WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The CIA has completed a classified report that warns of
instablity in Saudi Arabia.U.S. government sources said the report is the first in about five years
and reflects the state of the kingdom in the wake of the Sept. 11 suicide
attacks on New York and Washington. The sources said the Bush administration
has distributed the report to the State Department and other agencies,
including Congress. The report is not intended for public release.The 25-page National Intelligence Estimate by the CIA's Directorate of
Intelligence does not break new ground on the Saudis, the sources said. But
they said the report reviews the internal and external threats against the
kingdom as well as the future of Riyad's ties with Washington.A key concern raised in the report is the issue of Saudi succession. The
sources quoted the report as saying that the regime does not appear to have
resolved who will replace the ailing King Fahd. The senior members of the
royal family range from ages 75 to 80.
NOTE: The above is not the full item.
This service contains only a small portion of the information produced daily by Middle East Newsline. For a subscription to the full service, please contact Middle East Newsline at: editor@menewsline.com for further details.