US embassy cable - 03JEDDAH828

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JEDDAH 000828 
 
 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL, LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, RIYADH PLEASE PASS 
TO DHAHRAN 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, SOCI, KISL, SA 
SUBJECT: TWO SAUDI PROFESSIONALS: BET ON THE PEOPLE, NOT 
THE REGIME 
 
REF: RIYADH 1685 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING CONSUL GENERAL CHARLES RICHE FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) 
AND (D). 
 
SUMMARY AND COMMENT. 
 
1.  (C) ON APRIL 2, POLOFF MET WITH A LOCAL SAUDI LAWYER, DR. 
BASIM ALIM (STRICTLY PROTECT), TO DISCUSS HIS OPEN LETTER TO 
CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH CALLING FOR REFORM.  A "SELF-MADE" 
LAWYER, ALIM WAS CHOSEN IN DECEMBER 2002 TO REPRESENT SEVERAL 
SAUDI CHARITIES IN THE SEPTEMBER 11 LAWSUIT AND ADMITS THAT 
HE IS LABELED AN ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST BY MANY.  ALIM SAID 
THAT THE U.S. IS BACKING THE WRONG HORSE (REFERRING TO THE AL 
SAUD), AND THAT AMERICA SHOULD BE SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE. 
DURING THE MEETING, ALIM AND AN ASSOCIATE OF HIS DESCRIBED 
SAUDI SOCIETY AS "AT A BOILING POINT" WARNING THAT "THE 
TABLES WILL TURN, AND WHEN THEY DO, IT WILL HAPPEN QUICKLY, 
AND THE U.S. WILL BE ON THE WRONG SIDE."  ALIM SAID THAT 
THERE ARE PRESENTLY TWO VERY DANGEROUS TRENDS IN THE COUNTRY; 
1) SAUDIS ARE SKEPTICAL AND QUESTIONING THE MOTIVES AND 
STATEMENTS OF THEIR GOVERNMENT, AND 2) THAT PEOPLE HAVE 
BECOME AMBIVALENT TO WHETHER THE AL SAUD STAYS OR GOES.  ALIM 
CONTENDS THAT PRESSURE FROM THE OUTSIDE IS STARTING TO HAVE 
AN IMPACT ON THE AL SAUD, CITING THE RELEASE OF LEADING 
POLITICAL DISSIDENT SHAYKH SAEED BIN ZA'ER AS AN EXAMPLE (SEE 
REFTEL).  THE TWO MEN ARGUE THAT IT IS NOT TOO LATE FOR THE 
U.S. TO TURN THE TIDE OF ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT IF THE U.S. 
BETS ON THE PEOPLE. 
 
2.  (C) WHILE THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE TWO MEN ARE NOT 
ENTIRELY NEW, THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF HOW OUT OF TOUCH THE AL 
SAUD ARE WITH THEIR PEOPLE AND HOW THE U.S. CAN WIN BACK THE 
HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE ARABS ARE WORTH NOTING.  MORE THAN 
ANYTHING, HOWEVER, THE MEETING HIGHLIGHTED THE DICHOTOMY THAT 
ARISES WHEN DISCUSSING REFORM WITH HEJAZIS.  WHILE SOME ARGUE 
THAT THE U.S. IS INTERFERING TOO MUCH WITH THE SAUDI 
GOVERNMENT BY PRESSURING THEM TO REFORM, OTHERS ARGUE FOR 
GREATER INTERFERENCE, AND STILL OTHERS SOMEHOW ARGUE FOR 
BOTH.  WE GET ONLY SLIPPERY ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT 
THE "GRASSROOTS" WANTS, IS WILLING TO ACCEPT, AND WHO CAN 
MAKE IT HAPPEN.  END SUMMARY AND COMMENT. 
 
