coda
1st August 2005, 17:45
I wonder what impact this will have on US sponsored terrorism? Fahd and family has financed the Bush-Reagain families atleast going back to the Contras.
Arab, World Leaders Salute Late King Fahd
By PAUL GARWOOD
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Arab leaders announced mourning periods, postponed a summit and prepared Monday to attend the funeral of Saudi Arabia's King Fahd, whose close ties with the United States and control over the world's largest oil supplies made him one of the Mideast's most influential figures.
Western leaders praised the late king, who died Monday, for his wisdom and strength. Fahd was immediately succeeded by Abdullah, his half brother and the crown prince who has been the kingdom's de facto ruler since a stroke incapacitated Fahd in 1995.
Jordan - which like many Arab nations benefited from Saudi oil-financed investments - set a 40-day period of mourning. Officials began heading for the funeral in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday.
``Saudi Arabia has lost one of its dutiful sons, a leader among the most dear of its leaders and men,'' said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
An emergency Arab summit that Mubarak had called in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik in the wake of July 23 terrorist attacks was postponed until later this month.
Among the first leaders heading to the summit was Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who upon landing in Sharm heard of Fahd's death and ordered his plane back to Yemen.
In Saudi Arabia, government offices were open and oil pumping continued. The green Saudi flag remained at full-staff because it bears the central profession of faith in Islam - ``There is no god but God and Muhammad is his prophet'' - and lowering it would be seen as demeaning to the name of God.
President Bush called Abdullah to express condolences over the death of Fahd and to congratulate him on his accession to the throne. The U.S. Embassy announced the three-day closure of its office in Riyadh and its consulates in Jiddah and Dhahran in light of Fahd's death.
Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and the Cairo-based Arab League announced three days of mourning.
``Jordan will stand beside Saudi Arabia and its people on this painful occasion. May God grant his mercy and patience to the Saudi people. May God rest his soul,'' according to a statement issued by the Jordanian Royal Court of King Abdullah II.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder praised Fahd for supporting a dialogue between the Islamic world and the West ``with wisdom, far-sightedness and great personal engagement.''
Fahd's ``balanced and conciliatory policy in the Middle East brought him respect and recognition in the whole world,'' Schroeder said in a message of condolences to Abdullah.
In Paris, the presidential palace remembered Fahd as a respected ruler and a friend of France.
``During his reign, Fahd was above all concerned about the security of his people,'' the statement of condolences said. ``With wisdom, he followed the evolution of the kingdom.''
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to the Saudi royal family. ``Thanks to his personal strength Saudi Arabia achieved undreamable success and significantly strengthened its international position.''
Lebanese lawmaker and Saudi citizen Saad Hariri, son of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was a close friend of the royal family, headed to Saudi Arabia to take part in the funeral and receive condolences.
``The Arab and Islamic nation has lost a great man and one of its fearless men who dedicated his life to the service of the people of this nation and their aspirations,'' Hariri said.
Lebanon's Shiite Muslim Hezbollah guerrilla group also expressed condolences in statement to the Saudi people and praised Fahd for his role in the 1989 Taif Accord, which ended Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war.
Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi, the grand imam of Egypt's prominent Al-Azhar University, described Fahd as a ``pure believer who lived his life carrying the burden of the (Islamic) nation on his shoulders and sought to unite all Arabs.''
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he was saddened by the death of Fahd, who as ruler of Saudi Arabia oversaw the funneling of millions of Saudi riyals to Islamic militants fighting the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.
``The people of Afghanistan will continue to remember his lasting friendship with the people of Afghanistan as well as his unstinting support during the years of jihad (holy war) against the Soviets,'' a Karzai statement said.
But on Islamic Web sites where extremists post commentaries on the news, participants welcomed the death of a king who angered hard-line Muslims by allying himself with the United States and allowing U.S. troops on the same soil as Islam's holiest cities, Mecca and Medina.
``Allah Akbar (God is great), the enemy of God and Islam went to hell, may the rest of infidels and apostates follow his path,'' a participant using the nickname Abu Foad al-Dandari wrote.
