raid the Saudi High Commission to find before-and-after photographs of the World Trade Center, U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the USS Cole. They also found maps of government buildings in Washington, and materials for forging U.S. State Department badges. In addition, discovered were files on the use of crop duster aircraft.
(http://MERIA.IDC.AC.IL/JOURNAL/2002/ISSUE3/JV6N3A7.html)
December 2001-MORE ANTI-AMERICAN MATERIALS DISCOVERED AT SAUDI CHARITY
U.S. authorities raid the Chicago offices of a Saudi-based charity called the Benevolence International Foundation. Videos and literature found at the office glorify martyrdom. Also found at the charity were anti-semetic and anti-American materials aimed toward children. The charity is known to be linked to terrorist attacks. A former employee has been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury. Seven members of the BIF were killed in battle last year in Chechnya and Bosnia.
(http://www.internationalspecialreports.com/archives/00/saudiarabia/15.html)
Early 2002-SAUDI CHARITY FUNDS PALESTINIAN TERRORIST GROUPS
The Saudi Committee which is financially supported by the Saudi Royal Family, knowingly gave money to terrorists and families of suicide bombers, These people to whom funds were provided were responsible for killing more than 90
Israelis and wounding over 600. The NEA gave money to the Tulkarm Charity Committee. The TCC distributes social welfare benefits to Palestinians to gain political support for Hamas (Terrorist Organization). Headquarters of the TCC were found to have materials encouraging the murder of Jews and materials commemorating the suicide bomber who killed 29 and injured 140 in the Netanya Passover
Massacre.
(Hatred's Kingdom)
March 2002-SAUDIS COMDEMN US LED WAR AGAINST IRAQ
At a summit, Saudi Arabia officials joined the Arab league in opposing any US attack on Iraq. Saudis worry about what a US-enforced 'regime-change' means for Iraq. They are afraid that the United States is against all of the Arab world. They also fear that after the capture of Saddam Hussein, the kingdom will be left vulnerable and that Iraq may fragment, expanding the influence of Iran.
(http://terrorismanswers.com/coalition/saudiarabia.html)
April 24, 2002-STATE LOOKS THE OTHER WAY TO MAINTAIN CLOSE RELATIONS WITH SAUDIS
At Ellington Air Force Base in Houston, Texas, law enforcement officials report to the FBI, Secret Service, and Customs agents that Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia has brought with him some dangerous people to George Bush's home in Crawford Texas. President Bush and Prince Abdulaziz will meet to have a discussion in Bush's private mansion. Three people who are brought along by the Prince apparently possess an enormous threat to US security. One person is wanted by U.S. law enforcement authorities and the other two are on a terrorist watch list. In the end, the state turns its head to spare the house of Saud an 'international incident'.
(Dangerous Diplomacy)
April 25, 2002-SAUDI THREATS SWAY US RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL
Saudis issue a warning to president George W. Bush that if he does not do more to restrain Israel, there will be grave consequences regarding U.S. interests in the Middle East. Shortly after the meeting between the president and Saudi leader, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Bush called on Israel to complete its withdrawal from the West Bank. Abdulaziz mentioned that continuing violence in the Middle East threatened the US interests in the Arab and Muslim world. Bush was asked to do more to restrain Arial Sharon. During the private meeting at President Bush's Texas ranch, the Saudi delegation left 2 hours after its expected departure.
(Dangerous Diplomacy)
Spring 2002-SAUDIS SUPPORT THE FAMILIES OF SUICIDE BOMBERS
The Saudi Committee for Support of the Intifada al Quds were responsible for fundraising $109.6 million for Palestinian martyrs. The money, however, was not used as originally claimed. Instead, it was used to support the families of suicide bombers. The state did nothing in response to gaining this knowledge. The only comment was made by Secretary of State Colin Powell who simply commented that such funding was a "problem".
(http://www.unansweredquestions.net/timeline/AAtimelineshort.html)
Summer 2002-US GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO BECOME INVOLVED IN INTERNATIONAL LAWSUIT
Families of September 11 victims file a $1 trillion lawsuit against the Saudi royal family for its financial support of al Qaeda. The United States government refuses to become involved, although it wanted to on behalf of the Saudis.
The state silently denounced the lawsuit, and turned its head until the court asked for its opinion. When the courts did ask for the opinion, it was decided that opposing the families of the victims would be a dangerous move. State spokesman Gregory Sullivan reported "It would be an obstruction of justice for us to get involved".
(Dangerous Diplomacy)
September 2002-CIRF SENDS RECOMMENDATION TO US FOR SAUDI ARABIA TO BE LISTED AS CPC
Just as a letter was sent to Madeleine Albright in 2000 by the CIRF, the organization recommends in a letter to Colin Powell that Saudi Arabia be named a CPC. Again, the United States ignores this recommendations and the list of CPC's is left without Saudi Arabia named as one of the nations.
(http://newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/5/21/111425.shtml)
November 26, 2002-SAUDI CHARITY CHECK BENEFITS TERRORISTS
A charitable contribution is made by the wife of the Saudi ambassador to the United States which indirectly benefits two of the men who participated in the September 11 attacks. Joseph Lieberman presses the CIA, the FBI, and the White House to be firm with the Saudis.
Joseph Lieberman: "None of us really believe that Princess Haifa, the wife of the Saudi ambassador, knew the check she was writing might have ended up assisting the terrorists. But the Saudis have been trying to have it both ways for too long, and I think for their own interests and in the interest of our
alliance, they've got to follow the edict of President Bush a year ago and decide whether they're with us or with the terrorists."
(Dangerous Diplomacy)
Email: theeeverkleers@aol.com