 
BET ON THE PEOPLE, LOOSEN YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE AL SAUD 
 
3.  (C) ON APRIL 2, POLOFF MET WITH DR. BASIM ALIM (STRICTLY 
PROTECT), A "SELF-MADE LAWYER," TO DISCUSS HIS RECENTLY 
PUBLISHED LETTER ADDRESSED TO CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH CALLING 
FOR REFORM.  (NOTE: IN DECEMBER, 2002, ALIM WAS CHOSEN TO 
REPRESENT SEVERAL SAUDI CHARITIES IN THE SEPTEMBER 11 LAWSUIT 
AND ADMITS THAT MANY PEOPLE LABEL HIM AS AN ISLAMIC 
FUNDAMENTALIST.  END NOTE.)  THE MEETING WAS ALSO ATTENDED BY 
DR. WALED FATEIHI (STRICTLY PROTECT), A U.S. EDUCATED 
PHYSICIAN AND CLOSE FRIEND OF ALIM.  ALIM, WHILE OPEN TO 
DISCUSSING HIS ARTICLE, TOOK MORE INTEREST IN CONVEYING THE 
MESSAGE THAT THE USG NEEDS TO HALT ITS SUPPORT FOR 
GOVERNMENTS THAT GO AGAINST THE PRINCIPLES OF THE U.S. 
CONSTITUTION.  HE BELIEVES THAT THE U.S. IS ACTING AS AN 
ENABLER TO THESE DESPOTIC REGIMES IN THE REGION, WHICH 
ULTIMATELY BREEDS RESENTMENT FROM THE PEOPLE.  HE CONTENDS 
THAT THE AL SAUD HAVE BECOME TOO DEPENDENT ON THE U.S. AND AS 
A RESULT DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE PEOPLES' BEST INTEREST AT 
HEART.  LIKE MANY, ALIM DOES NOT MIND A LIMITED MONARCHY, 
STATING "THEY CAN HAVE THEIR KING, AND APPOINT A FEW PRINCES, 
BUT THAT'S IT.  THE POWER NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE." 
 
4.  (C) ALIM CONTENDS THAT PRESSURE FROM THE OUTSIDE IS 
STARTING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE AL SAUD, CITING THE RELEASE 
OF LEADING POLITICAL DISSIDENT SHAYKH SAEED BIN ZA'ER AS AN 
EXAMPLE (SEE REFTEL).  ACCORDING TO ALIM, MIRA, (THE SAUDI 
OPPOSITION GROUP IN LONDON), THREATENED TO FILE A LAWSUIT 
AGAINST THE AL SAUD IN BELGIUM (NFI), AND WHEN THE AL SAUD 
FOUND OUT ABOUT IT, THEY RELEASED AL ZA'ER.  ALIM BELIEVES 
THAT REFORM PETITIONS AND LETTERS LIKE HIS WOULD CARRY 
GREATER WEIGHT IF THERE WAS MORE PRESSURE ON THE AL SAUD.  HE 
EVEN WENT AS FAR AS TO SUGGEST THAT THE U.S. CONSIDER PLACING 
SANCTIONS ON THE KINGDOM. 
 
5.  (C) ALIM AND FATEIHI BELIEVE THAT IN ANY SOCIETY, FIVE 
PERCENT OF POPULATION, "THE INTELLIGENTSIA", FORCE THE SYSTEM 
ARGUE THAT THEY CAN DO IT BUT THEY NEED THE U.S. TO "SUPPORT 
THE PEOPLE, AND TO BET ON THE PEOPLE.  WE HAVE OUR OWN BEN 
FRANKLINS AND JOHN HANCOCKS, BUT YOU NEED TO GIVE US A CHANCE." 
FATEIHI URGED A REGIONAL CHANGE STATING THAT "IF THE U.S. DOES 
NOT LOOK TO FORCE OTHER REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS TO CHANGE LIKE THE 
U.S. IS DOING IN IRAQ, IT WILL HAVE ALL BEEN FOR NOTHING." 
 
