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The Guardian reports Four dead in attack on US embassy vehicle in Lebanon. “At least four people were killed and 16 wounded in an attack on a US embassy vehicle in Lebanon today… A US embassy spokeswoman, Cherie Lenzen, said: ‘We haven’t ruled out that a US embassy car was targeted; we have no information at this point.'” But, don’t let those cautious words dissuade The New York Times which reports Bomb targets U.S. car in Beirut. “A bomb evidently meant to destroy an American Embassy car exploded as the vehicle passed by Tuesday, narrowly missing the car but wounding its local Lebanese driver and a fellow passenger and killing at least three civilians traveling in the car behind… no American diplomats or American citizens were in the car. Beirut has suffered a string of recent car bomb attacks, but most have been targeted at local politicians, and attacks on foreigners are rare.”
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The New York Times reports Bush prods Saudi Arabia on high oil prices. Bush “urged the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to take into account the cost high oil prices were having on the American economy, gingerly touching on an issue that has begun to dominate the presidential election campaign… The response has been muted… Mr. Bush last met King Abdullah in Crawford, Tex., in April 2005, before he assumed the Saudi throne. At the time, concern about rising oil prices prompted the Bush administration to prod Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s largest producer, to raise production to ease prices. At the time, oil was selling for $54 a barrel. It is now hovering at $94 a barrel.”
But that’s not all, the Washington Post reports Bush’s first Saudi visit coincides with arms deal announcement. “Bush came bearing a big gift: His administration formally notified Congress on Monday that it plans to seek approval for the sale to Saudi Arabia of $120 million in precision-guided bombs as part of an overall arms package worth roughly $20 billion.” From the Saudi’s point of view, Bush obviously deserves the medal. From this American’s point of view, that medal sure looks a lot like 30 pieces of silver.
Four at Four continues below the fold…