U.S. warns citizens against risks of travel to Saudi Arabia

[webfact]

U.S. warns citizens against risks of travel to Saudi Arabia

 

Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Muhammad bin Salman Al Saud attends the opening ceremony of the G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou, China, September 4, 2016. REUTERS/Nicolas Asfonri/Pool

 

DUBAI (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Tuesday warned citizens to "consider the risks" when travelling to Saudi Arabia due to militant threats and the threat of ballistic missile attacks on civilians by rebels in Yemen.

 

The warning comes two weeks after U.S.-allied Saudi Arabia said it had shot down a ballistic missile fired by Iran-aligned Houthis from Yemen towards the Saudi capital Riyadh. The missile, which the Houthis said was in response to Saudi-led air strikes on civilians in Yemen, was shot down near Riyadh airport without causing any casualties.

 

"Terrorist threats persist throughout Saudi Arabia, including in major cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran, and attacks can occur without warning anywhere in the country," the State Department said in the warning, which was also posted on the U.S. embassy's website.

 

"Terrorist groups, including the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its affiliates have targeted both Saudi and Western government interests, mosques and other religious sites (both Sunni and Shia), and places frequented by U.S. citizens and other Westerners," it added.

 

In October, two Saudi guards were shot dead and three others injured when a gunman drove up to the gate of the royal palace in the Red Sea city of Jeddah and opened fire.

 

Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition of Arab states that intervened in Yemen in 2015 after the Houthis marched on the interim headquarters of the internationally recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in the southern port of Aden, forcing him to flee.

 

(Reporting by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-22

[observer90210]

Despite all the ranting going on around here, Thailand seems to be a better place to hang out !!

[thaibeachlovers]

Will that be a problem for the hospitals that have American staff running them?

[Tchooptip]

U.S. warns citizens against risks of travel to Saudi Arabia

 

Billionaire Saudi Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal would add, the risks in this country are not only for foreign travellers 

[sebastion]

You actually can't travel to Saudi Arabia unless you're Muslim or get special permission.  I enquired about holidaying there and the embassy don't issue tourist visas at all.

So I guess they are warning Saudi/ Americans from visiting their old homeland.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 

[Rancid]

"the threat of ballistic missile attacks on civilians by rebels in Yemen". So its the military threat from evil Yemen, the country being bombed into the stone age and that the Red Cross reports a million people are at threat from a cholera epidemic? OK.

 

According to former US Presidential candidate Ron Paul: "So how can Washington support Saudi Arabia – a tyrannical state with one of the worst human rights record on earth – as it commits by what any measure is a genocide against the Yemeni people? The United States is backing Saudi aggression against Yemen by cooperating in every way with the Saudi military. Targeting, intelligence, weapons sales, and more. The US is a partner in Saudi Arabia’s Yemen crimes."

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, Rancid said:

"the threat of ballistic missile attacks on civilians by rebels in Yemen". So its the military threat from evil Yemen, the country being bombed into the stone age and that the Red Cross reports a million people are at threat from a cholera epidemic? OK.

 

According to former US Presidential candidate Ron Paul: "So how can Washington support Saudi Arabia – a tyrannical state with one of the worst human rights record on earth – as it commits by what any measure is a genocide against the Yemeni people? The United States is backing Saudi aggression against Yemen by cooperating in every way with the Saudi military. Targeting, intelligence, weapons sales, and more. The US is a partner in Saudi Arabia’s Yemen crimes."

You mean Yemen. The country being used as a proxy in the fight between Iran and Saudi Arabia. How about Iran leave Yemen alone? Maybe that alone will calm things down.

 

You are so anti US it gets boring.

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, sebastion said:

You actually can't travel to Saudi Arabia unless you're Muslim or get special permission.  I enquired about holidaying there and the embassy don't issue tourist visas at all.

So I guess they are warning Saudi/ Americans from visiting their old homeland.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 

That may be changing soon. Saudi Arabia seems to be opening up as their economy suffers.

[smccolley]

I worked there on and off for 18 months a few years ago. What a s$%2thole. I actually felt more at risk in a car there than I do here. In that time I was hit once while in a car and once in a crosswalk. It was normal to see more than one major crash in the 15 minute drive to the office. Compare that to Thailand and I have only had two near misses in 12 years.

 

That being said, one missile and one attack on a place you can't get near is pretty minor. I can think of dozens of places in the US that it would be eminently more dangerous to be, depending on your ethnic persuasion.

 

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"Terrorist threats persist throughout Saudi Arabia, including in major cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran, and attacks can occur without warning anywhere in the country,"

But let's not put Saudi Arabia on a travel ban because ... those terrorists haven't figured out traveling to the US to conduct terrorist attacks?

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, sebastion said:

You actually can't travel to Saudi Arabia unless you're Muslim or get special permission.  I enquired about holidaying there and the embassy don't issue tourist visas at all.

