http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=20187
US seeks Saudi 'clarification' on Iraq Saudi Arabia reiterates that Iraq is under occupation as criticism surprises key alley Washington. The United States on Thursday expressed surprise at Saudi King Abdullah's sharp criticism of the Iraq war and sought a "clarification," as US officials acknowledged a chill in relations with Riyadh. The staunch allies -- who have trumpeted their cooperation against terrorism since the September 11, 2001 attacks -- also disagreed on Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal's questioning whether Israel wants Middle East peace. For a second straight day, Washington firmly rejected the king's description of the US presence in strife-torn Iraq as "an illegitimate foreign occupation", the US denying both that it was illegitimate or even an occupation. "We were a little surprised to see those remarks. We disagree with them," the US State Department's number three, Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, told the US Congress. "Obviously, we will seek clarification," he said, noting the annual United Nations vote approving the US troop presence and suggesting that the king's comments could have been misconstrued or misreported. At the White House, spokeswoman Dana Perino downplayed talk of a rift between Washington and its staunch Arab ally but allowed: "In any relationship, there are ebbs and flows." Asked whether that meant that relations were currently at an ebb, Perino replied: "Yes." Questioned about the king's characterization of the US military presence in Iraq, Perino told reporters that "it is not accurate to say the United States is occupying Iraq" and said that it was "certainly not" illegitimate. "We are there at the invitation of the sovereign government of Iraq, that was democratically elected," said Perino, who added that the March 2003 US-led invasion was legitimate "under the UN Security Council resolutions." On Wednesday, the Saudi king criticized the occupation of Iraq in an opening address to the annual Arab summit in Riyadh -- a move some observers say is an effort to distance himself from the embattled Bush administration. "In beloved Iraq, blood is being shed among brothers in the shadow of an illegitimate foreign occupation and ugly sectarianism threatens civil war," Abdullah said. On Thursday Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said that King Abdullah was stating a fact when he described Iraq as being under occupation. The Saudi monarch "did not name a specific (occupying country) but said that Iraq is under occupation," Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters. "I don't know how a country in which there are soldiers who don't hold its nationality can be described other than as (being under) occupation," the prince said. "Did (Iraq) choose to have these forces? Had this been the case, it would have been a different matter. Any military intervention that is not at the request of the country concerned is the definition of occupation," Saud told a news conference at the end of the Arab summit. King Abdullah was stating a fact, Saud added. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was to reach out on the Iraq dispute to Saudi Ambassador Adel Al-Jubeir, according to a senior State Department official. And Burns sought to downplay the row, telling lawmakers: "I am sure this is not going to disrupt the very good work we have been doing with Saudi Arabia in the recent months." Washington-Riyadh disputes over Iraq aren't new. In November 2006, a top Saudi official warned in the Washington Post that the kingdom might intervene in its war-torn neighbor to protect the country's Sunni minority in the event of a US withdrawal. In the past, Saudi leaders including Prince Saud have criticised US policy in Iraq but have never described its presence there as "illegitimate." And US officials bristled at a Washington Post account, citing anonymous sources, that Abdullah had backed out of an April dinner at the White House in his honor. "No dinner was ever scheduled," said one Bush aide, who requested anonymity. -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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