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Article: U.S. likely to reduce presence in Saudi Arabia after war in Iraq.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- February 21, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Warren P. Strobel
WASHINGTON _ The United States and Saudi Arabia intend to drastically reduce or eliminate the politically sensitive U.S. military presence in the desert kingdom after any war with Iraq, according to senior officials from both nations.
The presence of U.S. combat troops, first deployed in 1990 to protect Saudi oil fields after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, has increasing drawbacks for both countries.
Many Saudis strongly object to having non-Muslim troops in the land of Islam's two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina.
Terrorist leader Osama bin Laden uses the bases to accuse the United States of occupying the most ...