08/01/05 12:19
Arab, World Leaders Salute Late King Fahd
By PAUL GARWOOD
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Arab leaders announced mourning periods, postponed a summit and prepared Monday to attend the funeral of Saudi Arabia's King Fahd, whose close ties with the United States and control over the world's largest oil supplies made him one of the Mideast's most influential figures.
Western leaders praised the late king, who died Monday, for his wisdom and strength. Fahd was immediately succeeded by Abdullah, his half brother and the crown prince who has been the kingdom's de facto ruler since a stroke incapacitated Fahd in 1995.
Jordan - which like many Arab nations benefited from Saudi oil-financed investments - set a 40-day period of mourning. Officials began heading for the funeral in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday.
``Saudi Arabia has lost one of its dutiful sons, a leader among the most dear of its leaders and men,'' said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
An emergency Arab summit that Mubarak had called in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik in the wake of July 23 terrorist attacks was postponed until later this month.
Among the first leaders heading to the summit was Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who upon landing in Sharm heard of Fahd's death and ordered his plane back to Yemen.
In Saudi Arabia, government offices were open and oil pumping continued. The green Saudi flag remained at full-staff because it bears the central profession of faith in Islam - ``There is no god but God and Muhammad is his prophet'' - and lowering it would be seen as demeaning to the name of God.
President Bush called Abdullah to express condolences over the death of Fahd and to congratulate him on his accession to the throne. The U.S. Embassy announced the three-day closure of its office in Riyadh and its consulates in Jiddah and Dhahran in light of Fahd's death.
Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and the Cairo-based Arab League announced three days of mourning.
``Jordan will stand beside Saudi Arabia and its people on this painful occasion. May God grant his mercy and patience to the Saudi people. May God rest his soul,'' according to a statement issued by the Jordanian Royal Court of King Abdullah II.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder praised Fahd for supporting a dialogue between the Islamic world and the West ``with wisdom, far-sightedness and great personal engagement.''
Fahd's ``balanced and conciliatory policy in the Middle East brought him respect and recognition in the whole world,'' Schroeder said in a message of condolences to Abdullah.
In Paris, the presidential palace remembered Fahd as a respected ruler and a friend of France.
``During his reign, Fahd was above all concerned about the security of his people,'' the statement of condolences said. ``With wisdom, he followed the evolution of the kingdom.''
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to the Saudi royal family. ``Thanks to his personal strength Saudi Arabia achieved undreamable success and significantly strengthened its international position.''
Lebanese lawmaker and Saudi citizen Saad Hariri, son of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was a close friend of the royal family, headed to Saudi Arabia to take part in the funeral and receive condolences.
``The Arab and Islamic nation has lost a great man and one of its fearless men who dedicated his life to the service of the people of this nation and their aspirations,'' Hariri said.
Lebanon's Shiite Muslim Hezbollah guerrilla group also expressed condolences in statement to the Saudi people and praised Fahd for his role in the 1989 Taif Accord, which ended Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war.
Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi, the grand imam of Egypt's prominent Al-Azhar University, described Fahd as a ``pure believer who lived his life carrying the burden of the (Islamic) nation on his shoulders and sought to unite all Arabs.''
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he was saddened by the death of Fahd, who as ruler of Saudi Arabia oversaw the funneling of millions of Saudi riyals to Islamic militants fighting the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.
``The people of Afghanistan will continue to remember his lasting friendship with the people of Afghanistan as well as his unstinting support during the years of jihad (holy war) against the Soviets,'' a Karzai statement said.
But on Islamic Web sites where extremists post commentaries on the news, participants welcomed the death of a king who angered hard-line Muslims by allying himself with the United States and allowing U.S. troops on the same soil as Islam's holiest cities, Mecca and Medina.
``Allah Akbar (God is great), the enemy of God and Islam went to hell, may the rest of infidels and apostates follow his path,'' a participant using the nickname Abu Foad al-Dandari wrote.
08/01/05 12:19