Homeland Security

DATE=5/14/03

TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP

TITLE=SAUDI BOMBINGS

NUMBER=6-12928

BYLINE=Andrew Guthrie

DATELINE=Washington

EDITOR=Assignments

TELEPHONE=619-3335

CONTENT=

/// EDITORS: GIVEN THE LARGE NUMBER OF EDITORIALS CONCERNING MONDAY'S RIYADH ATTACKS, THERE IS NO DUPLICATION WITH TODAY'S U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST. ///

INTRO: The American press is reacting with anger, horror, and new worry, at the well-coordinated terrorist bombings in Saudi Arabia. At least 29 people, including some terrorists, were killed and 200 or more injured. We get a sampling of some early editorial reaction now from V-O-A's __________ in today's U-S Opinion Roundup.

TEXT: There are several themes emerging from editorials concerning this latest terrorist attack. One is that al-Qaida, while perhaps not as powerful as before the Afghan war, is still a global threat able to inflict damage almost anywhere. Noting the number of Saudi Arabian terrorists arrested so far in other events, there is growing skepticism about the kingdom's allegiance to the United States.

Others doubt the effectiveness of Saudi internal security, while some consider the autocratic Saudi monarchy as much a target as Western citizens and military. In San Francisco, The Chronicle has an idea against whom Monday's attack was really directed.

VOICE: The assaults were, on their face, aimed at Americans and other foreigners whose work bolsters the Saudi establishment. But the actual target of al-Qaida -- or other Islamist extremists -- could be the Saudi ruling family with its Western links. Instead of mollifying critics by pushing for the exit of the 5-thousand member U-S military contingent in the country, the autocratic Saudi leaders should plan genuine political reform. A self-governing nation, with opportunity for all, is less likely to become a fertile recruiting ground for the likes of Osama bin Laden.

TEXT: Thoughts from The San Francisco Chronicle.

Picking up on that theme, The Arizona Republic in Phoenix proposes:

VOICE: Of all the devil's bargains made to buy a semblance of peace, the one between the House of Saud and the religious fundamentalist fanatics of their nation has been among the worst. With the suicide bombings in Riyadh that wicked deal has been turned against the Saudis with a vengeance.

TEXT: Moving on to the broader view of global terror, Washington's Seattle Post-Intelligencer suggests:

VOICE: The attacks make it clear that the war against terror is not over and may never be. In a world [with] a single super conventional military power, random acts of terror with rudimentary weapons will be a reality of life. Terrorism cannot be eradicated, only mitigated.

TEXT: An almost similar fatalistic view comes from Pennsylvania's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which sees this as the price the world's last superpower must pay.

VOICE: Monday night's fatal attacks [were] a foreseeable result of a number of recent events: the United States' invasion and occupation of an Arab country, the decision to withdraw most U-S troops from Saudi Arabia and, perhaps, the erection of obstacles to the "road map" proposal for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

TEXT: Back in the Pacific Northwest, Portland's Oregonian comments:

VOICE: Too much American blood has been spilled on Saudi soil. In addition to the bombings in 1996 and on Monday, seven Americans died in an explosion at a U-S military complex in Riyadh in 1995. Al-Qaida clearly has survived U-S efforts to eradicate it [and has] demonstrated that it is still capable of mounting coordinated attacks.

TEXT: In Northern New Jersey, The [Bergen County] Record uses the Riyadh attacks as justification to criticize the Bush administration for failing to release an "exhaustive report" issued by Congress on the intelligence failures that preceded the nine/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. While Ohio's [Cleveland] Plain Dealer gets back to how al-Qaida undeniably has such close ties to some Saudi Arabians.

VOICE: The strike could again illustrate al-Qaida's intimate connection with the desert oil kingdom where Osama bin Laden was born and where he hopes to center his worldwide Islamic emirate. Fifteen of the nine/11 hijackers were Saudis. Money from wealthy Saudis helps keep [Osama] bin Laden in business. And [Osama] bin Laden became an implacable U-S foe after U-S troops arrived in Saudi Arabia more than a dozen years ago.

TEXT: Lastly, Connecticut's Waterbury Republican-American says of al-Qaida:

VOICE: Osama bin Laden's terrorist network evidently is alive, though not necessarily well. The attacks seem to demonstrate al-Qaida is still capable of lethal, coordinated attacks but the bloodshed does not begin to compare with the ambition and impact of nine/11.

TEXT: On that note, we conclude this editorial sampling on the latest terrorist bombings in Saudi Arabia.

NEB/ANG/RH