Gates holds talks with King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan

By MD RASOOLDEEN | ARAB NEWS

RIYADH: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday for a one-day visit to hold talks with Saudi officials on bilateral matters.

Gates arrived here following a three-day visit to Afghanistan, and will leave on Thursday morning. The secretary held separate talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation.

Gates’ visit precedes recent trips to Riyadh by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, head of United States Central Command Gen. David H. Petraeus, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen.

During his meeting with Prince Sultan, Gates reviewed aspects of cooperation between the two countries and discussed ways and means of enhancing them to strengthen bilateral relations. They also discussed the latest developments at the regional and international levels.

The meeting was attended by Prince Khaled bin Sultan, assistant minister of defense and aviation for military affairs, senior Saudi and US civil and military officials, and US Ambassador to the Kingdom James B. Smith.

Political circles reported  that the talks focused on shared concerns over Iran’s nuclear intentions and ballistic missile program, the situation in Yemen and the proposed withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

According to news reports from Washington, US defense officials said Gates would discuss with King Abdullah US efforts to impose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.

“The secretary will provide an update ... about where we are in our Iran policy, as we’ve pivoted from the engagement track to the pressure track,” an official is reported to have said. The United States has expanded land- and sea-based missile defense systems in and around the Gulf to counter what it sees as Iran’s growing missile threat, and arms sales to Gulf allies have risen sharply in recent years.

Saudi Arabia bought $3.3 billion worth of US arms in 2009, according to a Pentagon estimate. The Patriot missile systems, which were originally used in the region during the Gulf war to shoot down aircraft, have now been upgraded to hit missiles in flight.

Petraeus revealed in January that the US now has eight Patriot missile batteries stationed in the Gulf region — two each in four countries. He did not name the countries, but a military official told Associated Press that they are Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.

Comments

WASEEM

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Once again it’s time to unite, we really does not have any Idea on the hidden agenda behind US neither IRAN, IRAN is a Muslim country and that we can at least believe it, I see two purpose being served here and both in favor of US and a very little in favor of KSA, US is making a profitable defense business and yet incomplete, and at the same time residing in our territory for the sake of us and defending US by himself. if US is so very concern of defending KSA of the IRAN (fake threat as by US) then sell all those you have deployed to us, we are very rich and capable of purchasing even the whole US. don't you see the statement of Britain's president, first you will plot for a war then you are the same peoples to regret. STOP this NONSENCE game of Fooling peoples.

PRESIDENT SAMI ABUZENID

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Iran's nuclear srategic plan is necessary defense to counter the growing
and destructive western threat. War makers are now certain that the idea
of invading Iran had colapsed because such invasion would lead to fierce
retaliation aimed at Europe's. Hence, the agony to better sanction is a sign
of defeat for NATO. Consequently, the British.

EHUMERT

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In the US, you go to any store you will find majority of the things available are made in China. That is one of the reasons that consumer items are cheaper and more affordable. So, the US doesn't really care about manufacturing consumer items which sells for 10 cents or 10 dollars or even 100 dollars. The US does care about manufacturing arms and ammunitions and military products which are worth billions of dollars. The US is the main exporter of defense products and that is the backbone of their economy. As long as the smaller countries keep fighting and getting stronger against each other, the US will keep running its business.

Now the question is what is Gates doing in Saudi Arabia? He should be in Israel helping it to fight " Palestinian terrorists". What is he selling here in Saudi Arabia? For God's sake, can we stop buying billion dollar weapons from the US, BAE and European weapons exporters? Why not Muslim countries decide to stop buying weapons from the west as long as the west keeps backing Israel? That could be the best deal to fix the free world's habit of supporting every act of the only democracy in the middle east. Muslim countries should develop their own manufacturing industry instead of relying on their enemies for supply of weapons.

They can't retaliate by stop buying our oil as they are oil hungry and can't live without that.

NISHTHAR IDROOS

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In the face of increasing Israeli arrogance and contempt and perceived US weakness, how would Saudi respond? In the realm of diplomacy Saudi is one of the, if not the only influencing body in the entire Middle East. Would it allow matters to further deteriorate or reassert its position in pursuit of the elusive Middle East peace?

WAQAS-AL-DIN AL-AMERICANI

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With all due respect, I don't think that the Kingdom should be buying any military hardware or software from any foreign power. It definitely has the indigenous talents and capabilities (not to mention resources) to become completely self reliant on the manufacture of sophisticated armaments. That way we won't need these kinds of people coming around and trying to "secure" our own home from us!
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