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Saudis ask U.S. to reduce forces, W. House admits

Andrew Card
Card calls the Saudis "wonderful allies in this war against terrorists."  


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Saudi Arabian officials have asked the United States to reduce its military presence in their country, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card told CNN on Sunday.

Last Sunday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell dismissed newspaper reports the Saudis had asked the United States to withdraw its nearly 5,000 troops from the nation.

Osama bin Laden has cited America's military presence in his native country as a core grievance in his self-proclaimed holy war against the United States. Fifteen of the 19 suspected hijackers in the September 11 attacks were from Saudi Arabia.

Anti-American and pro-bin Laden sentiment has been strong in some parts of the kingdom, home of the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and many Saudis do not support the U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan.

Card said planning for a pullback has been in the works for some time and was not a recent development.

"Ever since the Gulf War ended, we've been working to try to minimize the amount of time and the size of the footprint that U.S. forces have in Saudi Arabia," Card said.

"They've been asking a long time, and we've been working with them for a long time -- not just during this administration but during previous administrations -- to reduce the footprint.

"I think it's been a long-term interest of both countries," he said.

Asked when the United States might begin reducing its presence, Card said, "It will happen over time.

"It would be wrong for me to speculate on what the Defense Department feels is in the best interests of the national security of this country and the security of the region," said Card.

The United States helped build military installations in Saudi Arabia during the 1980s and sent hundreds of thousands of troops to the Middle Eastern nation during the Gulf War.

The U.S. has maintained a significant, albeit much smaller, military presence since, mostly Air Force personnel charged with enforcing no-fly zones over southern Iraq.

The planes fly out of remote Prince Sultan Air Base, where a U.S.-built command and control center directs the air war in Afghanistan and patrols over Iraq.

Under rules imposed by the Saudis, U.S. warplanes cannot launch attacks and can respond with force only in self-defense.

Even with a reduction, the United States needs a presence in the region to enforce the Iraqi no-fly zone, a mission in part geared to protect Saudi Arabia from Saddam Hussein's forces, Card said.

"There is a valuable reason for us to be in that region, but we are looking to reduce the footprint within Saudi Arabia, consistent with America's interests and consistent with the interests of Saudi Arabia," he said.

U.S. forces operate out of bases in several other countries in the region, including Turkey, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. U.S. warplanes stationed at Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey, for instance, patrol the no-fly zone over northern Iraq.

Some U.S. military officials have hinted the Saudi royal family would be best served by keeping U.S. forces in the region, given the growing threat of terrorism and reports bin Laden hopes to take over the kingdom.

Several U.S. congressmen have criticized the Saudis for accepting U.S. protection but doing little in return to fight terrorism.

Card, echoing comments from other Bush administration officials, called the Saudis "wonderful allies in this war against terrorists."



 
 
 
 


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