Defense chief says U.S. will stay in Saudi Arabia
June 29, 1996
Web posted at: 11:35 a.m. EDT (1535 GMT)
DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia (CNN) -- U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry said Saturday the U.S. will not be intimidated by terrorists and will maintain its military presence in Saudi Arabia, where a bomb blast this week killed 19 American servicemen.
"This attack will not drive us away. To give in would be to betray the brave airmen who died in Dhahran and their families." Perry said during a news conference after touring the blast site and meeting with U.S. troops in Dhahran. (309K AIFF or WAV sound)
"Our military presence is vital to the United States' and Saudi security, so we are going to stay," he said. "We will not be intimidated by terrorists or by rogue nations." (306K AIFF or WAV sound)
The U.S. increased its forces in Saudi Arabia during the 1991 Gulf War and the buildup that preceded it.
Speaking from Lyon, France, Saturday where he is attending the G-7 economic summit, U.S. President Bill Clinton echoed Perry's message saying, "We will not be driven from the frontiers of our fight against terrorism today."
Earlier Saturday, Perry said there was a possible link between Tuesday's bombing and last November's bombing of a U.S. military facility in Riyadh.
The four Saudis convicted and executed for that attack said they were protesting the presence of the U.S. military in the kingdom.
Perry acknowledged security risks in Saudi Arabia but said the United States would reduce those risks by taking further steps to secure its facilities, helping the Saudis apprehend the terrorists and improving international intelligence efforts to prevent future attacks.
Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, the Saudi ambassador to the United States who appeared with Perry, denied reports that his country has not cooperated with U.S. investigators.
The New York Times had reported the Saudis refused to allow the investigators to interview the four Saudis convicted of the 1995 bombing. The Saudi prince declined to discuss that specific allegation, but he said, "In any close investigation, there are some stumbles." He added, "We welcome the participation of our American friends."
In a related development, U.S. officials said Saturday they had found the chassis and serial number of the truck used in Tuesday's attack.
American officials have said they don't know who is behind the truck bombing and doubt several claims of responsibility by previously unknown groups.
CNN Correspondent Gayle Young and The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Clinton and Dole take on terrorism in radio addresses - June 29, 1996
- Airmen return for bittersweet homecoming - June 28, 1996
- Hero describes desperate seconds before blast - June 28, 1996
- Troops in Saudi Arabia jolted from bed by hoax bomb threat - June 28, 1996
- G-7 leaders pledge to fight terrorism - June 27, 1996
- Bodies of dead servicemen arrive home - June 27, 1996
- General defends safeguards at Saudi complex - June 27, 1996
- Christopher tours Saudi bomb wreckage - June 26, 1996
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