Saudi builds security force of 35,000 to guard oil - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Saudi builds security force of 35,000 to guard oil
Fri Nov 16, 2007 9:41am EST

By Simon Webb

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is building up
a special 35,000-strong rapid reaction force to
protect its energy installations from attacks by
militants targeting the world's largest oil exporter.

The kingdom started recruiting and training the
industrial security force a year ago, after a
failed al Qaeda attack on the world's largest oil
processing plant at Abqaiq in February 2006.

The network's Saudi branch vowed more strikes
on oil facilities after the attack, the first to
directly target the kingdom's oil sector since
militants began a campaign against the U.S.-
allied Saudi royals in May 2003.

Al Qaeda's Saudi-born leader, Osama bin Laden,
has called for it to take aim specifically at oil.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSL1528115720071116

[daninthemoon]

1. The oil wars have begun, and we fired the first shots.

[gateley]

6. Yes - well stated. nt

[nightrider767]

2. Who will make up this new Army?

American Mercenaries?

That's who I'd buy.

Harder in infiltrate.

Probably wouldn't go over too well with the locals...

[losthills]

3. Note: Buy more stock

in Blackwater....

[daninthemoon]

4. One of those smart money bets I just couldn't do, if I want to live

with myself.

[spag68]

5. You're probably right

However it would not be worth throwing up daily knowing what I had done.

[gateley]

7. Al Q has really been insidious as of late. Can you imagine how much worse it

would be if Bush hadn't been so successful with his War on Terror?