Saudi Arabia - Vice President Cheney Visit

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Vice President Dick Cheney walks with newly crowned King Abdullah, former President George H.W. Bush, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell during a retreat at King Abdullah's Farm in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Friday, August 5, 2005, following the death of Abdullah's half-brother King Fahd who passed away August 1, 2005. White House photo by David Bohrer

Vice President Cheney Touching Bases in the Middle East

Editor's Note

Vice President Dick Cheney met Iraqi officials during a previously unannounced stop in Baghdad today after departing the United States on Tuesday for a visit to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan as well as embarking a US aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf. The focus of the VP's discussions will be developments in Iraq and Iran according to press reports. This SUSRIS special report provides excerpts and links to overviews of Mr. Cheney's visit to the Kingdom in news reports and commentary. Additional links to related SUSRIS reporting are also provided below.

Cheney follows Rice to Middle East on Tuesday, but with different agenda - AP/San Diego Union-Tribune
Vice President Dick Cheney is reaching out to moderate Arab leaders for help in bringing stability to Iraq, a mission that will include pleas for postwar support for minority party Sunnis.. ..While Rice's trip had a wide-ranging agenda that included other tensions in the region, administration officials said Cheney would focus largely on the next steps in Iraq.. ..But some Mideast experts outside the administration suggested that Cheney's visit also might be an attempt to try to clear up what might be viewed as mixed messages from Rice by some leaders in the region.. ..In particular, the senior administration official said, Cheney will appeal to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah II of Jordan and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to use their influence to help rein in Sunni violence against Shiites in Iraq as well as charting ways to better protect Sunnis from violence at the hands of militant Shiites.
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Cheney And the Saudis - David Ignatius - Washington Post
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may make the headlines with her high-profile diplomatic missions to the Middle East. But for a glimpse at the hidden power plays, follow Vice President Cheney's trip this week to Saudi Arabia. Saudi King Abdullah has emerged over the past nine months as the Bush administration's most important and strong-willed Arab ally. He launched an aggressive campaign last fall to contain Iranian influence in the Arab world and, in the process, buttress American interests in the region despite U.S. setbacks in Iraq. It's Cheney, whose blunt, unsmiling demeanor matches Saudi notions of American gravitas, who manages the Abdullah account.
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Cheney to visit Mideast allies - Washington Times
Although Syria and Iran will be discussed, Iraq is likely to dominate the talks. Saudi Arabia has expressed frustration with U.S. efforts to stabilize Iraq, and some Saudi leaders fear the continued violence will destabilize the entire region.. ..Mr. Cheney will seek to use the influence of King Abdullah II of Jordan, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to stem Sunni violence against Shi'ites, a White House source said. He also will seek ways to protect Sunnis from militant Shi'ites, the source said.. ..The Saudi Arabia stop will be Mr. Cheney's fifth to the kingdom; his last visit was in November. Shortly after he returned to Washington, it was reported that Abdullah told Mr. Cheney that the Saudis would consider providing financial backing to Iraqi Sunnis if the United States pulled out of Iraq.
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Iraq to dominate talks on Cheney's visit to Mideast - Boston Globe
"..The trip comes amid tensions between the United States and Saudi Arabia because of Riyadh's worries that violence in Iraq will destabilize the region.. .."The Saudis are disgusted with what's happening in Iraq," said Judith Kipper, a Middle East specialist at the Council on Foreign Relations. "They are concerned with the lack of progress there and the catastrophe that is going on there."
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Secretary Condoleezza Rice - Interview With Hisham Melhem of Al Arabiya
QUESTION: Vice President Cheney is leaving to the Middle East and he will be meeting with the crucial leaders, crucial to your efforts in Iraq in particular. Is this only a follow-up to Sharm el-Sheikh or do you want those key leaders to do more in Iraq?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, we had planned for some time now for the Vice President to go. And it's a very good time after Sharm because really now, the neighbors need to focus on what they can do to help this Iraqi -- young Iraqi democracy to succeed. Prime Minister Maliki, I thought, did a very good job at the Sharm conference of showing what Iraq is trying to do. They have a struggle internally because they're extremists who are trying to destroy the foundation for a democracy. And so the Vice President will follow up. He'll talk to our allies in the region and I think it'll be very important for them to take a really hard look at what they're doing and to say how can they do more to help the Iraqis.
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Press Availability with Vice President Dick Cheney, Ambassador Ryan Crocker and General David Petraeus - Baghdad, Iraq
Complete item: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-5.html

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