U.S. Asks Saudi Arabia To Arm Libyan Rebels

In an effort to appear uninvolved, Washington has reportedly requested the Saudis deliver weapons to anti-Gadhafi forces in Benghazi.

News of the highly classified request comes as fighting continues to rage in Libya. A Saudi deal to provide weapons to Libyan rebels would allow the U.S. to aid the rebel cause without directly interfering and relieve pressure on Washington to institute a no-fly zone over Libya, a mission the White House has all but rejected because it would involve bombing anti-aircraft targets on the ground. But Saudi Arabia is also facing unprecedented anti-government demonstrations on its own soil, and acceding to U.S. requests to arm Libyan opposition forces would likely make it politically impossible for Washington to condemn a government crackdown on Saudi protesters, giving the ruling royal family a free hand to quash dissent.