A Saudi Prince Tied to Bush Is Sounding Off-Key (Bandar Bush)

[kskiska]

Source: NYT

No foreign diplomat has been closer or had more access to President Bush, his family and his administration than the magnetic and fabulously wealthy Prince Bandar bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia.

Prince Bandar has mentored Mr. Bush and his father through three wars and the broader campaign against terrorism, reliably delivering — sometimes in the Oval Office — his nation’s support for crucial Middle East initiatives dependent on the regional legitimacy the Saudis could bring, as well as timely warnings of Saudi regional priorities that might put it into apparent conflict with the United States. Even after his 22-year term as Saudi ambassador ended in 2005, he still seemed the insider’s insider. But now, current and former Bush administration officials are wondering if the longtime reliance on him has begun to outlive its usefulness.

Bush administration officials have been scratching their heads over steps taken by Prince Bandar’s uncle, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, that have surprised them by going against the American playbook, after receiving assurances to the contrary from Prince Bandar during secret trips he made to Washington.

For instance, in February, King Abdullah effectively torpedoed plans by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for a high-profile peace summit meeting between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, by brokering a power-sharing agreement with Mr. Abbas’s Fatah and Hamas that did not require Hamas to recognize Israel or forswear violence. The Americans had believed, after discussions with Prince Bandar, that the Saudis were on board with the strategy of isolating Hamas.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/washington/29saudi.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[AlCzervik]

1. interesting article with some truly vomit inducing cutesy shit

this part makes some sense-

Robert Jordan, a former Bush administration ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said the Saudis’ mixed signals have come at a time when King Abdullah — who has ruled the country since 1995 but became king only in 2005 after the death of his brother, Fahd — has said he does not want to go down in history as Mr. Bush’s Arab Tony Blair. “I think he feels the need as a kind of emerging leader of the Arab world right now to maintain a distance,” he said.

[IChing]

2. Both Kings' kingdoms are falling

Why this nation is tied to them ?
It is against any principles that
this government was ever conceived about.

But I never thought we would never have
the Kingdom of "George" either again.

[izzie]

3. I think that it fits with the times we live in

The fights to keep things as they are vs. moving into the 21th century world. Their has always been a fight if you wish to change things and for the last 100 years the movement has been to wards self rule for people. I guess I should say 200 years. Once the idea is out you can not stuff it back into the bottle. This seeped into the thoughts of man during the Reformation and we used it to set up a country and we have sort of made it work with a long civil war etc. and as this moves around the world it is going to hit every country. A police state like SA has kept it out with no movies and control of news but they let some TV in and internet in and it is only a matter of time before they will wake up and go with the times.. Rule by birth will not fit into a modern country unless they mix it with self rule. You have to have talent. Self rule will come to the Middle East just like we will have to learn that these countries do not want us to be their rulers. We only have to read history to see the writing on the wall plus know how people in power vs. people with out power act when a change comes. One is never sure which side of the power play is more far out. Oh well it is how I see it.

[Judi Lynn]

4. White House rethinking its ties with Saudi prince

Source: Houston Chronicle/New York Times

April 29, 2007, 12:09AM
White House rethinking its ties with Saudi prince
Despite Bandar's reassurances, his uncle — the king — is increasingly going against U.S.

By HELENE COOPER and JIM RUTENBERG
New York Times

WASHINGTON — No foreign diplomat has had a closer relationship or more access to President Bush, his family, and his administration than the magnetic and fabulously wealthy Prince Bandar bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia.

Prince Bandar has mentored Bush and his father through three wars and the broader campaign against terrorism, reliably delivering — sometimes in the Oval Office — his nation's support for crucial and sensitive Middle East initiatives requiring the regional legitimacy that Saudi help and approval brings, and keeping the United States apprised of Saudi regional priorities that might appear to be in conflict with U.S. policies. But now, current and former Bush administration officials are wondering if the administration's longtime reliance on Prince Bandar has begun to outlive its usefulness.

Bush administration officials have been scratching their heads over steps taken by Prince Bandar's uncle, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, that have surprised them by going against the American playbook, after receiving assurances to the contrary from Prince Bandar during secret trips he made to Washington.

For instance, in February, Abdullah effectively torpedoed plans by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for a high-profile peace summit meeting between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, by brokering a power-sharing agreement with Abbas' Fatah and Hamas that did not require Hamas to recognize Israel or forswear violence. The Americans had believed, after discussions with Prince Bandar, that the Saudis were on board with the strategy of isolating Hamas.





Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/4758386.html

[kurth]

5. White House: "The President feels your pain at the gas pump. He hates them Saudis too."

More disinformation from the truth squad in the White House basement.

[orpupilofnature57]

6. You mean Bandar Bush ,funny around 9/11,, I thought he was more

American than me.Don't let them shit you ,he's not from Texas but he's still part of tgobn.

[Botany]

7. So after supporting bin Laden, helping w/ 9/11, funding Sunni fighters ..

... in Iraq the White House might see a problem?

Does that mean that bush/Cheney will give back the $26 million check that they got
in late October (cashed in Montreal) which funded special operations during the election?

[SpiralHawk]

8. Free clue to BushCo republicon traitors: the 9/11 terrorists were Saudi

Talk about numbnuts. America attacked by Saudis. Commander AWOL goes after Iraq, and kisses Saudi ass. Gives bin Laden clan extra special treatment, flying them first-class out of America the day after 9/11, when every other plane in the USA was grounded...

What's with that, Commander AWOL, Traitor-in-Chief?

[orpupilofnature57]

9. Syphilis is ravaging his brain.

[MH1]

10. Funny, on NPR this morning they were talking about the Saudis rounding up a bunch of AlQaeda.

And now Bush wants to dump them?

Hmmm.....

[krkaufman]

11. A Saudi Prince Tied to Bush Is Sounding Off-Key

Source: NY Times

Bush administration officials have been scratching their heads over steps taken by Prince Bandar’s uncle, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, that have surprised them by going against the American playbook, after receiving assurances to the contrary from Prince Bandar during secret trips he made to Washington.

... several associates of Prince Bandar acknowledge that he feels caught between the opposing pressure of the king and that of his close friends in the Bush administration. It is a relationship that Prince Bandar has fostered with great care and attention to detail over the years, making himself practically indispensable to Mr. Bush, his family and his aides.

A few nights after he resigned his post as secretary of state two years ago, Colin L. Powell answered a ring at his front door. Standing outside was Prince Bandar, then Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, with a 1995 Jaguar. Mr. Powell’s wife, Alma, had once mentioned that she missed their 1995 Jaguar, which she and her husband had traded in. Prince Bandar had filed that information away, and presented the Powells that night with an identical, 10-year-old model. The Powells kept the car — a gift that the State Department said was legal — but recently traded it away.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/washington/29saudi.html?hp=&pagewanted=all

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No words...

[Fovea]

12. Prince Bandar, if you are listening

I miss my Nikon D2X and 18-300 VR Nikkor zoom lens.
Oh, and I totally miss my Sun EZ Sport AL that I built up myself with an Ultegra gruppo.

[DearAbby]

13. Say, Prince Bandar...

I sure miss the savings account I had 7 yrs ago...and my sunny disposition.

[MichiganVote]

14. I miss gas at .75 cents a gallon. How about you buy one less mansion Bandar?

[truthisfreedom]

15. Bandar is a fickle lover?

What's next, Gannon/Guckert signing a book deal?

http://www.priceofliberty.net/wp-content/images/!!!!bush_kiss.jpg

[MetaTrope]

16. "Family ties?" Osama bin Laden's brother gave Bush $1 million in 1978

How about if the White House addresses THAT connection for us?