Job Discussion Forums

Pilot in Command · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 50

A deteriorating situation:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,122522,00.html

johnslat · Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2004 10:28 pm Post subject:

Moreover,

"Also Saturday, a purported al-Qaida statement claimed the terror group had kidnapped an American man in the Saudi capital and threatened to treat him as U.S. troops treated Iraqi prisoners. The U.S. Embassy confirmed an American was missing but would not identify him.
We do have reports of a missing American," an embassy spokesperson said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We are working with local authorities to find him and are in touch with his family."

and

"Police also found a car rigged with explosives in a suburb of the capital, Saudi-owned television station Al Arabiya said. It was not immediately clear whether there was any link between the discovery and the late-afternoon shooting. "

Regards,
John

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

You know, I suspect it is time to leave.

johnslat · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 2:50 am Post subject:

Dear Paul in Saudi,
Which would mean you'd have to change your user-name to:

Paul not in Saudi?

Seriously though, I believe it is time.
Regards,
John

justcolleen · Joined: 07 Jan 2004 Posts: 654 Location: Egypt, baby!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040613/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_kidnapped_american&cid=540&ncid=716

"(It) did not identify the slain American but said he was killed at his house."

I'm not a mathematician, but I do like to dabble in the maths enough to recognize there is a pattern emerging.

I have to say, you folks who are still there are far better human beings than I could ever hope to be. I don't know that I could, or would, do what you are doing.

Unless I read this:

johnslat · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 1:42 pm Post subject:

Dear justcollen,

PRETTY smart???!!!! Knows what he talking about MOST times???!!!

Actually, those are probably the nicest things anybody's ever said about me on the Saudi Forum. Which doesn't make them right, of course - just nice.
But, even though I'm fully aware of how different a situation can seem when viewed from inside, as opposed to outside, the country, I AM worried - especially, of course, about all the people I know who are still there. My best guess is that it's not going to get any better soon; in fact, I think it'll probably get worse. The tactics seem to have shifted - from (more or less) suicidal attempts on compounds to far less risky attacks on individual "soft targets" - with the added "benefit" that only "the right people" are likely to be killed that way.
Oh, the odds are still extremely high that YOU will become a target, but the psychological strain of living under such conditions has got to be mentally debilitating, probably even physically harmful.
It would seem like a good time to take at least a "sabbatical" from the Kingdom; perhaps, in another year or two, the situation may change for the better.
Regards,
John

Cleopatra · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 3:34 pm Post subject:

Hey, John - I've said nice things about you too!

On this forum and elsewhere!

johnslat · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 3:47 pm Post subject: Clique on this

Dear Cleopatra,
Well, that's true, but remember: you're just another one of the evil clique here on the Saudi Forum. We HAVE TO say good things about each other; it's part of the oath, administered during the secret swearing-in ceremony.
Regards,
John
P.S. By the way, meeting tonight in the usual place. And for goodness sake, don't forget to bring your proposals for world domination again.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Yes master --- Do I bring the Kool Aid this time?

VS

johnslat · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 4:25 pm Post subject: Kool it

Dear veiledsentiments,
Yes, my dear - the "special" Kool Aid that we will serve to all those who dare to disagree with us. MmmmYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Regards,
John

Cleopatra · Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 8:46 am Post subject:

Sorry I couldn't make it - too busy watching France Vs England in Euro 2004!

And a fine match it was too.

next time perhaps?

nikon · Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:04 am Post subject:

Dear friends and colleagues,
I was interviewed last year and have been contracted to begin in September at KFUPM this year. I�ve been following the increasing violence and anti-American and anti foreigner sentiments in the middle east, and the recent tragedies in Saudi Arabia.
I�m afraid that for me, the die has been cast, and I won�t be coming to the Kingdom, and possibly will never come to teach in Arabia again. What has been a delicate situation for years, seems to have gone completely out of control.
I think it will be extremely difficult for the Saudi government to get qualified professionals to come to work in their country for some time.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

They will come to rely more on Western converts (sorry - "reverts") and those from Pakistan, India etc who are already of the one true faith.

At KFUPM for many years now there has been a gradual replacement of werstern staff with staff from the subcontinent. The English Language Center resisited this move but now.........................

Soon it will look like Dammam Community College - full of people with names like Ibrahim MacDonald and Abdullah Evans - not to mention Ahmed Khan.

Mark100 · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 441

"Oh, the odds are still extremely high that YOU will become a target, but the psychological strain of living under such conditions has got to be mentally debilitating, probably even physically harmful."

John you are dead right here.

I must go back on Friday to clear up my affairs as i left in a hurry after the Khobar affair.

I am going back with a sense of great unease and will have to live for a short period of time under the exact stress you mention.

The odds are that nothing will happen but living in fear for a few weeks is not what i call fun.

I will be commuting from Bahrain til the end of the month then i am off to greener pastures as it were.

Bindair Dundat · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 1123