How is it a pun?
IIRC, it was used in the Lybia thread.
I very much doubt that any one attack by Al-Qaeda will change the Saudi government’s mind about that organization.
“Yeah, the second terrorist attack by an organization sworn to destroy us was a real eye-opener. After the attacks last year we thought they were joking but by gum I think they’re serious.”
Saudi Arabia (or rather, the ruling house) doesn’t have a choice about being at war with Al-Qaeda, as Al-Qaeda is at war with them.
The Saudi statements with respect to the Iraq war are somewhat meaningless- I will readily concede that it is unlikely that Saddam would have stepped down without an invasion. However the Saudi statement is meaningless unless you believe that it was necessary to invade Iraq back in march with no delay. I do not recall frenzied Saudi calls for protection from Iraq since the end of the first gulf war, although I suppose such messages might have gone backchannel. I think it is more likely the Saudi’s are making lemonade and sucking up to the US.
The true test of Saudi commitment to the cause of Iraq will be their willingness to forgive Iraqi debts (and pressure the Kuwaitis to forego reparations). Without those things all of the debt forgiveness by the Europeans promises extracted so easily by Baker last week will founder on the rules of the Club of Paris.
Their statements on the need for