Background
The US military sent forces to Saudi Arabia in 1990 after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. After the US-led coalition won the 1991 Gulf War, it moved most of its forces from Saudi Arabia to bases elsewhere but several thousand, mostly associated with Operation Southern Watch, remained. Since Saudi Arabia houses the holiest sites in Islam — Mecca (where the prophet Muhammed was born) and Medina (where he is buried) — many Muslims were upset at the U.S. presence. It is believed this is one of, if not the main reason Osama bin Laden called for jihad against the United States. Attacks against American forces and Westerners in the country were few until 1995.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, there was continued world pressure for the Saudi government to crack down on the radical imams preaching anti-American rhetoric in Saudi mosques. These calls grew as it turned out that 17 of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials pledged to make efforts to crack down on these imams,but the news was false.
Read more about this topic: Terrorism In Saudi Arabia
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