So I guess they are warning Saudi/ Americans from visiting their old homeland.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 

LOL. Hundreds if not thousands of Americans work in Saudi.

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

That may be changing soon. Saudi Arabia seems to be opening up as their economy suffers.

No unmarried couples would be allowed to go, no unchaperoned unmarried people of opposite sex walking or talking together even in hotels.

It's going to be a while before it would be safe for westerners to go there.

Having said that, the Jeddah side is reasonably civilised and that's where the best tourist stuff is.

[Srikcir]

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

No unmarried couples would be allowed to go, no unchaperoned unmarried people of opposite sex walking or talking together even in hotels.

Maybe need to update?

Many men of all nationalities both single and married without their spouses living and working in S.A. Unchaperoned S.A. women shopping in malls, driving cars.

 

[Morch]

 

I think it's a bit clearer when reading the actual thing:

 

Travel Warning – Saudi Arabia

https://sa.usembassy.gov/travel-warning-saudi-arabia/

 

Reads like most such warnings. The bits I'd pay more attention to are those addressing U.S. government personnel and their families. The rest is fluff.

[SiSePuede419]

I was just in Qatar this week.  Great art museum of Islamic Art designed by I.M.Pei.  Impressive culture spanning 5 centuries on 3 continents.

 

But that's all past HISTORY.

 

What has the Muslim culture done for the world lately?

 

I'm guessing any contributions have been done under the aegis of Western cultures, at Harvard, MIT, Cal Tech, Oxford.

 

Stuxnet literally DESTROYED the centrifuges in Iran.  Oops. ?

[sebastion]

LOL. Hundreds if not thousands of Americans work in Saudi.

Congrats captain obvious.
I'm talking about tourists, not oil workers and doctors. I never mentioned foreign workers.
Those people working there are well aware of the dangers so the government announcement actually is nothing but scare tactics that effect nobody as the average Joe can't get into the country.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

[Naam]

11 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

That may be changing soon. Saudi Arabia seems to be opening up as their economy suffers.

tourists? no way for years to come!

[observer90210]

Did not get the point, coz when the Donald went over to Saudi Arabia, he was quite satisfied from his trip ?!! ....

[craigt3365]

8 hours ago, Naam said:

tourists? no way for years to come!

Next year! If so, I'll be there soon.

 

Saudi will issue first tourist visas in 2018

http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/22/news/economy/saudi-arabia-tourist-visa/index.html

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, observer90210 said:

he was quite satisfied from his trip ?

Traveling at US government expense in armored vehicles with his personal armed escort (Secret Service), entertainment and meals with royalty, Trump might as well been part of the Saudi Royal household. Who wouldn't be satisfied? But Trump isn't the average American tourist.

[Morch]

12 hours ago, Naam said:

tourists? no way for years to come!

 

I think some sort of limited tourist visas were said to be on the horizon, even though it doesn't apply to the OP. There are one or two huge tourist industry projects in early stages of development. Perhaps what they aim for is a more controlled version of access.

[Mansell]

I was in Yemen in the 1960's it wasn't a fun place then as they were trying to kill us.....but not very successfully. Until the US warship was hit they were pretty ineffectual. 

[boomerangutang]

22 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

LOL. Hundreds if not thousands of Americans work in Saudi.

If you're Jewish, fogedabowdit.

 

[Morch]

7 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

If you're Jewish, fogedabowdit.

 

 

Incorrect.

 

[Naam]

9 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Next year! If so, I'll be there soon.

 

Saudi will issue first tourist visas in 2018

http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/22/news/economy/saudi-arabia-tourist-visa/index.html

i repeat "no way!"

[Naam]

 

3 hours ago, Morch said:

4 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

If you're Jewish, fogedabowdit.

Incorrect.

incorrect only if you are a U.S. politician or affiliated.

[Naam]

4 hours ago, Morch said:

Perhaps what they aim for is a more controlled version of access.

North Korean style! young "Raging Bull" Mohamed bin-Salman can't implement all his ideas.

[craigt3365]

2 minutes ago, Naam said:

i repeat "no way!"

I'm part of a private travel group who focuses on more remote and difficult places to visit. Many are travel agents, writers and some of the top travel bloggers.

 

According to them, it's on for next year. The only questions now are how open will it be. Guides will be required. No independent travel. But it's on. Some are already working on itineraries. I hope to join one once the date and prices are set.

[Naam]

8 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

No independent travel.

we haven't met for quite some time Craig. invite me to an icecold bottle of Singha and i will outline a simple way for your independent travel to S.A.

 

caveat: U.S. Department of Homeland Security is your problem.

[Morch]

2 hours ago, Naam said:

 

incorrect only if you are a U.S. politician or affiliated.

 

Nope.