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Obama heads to Saudi Arabia to pay condolences to family of King Abdullah Obama in Saudi Arabia to pay condolences to family of the late King Abdullah
(about 5 hours later)
NEW DELHI — President Obama heads to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to offer condolences to the family of the late King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and meet with his successor. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Obama arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to lead a high-profile delegation to offer condolences to the family of the late King Abdullah and meet with his successor.
Obama cut short his visit to India, scrapping plans to visit the Taj Mahal on Tuesday, in order to pay his respects to the late Saudi monarch. Obama will fly to Riyadh after a speech on the future of the U.S.-India relationship. Obama cut short his visit to India, scrapping plans to visit the Taj Mahal on Tuesday in order to pay his respects to the late Saudi monarch, underscoring the importance of Washington’s ties with Saudi Arabia.
The president will meet with King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who succeeded Abdullah, who died last week at age 90. The president also plans to meet with King Salman, who succeeded Abdullah after his death last week at age 90.
Obama will be joined by a large U.S. delegation as America pays its respect to the Saudi royal family in its time of grief. The president and King Salman will introduce their delegations at Erga Palace. The two men will then hold a bilateral meeting and have dinner. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who is ending a week-long trip overseas, joined the president in Riyadh. Lawmakers traveling with Kerry included Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who is ending a week-long trip overseas, will join the president in Riyadh. He is flying early Tuesday morning to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where he will meet up with a delegation comprised of a broad swath of the American political and national security establishment. The group coming from Washington includes current and former members of Congress and national security advisers, as well as previous secretaries of state. They will continue to Riyadh together to join Obama. Several officials from previous administrations also were aboard, including two former secretaries of state, James A. Baker III and Condoleezza Rice.
The large and high-level delegation is a demonstration of Saudi Arabia’s importance to Washington. Saudi Arabia is part of the coalition fighting Islamist militants who want to create an Islamic caliphate in Syria and Iraq. A son of King Salman, Prince Khaled bin Salman, is a pilot who was photographed last year in the cockpit of his Tornado jet after conducting air strikes against extremist positions in Syria. King Salman walked up an embroidered red carpet to greet Obama. As the president and first lady walked down the stairs, a band began to play.
Saudi Arabia is part of the coalition fighting Islamist militants who want to create an Islamic caliphate in Syria and Iraq. A son of King Salman, Prince Khaled bin Salman, is a pilot who was photographed last year in the cockpit of his Tornado jet after conducting air strikes against extremist positions in Syria.
Saudi Arabia is grappling with the rise of Islamic extremism and terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the collapse of the government in neighboring Yemen. The Saudis are a crucial part of the international coalition battling the terrorist group that calls itself the Islamic State, and they have sent warplanes to fight the group in Iraq and Syria.Saudi Arabia is grappling with the rise of Islamic extremism and terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the collapse of the government in neighboring Yemen. The Saudis are a crucial part of the international coalition battling the terrorist group that calls itself the Islamic State, and they have sent warplanes to fight the group in Iraq and Syria.
White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said Obama made the decision to go to Riyadh principally “to mark this transition in leadership and to pay respects to the family and to the people of Saudi Arabia.”White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said Obama made the decision to go to Riyadh principally “to mark this transition in leadership and to pay respects to the family and to the people of Saudi Arabia.”
The two leaders will discuss a range of issues, including Yemen, Iran and the campaign against the Islamic State, he said.The two leaders will discuss a range of issues, including Yemen, Iran and the campaign against the Islamic State, he said.
The trip will be “a chance for us to make sure that we’re in good alignment going forward where we have overlapping interests,” he said.The trip will be “a chance for us to make sure that we’re in good alignment going forward where we have overlapping interests,” he said.
Asked whether the president will bring up human rights issues and the case of Raif Badawi, a blogger whose criticism of Saudi religious leaders caused him to be sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes, Rhodes said human rights is a topic that the United States “raise regularly” with the Saudis.Asked whether the president will bring up human rights issues and the case of Raif Badawi, a blogger whose criticism of Saudi religious leaders caused him to be sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes, Rhodes said human rights is a topic that the United States “raise regularly” with the Saudis.
Saudi authorities carried out one round of flogging, but have postponed further lashings, citing health concerns.
“I think it will certainly be the case that human rights will be on the agenda with Saudi Arabia going forward, and we raise these types of individual case with Saudi Arabia on a regular basis,” Rhodes said.“I think it will certainly be the case that human rights will be on the agenda with Saudi Arabia going forward, and we raise these types of individual case with Saudi Arabia on a regular basis,” Rhodes said.
Vice President Biden was originally scheduled to lead the U.S. delegation to Saudi Arabia, but the White House changed the schedule last weekend so Obama could leave India earlier to be in Riyadh.Vice President Biden was originally scheduled to lead the U.S. delegation to Saudi Arabia, but the White House changed the schedule last weekend so Obama could leave India earlier to be in Riyadh.
The White House released the names of members of the U.S. delegation to the funeral on Monday night.
Besides Obama, Kerry and Rhodes, the delegation with include: Joseph W. Westphal, the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Mark R. Warner (D-Va.); Reps. Nancy Pelosi, (D-Calif), Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.), Ami Bera (D-Calif.) and Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.); Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to the president; national security adviser Susan Rice; CIA Director John Brennan; John Podesta, counselor to the president; Jennifer Palmieri, White House director of communications; Lisa Monaco, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism; former secretaries of state James Baker and Condoleezza Rice; former national security advisers Brent Scowcroft, Sandy Berger and Stephen Hadley; Frances Fragos Townsend, former assistant to the president for counterterrorism and homeland security; Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of U.S. Central Command; Brian Deese, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget; White House press secretary Josh Earnest; Anita Breckenridge, deputy chief of staff for operations; Tina Tchen, chief of staff to the first lady; Chase Cushman, director of scheduling; Peter A. Selfridge, chief of protocol; and Melissa Winter, deputy chief of staff to the first lady.