World Tribune.com


Saudis approve air base
for U.S. attack

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Friday, September 28, 2001

WASHINGTON Ñ Saudi Arabia has approved the use of a key air base for any military offensive against Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden.

U.S. and Gulf sources said Riyad relayed its approval earlier this week for the Pentagon to use the Prince Sultan air base. The base is outside the city of Kharj and contains advanced radar and communications systems required to monitor and coordinate any major attack.

Details of the exact use of the Saudi base will be discussed in talks planned for this weekend between Washington and Riyad, the sources said. About 5,000 U.S. personnel are deployed at Prince Sultan.

For nearly two weeks, the sources said, Riyad withheld its approval for use of the Saudi base as a launching pad for attacks. But the kingdom Ñ after a debate within the royal family Ñ has relented.

The sources said Riyad's approval was coordinated with that of other Gulf Cooperation Council states. Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar have also allowed the United States to use their facilities in the Washington-led counterterrorism campaign.

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