I'm still trying to confirm this from other sources, but Stratfor is reporting that Saudi Prince Abdullah has cancelled his meeting with Bush in Texas. Reason? To protest our Israeli/Palestine policy.

Does he really think that this will cause us to rethink our policy? Does he have absolutely no idea on what thin ice he's treading? Maybe not, given that walking on ice is an alien concept to someone from that part of the world.

Here's the UPI story on it -

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=14042002-052843-6361r

Myria

The Arabic News has another story dated yesterday about it:

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020416/2002041617.html

I'm not sure it's reliable, as it references a visit on the 22nd, and today there's an article refering to a visit on the 25th:

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020417/2002041722.html

Sounds like it might have just been rescheduled.

In what sense is he treading on thin ice?

If there's one thing to be learned about the past couple months it is that there is no penalty to Arabs who jerk the U.S. around. Arafat does it at every turn, and he still gets a pat on the head from Colin Powell. The Saudis hold telethons for suicide bombers, and their ambassodor publishes pro-murder poems, and the U.S. does and says nothing.

The Arabs view the U.S. as a paper tiger -- and I fear that if Colin Powell continues to get his way, they won't be far wrong.

"If there's one thing to be learned about the past couple months it is that there is no penalty to Arabs who jerk the U.S. around."

It's a funny thing about thin ice. Sometimes it will feel quite solid, until it suddenly collapses beneath your feet.

>It's a funny thing about thin ice. Sometimes
> it will feel quite solid, until it suddenly
> collapses beneath your feet.

Which is very different from walking on shifting sand, something our friends the Saudis are perhaps more used to.

Thin ice changes state all at once, often without warning; the "after" state is MUCH more dangerous than the "before" state; and there's no going back after the transition.
Ice over fast-moving cold water is an excellent metaphor for the American approach to war, despite the radio talk show I was treated to this morning themed on the question "why are Americans so fond of war?".