6.  (C) BOTH MEN, WHO HAVE SPENT DECADES IN THE STATES AS 
STUDENTS AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, ARE SADDENED BY THE 
ANTI-U.S. SENTIMENT THAT HAS ONLY GROWN OVER THE YEARS IN THE 
ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLD.  "I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD GET TO 
THIS.  BUT IT IS NOT TOO LATE.  ARABS ARE VERY EMOTIONAL 
PEOPLE, AND IF YOU TAKE A STAND AGAINST THESE DESPOTIC 
GOVERNMENTS, THE PEOPLE WILL BE WITH YOU."  POLOFF, CITING 
THE INTERNAL RELIGIOUS AND TRADITIONAL STRIFE IN THE COUNTRY, 
ASKED IF THEY FELT CONFIDENT THAT THEY KNEW WHAT THE 
GRASSROOTS LEVEL WANTED, AND WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO GET "THE 
REST TO FOLLOW."  WITHOUT PROVIDING DETAILS, THEY SAID THAT 
THEY KNEW WHAT THE GRASSROOTS WANTED AND KNEW WHAT THE 
ALLOWABLE PARAMETERS OF CHANGE WERE IN THE KINGDOM. 
 
 
EQUALITY AND DIGNITY. . . ALL ELEMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTION 
 
7.  (C) RECALLING THEIR ADMIRATION FOR THE U.S. CONSTITUTION, 
ALIM AND FATEIHI ARGUED THAT WHAT SAUDIS REALLY WANT IS 
EQUALITY.  THEY WANT TO BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO SUCCEED AND WANT 
THEIR DIGNITY BACK.  ALIM SAID THAT "THE AL SAUD HAVE 
SQUEEZED OUT THE LITTLE PEOPLE AND HAVE THEIR TENTACLES IN 
EVERYTHING.  UNDER EVERY STONE IS A PRINCE, AND THEY ARE OUT 
OF TOUCH WITH THEIR PEOPLE."  ALIM SAID THAT THERE ARE 
PRESENTLY TWO VERY DANGEROUS TRENDS IN THE COUNTRY; 1) SAUDIS 
ARE SKEPTICAL AND QUESTIONING THE MOTIVES AND STATEMENTS OF 
THEIR GOVERNMENT, AND 2) THAT PEOPLE HAVE BECOME AMBIVALENT 
TO WHETHER THE AL SAUD STAYS OR GOES. 
 
8.  (C) ALIM CRITICIZED A RECENT STATEMENT GIVEN BY PRINCE 
SULTAN WHOM HE REPORTED AS SAYING, "EVEN SOMEONE FROM JIZAN 
CAN COME SEE ME."  ALIM FOUND THIS STATEMENT TO BE HIGHLY 
INSULTING, PARTICULARLY TO THE JIZANIS, BECAUSE IT INSINUATED 
THAT THEY ARE THE LOWEST OF THE LOW IN THE KINGDOM BUT STILL 
CAN CONSIDER THEMSELVES PRIVILEGED ENOUGH TO MEET A POWERFUL 
PRINCE.  THEY WERE ALSO CRITICAL OF SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER 
SAUD AL-FAISAL DURING A RECENT PRESS BRIEFING.  APPARENTLY, A 
FEMALE SAUDI JOURNALIST ASKED THE FOREIGN MINISTER IF HE HAD 
SEEN THE DEPARTMENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT.  ACCORDING TO THE 
TWO MEN, HE COMPLETELY DISMISSED HER AND JUST REPLIED QUITE 
TERSELY, "NO."  THEY RESENT THAT SAUD AL-FAISAL WOULD BE SO 
SHORT WITH A SAUDI CITIZEN, AND INTERPRET IT AS AN 
INSINUATION FROM THE FM THAT SAUDIS SHOULD NOT BE CONCERNED 
WITH HUMAN RIGHTS.  ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THE QUESTION HAD 
COME FROM A WESTERN REPORTER, SAUD AL-FAISAL'S RESPONSE WOULD 
HAVE BEEN HANDLED MUCH DIFFERENTLY, ACCORDING TO FATEIHI. 
(COMMENT:  POLOFF HAS RECENTLY HEARD CRITICISM REGARDING SAUD 
AL-FAISAL'S PRESS CONFERENCES.  LOCAL JOURNALISTS PERCEIVE 
THAT THE FOREIGN MINISTER INCREASINGLY CATERS TO THE FOREIGN 
MEDIA AND TELLS THEM THAT THE SAG IS INTERESTED IN REFORM AND 
HUMAN RIGHTS, BUT DOES NOT TAKE THE SAME INTEREST IN 
DISCUSSING THESE ISSUES WITH LOCAL REPORTERS, AND SOMETIMES 
DELIVERS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MESSAGE ALL TOGETHER.  END 
COMMENT.) 
 
