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.