Even Old Cohorts Recognize W. As Lame Duck
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was once a very welcoming, accommodating place for members of the George H.W. Bush family. Even the former President’s hapless son, George W. was as well treated in the Saudi Kingdom as was Prince Bandar during his decades living here.
Much was made during the election of 2000 regarding the young Bush being a “Texas Oilman”. Even more attractive to some energy industry and political insiders, was the famously close relationship between the Saudi Royal family and the Bush’s. How times have changed.
Our current President’s father eagerly sent over 500,000 troops to the Mideast, many of whom were stationed in Saudi Arabia, to protect and defend them against any potential aggression from Sadaam Hussein’s Army. For Bush 41’s willingness to drive the evil Iraqis from Kuwait while preserving the security of the Saudi peninsula, he was awarded the highest honors that country can give. Now, it appears that the House of Saud has about as much use for the White House of Georgie W as they do for Osama Bin Laden. Some Americans might recall that having US troops based in the land of Mecca and Medina was an explicitly stated rationale for the Bin Laden sponsored attack on September 11, 2001. That 13 of the 19 murdering hijackers responsible for that day’s events were citizens of Saudi Arabia did not deter Georgie Junior from helping many of Bin Laden’s clan and other Saudis leave America before the FBI could question them or even the dust had settled in New York City or at The Pentagon. Now, that’s what you call a friend, right?
Yes, the George W. Bush Administration was going to be as cozy and tight with the Saudi’s as was that of his father’s. While American Special Forces scoured the vast expanses of the Afghan – Pakistan border hunting Bin Laden and members of Al Qaeda, the Saudi government and many of its most prominent citizens were financially supporting those we hunted. As the conflicted, divided, outright duplicitous loyalties of Saudi Arabia emerged, George W. Bush continued to treat them like first cousins. In this regard the Saudis are exactly like the Israelis: all too willing to use the United States when it suits their narrow self interests; all too willing to stab us in the back at any opportunity.
Crude oil topped out last week at a record high of $132 a barrel. Most likely, each subsequent day will see it creep higher and higher. Diesel fuel is crippling the transportation industry and, as any citizen purchasing groceries is well aware, they too are paying for diesel fuel. Gasoline, at the pump, the national average is about $4 a gallon, give or take a few regional cents. This is the current state of our energy situation, a week after Georgie Bush went to the Saudis asking for some relief. The answer he got was basically – fock off. So much for that relationship, right? They see him as the lame duck he is. He ought to vacate 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue today for all intents and purposes. He has done nothing productive in the last 7 plus years, there is not a chance in hell he will do anything beneficial in his waning days as elected leader of the most powerful nation on earth. Yes, it has all come to this.
But, after all, what are friends for?
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