King Abdullah smacks Obama upside the head, "Support Mubarak or else..."

[GSLevel9]

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/

Saudi Arabia has threatened to prop up President Mubarak if the White House tries to force a swift change of regime in Egypt. In a testy personal telephone call on January 29, King Abdullah told President Obama not to humiliate Mr Mubarak and warned that he would step in to bankroll Egypt if the US withdrew its aid programme, worth $1.5 billion annually. America’s closest ally in the Gulf made clear that the Egyptian President must be allowed to stay on to oversee the transition towards peaceful democracy and then leave with dignity. “Mubarak and King Abdullah are not just allies, they are close friends, and the King is not about to see his friend cast aside and humiliated,” a senior source in the Saudi capital told The Times.

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[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Expected complication

I am surprised it took this long.

Of course the "kids" at Tahrir square have other ideas.

[Kokonoe]

7. I was afraid the "adults" will not permit democracy over elites. n/t

[FrenchieCat]

2. More like King Abdullah smacks the Egyptian People upside the head.....

Since they get to decide.

[movonne]

3. One dictator propping up another...He is probably afraid the Saudi

people might have the same idea and wants to nip it in the bud..

[Peter1x9]

4. King Abdullah also needs to be "cast aside".

n/t

[RandomThoughts]

5. Foreign action frees the Egyptian military to defend Egypt.

Saudi? LOL They step in it often.

[Lint Head]

6. Only the Saudis can bully our President. After they bailed out

Bush, kissed him on the mouth and then Saudis hijack planes and murder thousands.? What do you expect?

[msongs]

8. the king has been watching how republicans do it lol nt

[HEyHEY]

9. Fuck, if they wanna pick up the tab I say have at it.

[Kokonoe]

12. Yet America would just increase the Saudi tab.

Oh what a tangled web we weave.

Lets just say who cares about the M.E. and go buy an electric car.

[woo me with science]

20. LOL

Sounds good to me. Then we can use the money for heating assistance programs.

[Radical Activist]

10. He's afraid he'll be next.

He doesn't like seeing Obama nudge Mubarak out of office.

[donheld]

11. Is that Bandar Bush?

[boppers]

13. "smacks Obama upside the head"?

Am I the only one who remembers "the Sheik", and makes the connection between bad 80's wrestling plots, and modern geopolitics absurdities?

[GoCubsGo]

19. No. You are not.

And, I think that this "smacks Obama upside the head" shit is utterly revolting. The President should support one despot to keep another despot happy? Really?

[quiller4]

14. Why are you today repeating what the Saudi King said on Jan 29th when he

has since reversed his position?

[leveymg]

15. He's "since reversed his position"? When? Link?

[craigmatic]

16. I was wondering when the Saudis would get scared. You just know they're next.

[Clio the Leo]

17. Kinda hard for Obama to support Mubarak....

... when Mubarak is sleeping on King Abdullah's couch ain't it?

[impik]

18. Idiot.