Monday, January 03, 2011

Saudi king's priorities

"But before he would commit to a mostly Boeing fleet, the king had a request.  “I am instructing you,” he told Mr. Hernandez politely, according to the State Department cable, “to speak to the president and all concerned authorities,” as the king “wanted to have all the technology that his friend, President Bush, had on Air Force One.” Once he had his own high-tech plane, with the world’s most advanced telecommunications and defense equipment — the king told Mr. Hernandez that “ ‘God willing,’ he will make a decision that will ‘please you very much.’ ”"