Saudis' Helped U.S. Extensively in Iraq

By JOHN SOLOMON, Associated Press Writer



WASHINGTON - During the Iraq war, Saudi Arabia secretly helped the United
States far more than has been acknowledged, allowing operations from at least
three air bases, permitting special forces to stage attacks from Saudi soil and
providing cheap fuel, U.S. and Saudi officials say.

The American air campaign against Iraq was essentially managed from inside
Saudi borders, where military commanders operated an air command center and
launched refueling tankers, F-16 fighter jets, and sophisticated intelligence
gathering flights, according to the officials.

Much of the assistance has been kept quiet for more than a year by both
countries for fear it would add to instability inside the kingdom. Many Saudis
oppose the war and U.S. presence on Saudi soil has been used by Osama bin Laden
to build his terror movement.

But senior political and military officials from both countries told The
Associated Press the Saudi royal family permitted widespread military
operations to be staged from inside the kingdom during the coalition force's
invasion of Iraq.

These officials would only talk on condition of anonymity because of the
diplomatic sensitivity and the fact that some operational details remain
classified.

While the heart of the ground attack came from Kuwait, thousands of special
forces soldiers were permitted to stage their operations into Iraq from inside
Saudi Arabia, the officials said. These staging areas became essential once
Turkey declined to allow U.S. forces to operate from its soil.

In addition, U.S. and coalition aircraft launched attacks, reconnaissance
flights and intelligence missions from three Saudi air bases, not just the
Prince Sultan Air Base where U.S. officials have acknowledged activity.

Between 250 and 300 Air Force planes staged from Saudi Arabia, including AWACS,
C-130s, refueling tankers and F-16 fighter jets during the height of the war,
the officials said. Air and military operations during the war were permitted
at the Tabuk air base and Arar regional airport near the Iraq border, the
officials said. Saudis also agreed to permit search and rescue missions to
stage and take off from their soil, the officials said. Gen. T. Michael
Moseley, a top Air Force general who was a key architect of the air campaign in
Iraq, called the Saudis "wonderful partners" although he agreed to discuss
their help only in general terms.

"We operated the command center at Saudi Arabia. We operated airplanes out of
Saudi Arabia, as well as sensors, and tankers," said Moseley in an interview
with the AP. He said he treasured "their counsel, their mentoring, their
leadership and their support."

Publicly, American and Saudi officials have portrayed the U.S. military
presence during the war as minimal and limited to Prince Sultan Air Base, where
Americans have operated on and off over the last decade. Any other American
presence during the war was generally described as humanitarian, such as food
drops, or as protection against Scud missile attacks.

During the war, U.S. officials held media briefing about the air war from
Qatar, although the air command center was in Saudi Arabia — a move designed
to keep from inflaming the Saudi public.

U.S.-Saudi cooperation raised eyebrows last week after it was disclosed that
President Bush shared his Iraq war plans with Saudi ambassador Prince Bandar
bin Sultan before the start of the war.

Some lawmakers have demanded to know why a foreigner was brought in on private
war planning. When asked about the briefing, Bandar played down the extent of
Saudi help. "We were allies. And we helped our American friends in the way that
was necessary for them. And that was the reality," he said.

U.S. and Saudi officials said Bandar was briefed several times before the war
as part of securing Saudi assistance, and received regular updates as U.S.
needs changed. Preparations for U.S. operations inside Saudi Arabia started in
2002 when the Air Force awarded a contract to a Saudi company to provide jet
fuel at four airfields or bases inside the kingdom, documents show.

When the war started, the Saudis allowed cruise missiles to be fired from Navy
ships across their air space into Iraq. A few times missiles went off course
and landed inside the kingdom, officials said.

The Saudis provided tens of millions of dollars in discounted oil, gas and fuel
for American forces. During the war, a stream of oil delivery trucks at times
stretched for miles outside the Prince Sultan air base, said a senior U.S.
military planner.

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The Most Infamous and Shameful Statement in the Modern History !!

When U.S. Ambassador to the UN Madeleine Albright, who later would
be confirmed by the U.S. Senate as secretary of state, was asked by
60 Minutes whether the DEATHS of half a million Iraqi children had
been "worth it," her response - "I think that is a very hard choice,
but the price, we think, the price is worth it".