July 5, 1996

To: The Weatherization Department

The Friday Report Friday July 5, 1996

FromWright Energy's
Weatherization Network
since 1984
970-349-0551 fax
970-349-0923 voice Doc@CrestedButte.com
Condensed from L.A. TIMES / Opinion
Sunday, June 30, 1996 PREV STORY

The Deadly Rage Against Riyadh's Repressive Regime

By Charles William Maynes
The apartment complex housing blast may begin the process of dispelling illusions. Ironically, Washington's strong desire to punish Iraq and Iran may be contributing to the undermining of political stability in America's chief ally in the region. From London, an exile group, the Committee for the Defense of Legitimate Rights in Saudi Arabia, has been bombarding the kingdom with faxes on such issues as government corruption and abuses of human rights, both of which are massive. As the director of the committee has stated, "Khomeini's was a cassette revolution, ours will be a fax revolution."

Of course, it is difficult to know for certain what is happening in Saudi Arabia, which lacks a free press, bans political parties and suppresses free assembly. Because of its repressive system, the kingdom and its key allies, like the United States, would probably not know that major political change was at hand until too late.

In addition to the stationing of U.S. troops, regarded by many in Saudi Arabia as "infidels" on sacred soil, popular reaction to the cost of the Gulf War seems to be fueling discontent. Washington was in no position to pay for the Gulf War, so it imposed most of the costs on its key allies--with Saudi Arabia leading the list. It has been estimated that the war cost the kingdom $70 billion.
Meanwhile, oil prices, at nearly $40 a barrel in the early 1980s, fell to roughly $15 in 1995. 60% of the Saudi population is under 21. These young people are better educated than in the past but cannot receive the benefits enjoyed by their fathers because of fiscal constraints--yet the princes continue to live in luxury.

A shaken President Bill Clinton informed the nation soon after news of the bombing reached Washington that the perpetrators of this vicious act would be punished and he promised to elevate the issue of terrorism into the key point at the meeting of the G-7 nations in France. But the truth is that the leaders of the industrialized democracies are virtually powerless to deal with the problem of terrorism in the Middle East.

Military power is largely useless to combat terrorism unless it can be established that a state sponsored the act. When Iraq allegedly sent agents to Kuwait to attempt to assassinate former President George Bush, Washington ordered military retaliation against Baghdad. But there is apparently no evidence of state involvement in the current act of terrorism. Indeed, it would not be in the interests of Iraq or Iran to claim credit if either was responsible; it would be a sounder strategy to offer support that could not be traced. In this case, a private group, the Legion of the Martyr Abdullah al-Husaifi, among others, has claimed credit. It is unknown to U.S. intelligence, so its location has not been established.

Does this mean there is nothing Washington can do to lower the risk of terrorism in Saudi Arabia? Not at all. But the steps that can be taken will not provide the kind of satisfaction that retaliation could bring.

--Fighting terrorism in this case requires careful police work and greater intelligence efforts. Both are more effectively done by states in the area. Outside powers can assist, but not dominate.
--The United States can attempt to shrink the target it presents in Saudi Arabia. There are now 35,000 Americans in Saudi Arabia, including 5,000 military personnel--a number of whom are women, whose roles in the U.S. military offend Islamic sensibilities.
--Washington could ease Riyadh's economic burden by ceasing to load down the Saudis with arms they will never use but which help the U.S. balance of payments. Washington has sold the kingdom more than $30 billion in armaments in recent years.
--The United States could encourage a carefully controlled program of greater openness in Saudi Arabia. Experience in other areas of the world suggests that, while it is impossible to stamp out terrorism, it may be possible to dry it up.

Regrettably, terrorism is a phenomenon that the powerful can manage--but not eliminate.

To spot the expert, pick the one who predicts the job will take the longest and cost the most.

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