A Feeble Attempt
We have noted on several occasions the success that the government of Saudi Arabia has had in fighting al Qaeda and killing its leaders in that country. I think that's the context of today's unsuccessful attack on the Saudis' biggest oil processing facility.
What seems noteworthy is how hopeless the attack was. It involved two vehicles loaded with explosives and driven by would-be suicide bombers:
Two cars tried to drive through the gates of the outer fence of the heavily secured, sprawling facility, which has three rows of security fences, Interior Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Mansour al-Turki told The Associated Press.Guards opened fire on the cars, and both vehicles exploded, al-Turki said. He said two guards were critically wounded.
It's hard to see how the attackers could have expected the cars to get through one layer of security, let alone three. Which suggests that, assuming al Qaeda was behind the attack, they are desperate to show some sign of life in Saudi Arabia, even at the expense of inevitable failure.
