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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    President Obama Arrives in the Middle East

    As President Obama arrived in Saudi Arabia today, Al-Jazeera aired what purports to be a threatening new audiotape from Osama bin Laden. But King Abdullah met Air Force One in searing heat at the airport and the two exchanged kisses on both cheeks. The President is on his way to Cairo for tomorrow's speech to the Muslim world.

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    As President Obama arrived in Saudi Arabia today, Al-Jazeera aired what purports to be a threatening new audiotape from Osama bin Laden. But King Abdullah met Air Force One in searing heat at the airport and the two exchanged kisses on both cheeks. The President is on his way to Cairo for tomorrow's speech to the Muslim world. He met with King Abdulla to "seek his majesty's counsel." Saudi Arabia is a major player in both the religion and politics of a troubled region, and it's key to stabilizing the price of oil. We hear about common interests and differences on Iraq, the Taliban, Iran's nuclear program and peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    President Obama Arrives in the Middle East
    1. 0:00British Government Scandals on the Eve of an Election
    2. 7:13President Obama Arrives in the Middle EastYou’re reading this
    3. 42:55Understanding Tiananmen Square 20 Years Later
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

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      Andrea Brody

      Senior Producer, KCRW's Life Examined and To the Point podcast

    • Sonya Geis with wavy brown hair wearing a black dress with red accents and decorative earrings against a white background.

      Sonya Geis

      Senior Managing Editor

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      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

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      Scott Wilson

      Washington Post senior national correspondent focusing on California and the West

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      Khaled Al-Maeena

      Editor-in-Chief, Arab News

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      Walid Phares

      Director of the Future of Terrorism Project, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies'

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    President Obama Arrives in the Middle East
    1. 0:00British Government Scandals on the Eve of an Election
    2. 7:13President Obama Arrives in the Middle EastYou’re reading this
    3. 42:55Understanding Tiananmen Square 20 Years Later
    Back to To the Point