Reply #45: March 3, 1996 Sudan offer; March 16, 1996, HW visits Saudi

[pat_k]

March 3, 1996
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Sudan (under pressure of international sanctions) offers to extradite Osama bin Laden and to Saudi Arabia. Despite pressure from Clinton administration, Saudi Arabia refused. After failing to get Saudi Arabia to take him, Sudan expels him to Afganistan in May 1996.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A61251-2001Oct2?language=printer

March 16th, 1996
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H.W. Bush is in Saudi, recieved at the Al-Salama Palace in Riyadh, being given the King Abdul Aziz Medal.

http://www.saudiembassy.net/1996News/News/UsrDetail.asp?cIndex=4246

What was H.W. doing there?

Why would a visit from a former President at such a critical time in the "back channel" negotiations fail to be noted in any report of these events?

Unless parties to the events talk, it will never be proven, but I have No Doubt he was there use his influence with the Saudi's to make sure they refused to take bin Laden.

Motive? At best, to deny the Clinton administration a "win" -- at worse. . .