Saudi Arabia’s decision to increase its oil production after intense US pressure threatens to deepen the rift that has emerged inside Opec between the moderate Arab Gulf countries and hawkish Iran and Venezuela.
Analysts said the move was linked to George W. Bush’s personal plea for more oil – the second this year – and threats from leading US senators that they would try to stop a $1.4bn (£717m) arms sale to Saudi Arabia.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/059a9de2-23a1-11dd-b214-000077b07658,dwp_uuid=f2b40164-cfea-11dc-9309-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1
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Originally Posted by jyl
I don't understand why Bush would so publicly go hat in hand to personally beg for increased Saudi production, just to get a humiliating public rejection.
We're supposed to have close ties to the Saudis - surely the Administration could make the request and get the answer, privately, rather than publicly demonstrating its powerlessness?
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Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa
I thought the very same thing. My only guess was he thought that if it were done publicly, the Saudi's wouldn't say no. cause we're a superpower and all you know.
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Originally Posted by Superman
It is shamefully easy to point out the "president"s shortcomings but I happened to read in the paper just this morning:
1) Dubya's frustrated-sounding speech as he returned from his 3-day 100% failure trip to the Middle East.
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