American pressure on Saudi Arabia reaches new high

The Kuwaiti daily al-Seyasah said on Monday said that the American pressures on Saudi Arabia reached on Wednesday a new high since the events of September because of which relations have been disturbed between Riyadh and Washington.

The paper explained that relations on Wednesday has almost reached the edge of boycotting by the announcement made by senator Carl Levy chairman of the armed forces committee at the US Senate -- that his country might find itself obliged to pullout its military forces from Prince Sultan base in al-Kharaj near al-Riyadh because of the restrictions imposed on the American military troops there.

The paper indicated that a Gulf diplomat in Washington disclosed to the paper that the leadership of the American forces in the Gulf area put in October, 2001 a plan requested by the Pentagon to pullout the forces from the Saudi territories in case a decision was taken regarding that.

The plan notes in one of its proposals transporting the 5,000 American troops from al-Kharaj air base to other countries of whom 3000 to Turkey and 2000 troopers to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates and to keep few planes and pilots in a Saudi base close to the borders.

The diplomat added that the question of transporting the American forces is on the agenda during the visit held by the Turkish prime minister Polent Acawet to Washington.