US embassy cable - 05JEDDAH2181

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 002181 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO NEA/ARP; RIYADH PLEASE PASS TO 
DHAHRAN; PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, SCUL, SOCI, KISL 
SUBJECT: SNAPSHOT OF STUDENT OPINION: UNDERGRADS FROM 
JEDDAH COLLEGE CRITICIZE SAG/USG 
 
Classified By: ACTING CONSUL GENERAL CAROL KALIN 
FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) AND (d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY.  Following the June 28 opening of the first 
American Corner in Saudi Arabia at the College of Business 
Administration (CBA) in Jeddah, Conoff accompanied a group of 
CBA undergraduates and their student advisor on a June 30 
hiking trip to the mountains near Mecca.  In discussions 
during the trip, the young men were critical of the SAG.  The 
students, who had little or no direct exposure to the U.S., 
also criticized U.S. involvement in Iraq and the state of 
moral values in the U.S.  END SUMMARY. 
 
STUDENTS CRITICIZE SAUDI AND ARAB LEADERS 
 
2.  (C) On June 30, Conoff accompanied a group of CBA 
students and their student advisor on a hiking trip to Hada 
Mountain, located between Mecca and Taif.  According to the 
student advisor, the trips are designed to teach the young 
men values that will assist them in life after graduation. 
The theme of a recent trip to the beaches north of Jeddah was 
"Resisting the temptations of women."  This trip was designed 
to teach the young men leadership values in completing the 
challenge of exploring Hada Mountain as a team. 
 
3.  (C) In discussions throughout the day, the students 
criticized the SAG and other Arab governments.  The students 
mocked Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and stated that 
"animals live better than people in Syria."  When asked to 
affirm that the situation in Saudi Arabia was better than 
Syria, a young man originally from the Nejd (Riyadh) region 
shook his head and replied, "so, so- The situation here is 
medium." 
 
4.  (C) Criticizing corruption among Saudi princes, one 
student described a telemarketing fraud scheme selling fake 
calling cards which allegedly involved a son of King Fahd. 
Another repeated the widely-held belief that the popular 
Jeddah "Al Baik" restaurant chain was prevented from opening 
in Riyadh due to a prince's concern that the restaurant would 
compete with his franchises.   While driving past a poster in 
Taif with pictures of members of the royal family welcoming 
visitors to the city, the student advisor sarcastically 
stated that the king and princes "do not even come here. 
They spend all their time in Europe, like in Geneva." 
Referring to the royal family, he stated, "When you have a 
lot, you want even more; you cannot see the limit." 
 
STUDENTS QUESTION U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN IRAQ, MORAL VALUES IN 
U.S. 
 
5.  (C) The students, who had little or no direct exposure to 
the U.S., consistently praised the American people. 
"Whenever I meet an American guy, he is very nice," one 
student stated.  The students also asked questions about 
prominent Arab-Americans, such as General John Abizaid, and 
played American popular and rap music on the drive to the 
mountain. 
 
6.  (C) When the discussion turned to politics, however, the 
students were critical of U.S. involvement in Iraq and the 
allegations of torture at the Abu Ghraib prison.  When 
reminded that the U.S. military investigated and prosecuted 
members of the military involved in events at Abu Ghraib, one 
student stated his approval and observed "that (prosecution 
of those involved in torture) would never happen in Saudi 
Arabia."  However, he added that the prosecutions would not 
help America's image in the Arab world because "the damage is 
done."  Pointing to his friend, one student said, "tell him 
(Conoff) what you said about America yesterday."  The young 
man replied, "I prefer not to talk about politics or Iraq." 
 
7.  (C) The students reserved much of their discussion on the 
U.S. for the subject of moral values.  During the drive to 
the mountain, the young men stopped at a local mosque at 
afternoon prayer time, and later found a mountainside mosque 
to perform the evening "isha" prayers.  Following prayers, 
one student mentioned the subject of gay marriage and 
criticized the U.S. for even considering the matter.  Citing 
the cool mountain weather, another young man asked if 
Americans in the northern U.S. stayed warm because "they 
drink alcohol all day."  Several criticized abuse of alcohol 
and drugs as the major factors behind perceived high crime 
rates in Western countries. 
 
8.  (C) At the end of the day, the student advisor spoke to 
the group and reminded them to think about the teamwork and 
leadership they had exhibited in exploring the mountain. 
"Even from wrong decisions, you can still make the right 
decisions," he said.  Speaking with Conoff, he concluded "I 
want these guys to think for themselves, take care of each 
other, and remember that anything is possible in any country." 
KALIN