ALIM'S IDEAS FOR REFORM 
 
9.  (U) HERE ARE VERBATIM EXCERPTS OF DR. ALIM'S LETTER TO 
THE CROWN PRINCE THAT APPEARED IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY, 
ARAB NEWS ON MARCH 23, 2003.  (NOTE: THE ARTICLE ORIGINALLY 
RAN IN THE ARABIC DAILY, AL MADINA. END NOTE.) 
 
BEGIN TEXT 
 
YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS, 
AN UNJUST WAR HAS BEGUN AND THE KINGDOM MUST MOVE FROM A 
STATE OF INACTION TO ONE OF POSITIVE CONFRONTATION AGAINST 
ANY AGGRESSOR WHO VIOLATES THE SOVEREIGNTY AND SANCTITY OF 
COUNTRIES AND MURDERS OUR BRETHREN WHEREVER THEY ARE.  ON THE 
INTERNAL FRONT, WE HOPE TO SEE EACH INDIVIDUAL FASHIONED TO 
BECOME PART AND PARCEL OF HIS NATION, AWARE OF HIS 
SERVED BY HAILING AND PRAISING BUT FOUND IN THE HEARTS OF THE 
FAITHFUL AND THE SINCERE WORKING TO DELIVER THEIR COUNTRY AND 
NATION FROM ALL THREATS.  YOUR HIGHNESS, EVERY CITIZEN IS 
WILLING TO OFFER ALL THEY POSSESS, INCLUDING THEIR LIVES, IF 
THE CONVICTION IS CREATED INSIDE THEM THAT SINCERITY PREVAILS 
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.  EVERY INDIVIDUAL MUST SENSE THIS 
EQUALITY AS REALITY, WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION AND FAVORITISM 
FOR ANYONE, NO MATTER WHO THEY MIGHT BE.  IT IS TIME TO 
ENERGIZE AND ACTIVATE OUR CIVIL INSTITUTIONS SO THEY MAY PLAY 
A MORE SUPPORTIVE ROLE IN SERVING THE NATION'S INTERESTS AND 
STIMULATING LEADERSHIP POLICIES.  THE CALL FOR INCORPORATING 
FREEDOM OF CHOICE, ACCOUNTABILITY, FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, 
INTELLECTUAL PLURALISM AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO PLAY 
A MORE ACTIVE ROLE, ALL THIS COMES WITHIN OUR RELIGIOUS 
TEACHINGS. 
 
10.  (U) YOUR HIGHNESS, OUR YOUTH NEED TO BE DIRECTED BY 
PLANTING IN THEM THE NOBLE CHARACTERS THAT THE PROPHET 
MUHAMMAD PEACE BE UPON HIM, SET FOR THE NATION'S YOUTH.  THIS 
CAN BE DONE NOT ONLY THROUGH MILITARY SERVICE BUT THOUGH 
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT IN COMMUNITY SERVICE.  I APPEAL TO YOUR 
HIGHNESS TO OPEN THE WAY FOR AN EXTENSIVE POPULAR EFFORT ON 
ALL FRONTS IN SUPPORT OF OUR NATION SO THAT IT WILL BE ABLE 
TO REPULSE THE RISKS DESCENDING ON IT FROM ALL SIDES.  WE 
HOPE YOU WILL REWARD THE HAND THAT IS BEING STRETCHED OUT IN 
UNITY SO THAT WE CAN STAND TOGETHER IN THE FACE OF DANGER. 
END TEXT. 
 
11.  (U) BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.  ALIM IS MARRIED AND HAS 
CHILDREN.  HE RECEIVED HIS LAW DEGREE FROM HARVARD AND HIS 
PH.D. FROM AMERICAN UNIVERSITY.  HE IS VERY PROUD OF THE FACT 
THAT HE STARTED HIS OWN LAW PRACTICE AND HAS HIS FIRST CHECK 
FRAMED ON THE WALL IN HIS OFFICE. 
 
 
RICHE