# can the American presence in Saudi be compared to moving the NATO head qarter to Vati **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 30, 2002, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-american-presence-in-saudi-be-compared-to-moving-the-nato-head-qarter-to-vati/145760 "2002-12-30T22:25:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Naxox\_dec.2002](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/13edae/32.png) [@Naxox\_dec.2002](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Naxox_dec.2002)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-american-presence-in-saudi-be-compared-to-moving-the-nato-head-qarter-to-vati/145760/1 "2002-12-30T22:25:55Z")
can the American presence in Saudi be compared to something like moving the NATO head qarter to the Vatikan ? The reason for me to ask this question is that Saudi Arabia is viewed as a holy country to most muslims - and that the American presence there was the thing that turned Bin Laden into a terrorist. I know there are several differences between the Vatikan and Saudi, but the Vatikan is also seen upon as a holy place for many christians and Europeans - and let’s not forget: the pope lives there. what do you think ? ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-american-presence-in-saudi-be-compared-to-moving-the-nato-head-qarter-to-vati/145760/2 "2002-12-30T22:41:01Z")
That’s actually a pretty decent question… Does Osama bin Laden &c consider _the whole_ of Saudi Arabia to be holy land? What about other, less radical Muslim groups? I was always under the impression that Osama didn’t want American troops in Saudi because they represented a _threat_ to Saudi’s two holy cities, Mecca and Medina. In that case it would be more like someone being ticked at NATO for having troops stationed in Genoa and therefore threatening the Vatican. ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-american-presence-in-saudi-be-compared-to-moving-the-nato-head-qarter-to-vati/145760/3 "2002-12-30T22:42:58Z")
Isn’t the Head Garter formal name of the Queen’s butler? Sua ---
**Author:** ![Naxox\_dec.2002](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/13edae/32.png) [@Naxox\_dec.2002](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Naxox_dec.2002)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-american-presence-in-saudi-be-compared-to-moving-the-nato-head-qarter-to-vati/145760/4 "2002-12-30T22:44:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sofa King \* > \*\*That’s actually a pretty decent question… Does Osama bin Laden &c consider _the whole_ of Saudi Arabia to be holy land? What about other, less radical Muslim groups? > > I was always under the impression that Osama didn’t want American troops in Saudi because they represented a _threat_ to Saudi’s two holy cities, Mecca and Medina. In that case it would be more like someone being ticked at NATO for having troops stationed in Genoa and therefore threatening the Vatican. \*\* I heard the he offered the Saudi king 10.000 veterans from Afghanistan in 1990 to help them get Iraq out of Kuwait ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-american-presence-in-saudi-be-compared-to-moving-the-nato-head-qarter-to-vati/145760/5 "2002-12-31T00:38:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SuaSponte \* > \*\*Isn’t the Head Garter formal name of the Queen’s butler? > > Sua \*\* 😕 😕 😕 😕 😕 😕 😕 😕 😕 😕 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-american-presence-in-saudi-be-compared-to-moving-the-nato-head-qarter-to-vati/145760/6 "2002-12-31T00:43:25Z")
I believe the parallel would be more in line with NATO moving its HQ to Genoa then The Vatican. (I know, technically The Vatican is its own state, but come on, its not even a city, really…) Its not like Centcom HQ is in Mecca or Medina. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-american-presence-in-saudi-be-compared-to-moving-the-nato-head-qarter-to-vati/145760/7 "2002-12-31T18:26:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SuaSponte \* > \*\*Isn’t the Head Garter formal name of the Queen’s butler? > > Sua \*\* Actually the Head Garter is the [Queen herself](http://www.kwtelecom.com/chivalry/britords.html)