President Obama will be meeting this week at the White House and Camp David with leaders of the six member nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Al Jazeera America reports that the GCC members “are expected to ask the United States for advanced weapons, aircraft and missile defense systems” to counter the growing influence of Iran.
Al Jazeera America also reports that Saudi Arabia’s King Salman will not attend the meeting so that he can deal with the ongoing crisis in “anti-terror success story” Yemen, where conditions are currently too dangerous for the Obama administration to organize a rescue mission for some 3,000–4,000 trapped American citizens.
That’s OK, though: Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister assures the GCC that his country “is not looking for written assurances from U.S.,” as “the word of the US president is unquestionable.” That’s news to us.
#Saudi Foreign Minister says #Saudi Arabia "is not looking for written assurances from US, the word of the US president is unquestionable."
— Fahad Nazer فهد ناظر (@fanazer) May 11, 2015
@fanazer @matthewmreed As we saw with his red line…
— Jonas Renz (@JonasRenz) May 11, 2015
@fanazer @taimurkhan #redline? 😀
— Seifeddine Ferjani (@Ferjani9arwi) May 11, 2015
@lrozen @fanazer
Obamas Redlines are questionable— Johnny Six (@Johnyrocket69) May 11, 2015
https://twitter.com/jettzworld/status/597853980618657792
Whatever you call it, don’t call it a snub.
#Saudi FM @adelaljubeir: King not attending US-GCC summit not snub to US. Crown Prince and Deputy Crown Prince to attend summit.
— Saudi Embassy (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) May 11, 2015
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I think media is making a big deal out of King Salman not attending Camp David. I don't think it is a snub but a polite and diplomatic way.2
— Dr Jaber Alsiwat (@jsiwat) May 11, 2015
Of saying let's wait for the discussion to materialize to something worth having a summit for. And I am sure this was agreed with the WH.
— Dr Jaber Alsiwat (@jsiwat) May 11, 2015
Saudi FM Al-Jubeir to @wolfblitzer on @CNNSitRoom: We have no doubt about America’s commitment to the security of #SaudiArabia.
— Saudi Embassy (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) May 11, 2015
VIDEO: Foreign Minister Al-Jubeir on @CNNSitRoom with @wolfblitzer http://t.co/ZOnwDUk17H
— Saudi Embassy (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) May 11, 2015
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