The Saudis Come Through Again for the Bush Family

They've saved George Bush's bacon before and it seems they're willing to lend a hand again.

Their boy is feeling the heat in Washington, especially over Iraq. The American people want this adventure wrapped up and a hostile congress is thinking the same way. Britain and just about every other ally in Iraq have now set up a "coalition of the no longer willing" and are about to split.

Isolated, surrounded by critics, George Bush wants to find some way to keep American forces in Iraq. That's where his Saudi pals come in.

The Saudis say if America pulls out of Iraq they might have to fund Iraq's Sunnis in any war with the country's Shia. According to the Washington Post:

"King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia conveyed that message to Vice President Dick Cheney two weeks ago during Mr. Cheney’s whirlwind visit to Riyadh, the officials said. During the visit, King Abdullah also expressed strong opposition to diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran, and pushed for Washington to encourage the resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, senior Bush administration officials said.

"The Saudi warning reflects fears among America’s Sunni Arab allies about Iran’s rising influence in Iraq, coupled with Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. King Abdullah II of Jordan has also expressed concern about rising Shiite influence, and about the prospect that the Shiite-dominated government would use Iraqi troops against the Sunni population."