US General Says Syria Action Could Be 'More Substantial Than Thought'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A former US army chief has claimed that Barack Obama is eyeing intervention in Syria that would go beyond a mere deterrent against chemical weapons to damage the military capacity of the Assad regime.

General Jack Keane, a former vice chief of staff of the US Army, told BBC Radio 4 that he had spoken to senior Republican senators who had been briefed by the US president on Monday, and had been assured that Mr Obama planned to do significant damage to the forces of Bashar al-Assad.

The Obama administration has previously said that military strikes would not be aimed at toppling Assad's government nor altering the balance of the conflict. Instead, the White House has suggested, they would be intended to punish Assad for the alleged gas attack in Damascus on Aug 21 and to reinstate Washington's "red line" against the use of chemical weapons.

But Gen. Keane said he understood Mr Obama was planning a more substantial intervention in Syria than had previously been thought, with increased support for the opposition forces, including training from US troops.

He said the plans could involve "much more substance than we were led to believe". » | Hannah Strange, agencies | Tuesday, September 03, 2013

Now the truth is coming out! So it is becoming apparent that Barack Obama is preparing to do Saudi’s bidding. The Saudi king hates Bashar Al-Assad with a vengeance. Doesn’t have the will to get Saudis to fight their own battles; so Americans will be used as mercenaries to fight Saudi’s battles in return for oil and contracts. First it was the Obama bow to the Saudi king. Now this! How disgusting! – © Mark

Saudi King Backs Egypt's Military

AL JAZEERA: King Abdullah calls on Arabs to stand together against "attempts to destabilise" Egypt.

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has called on Arabs to stand together against "attempts to destabilise" Egypt.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its people and government stood and stands by today with its brothers in Egypt against terrorism," he said in a statement read on state TV on Friday, backing Egypt's military leadership.

"I call on the honest men of Egypt and the Arab and Muslim nations ... to stand as one man and with one heart in the face of attempts to destabilise a country that is at the forefront of Arab and Muslim history," he added.

He also said that they were confident that Egypt will recover.

Saudi Arabia was a close ally of former President Hosni Mubarak and has historically had a difficult relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood.

It pledged $5bn in aid to Egypt after Mohamed Morsi of the Brotherhood was ousted from the presidency last month.

Saudi Arabia "has stood and stands with its Egyptian brothers against terrorism, deviance and sedition, and against those who try to interfere in Egypt's internal affairs... and its legitimate rights in deterring those tampering with and misleading" its people, he said. » | Source: Al Jazeera and agencies | Saturday, August 17, 2013

Saudi Crown Prince Nayef, Next In Line to the Throne, Dies
REUTERS.COM: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz al-Saud has died in Geneva, Saudi state television said on Saturday, citing a royal court statement.

Nayef, interior minister since 1975 and thought to be 78, was the heir to Saudi King Abdullah and was appointed crown prince in October after the death of his elder brother and predecessor in the role, Crown Prince Sultan.

State television said the burial would be in Mecca on Sunday.

His death means the 89-year-old King Abdullah must nominate a new heir for the second time in nine months. » | Angus McDowall | RIYADH | Editing by Louise Ireland | Saturday, June 16, 2012

Barack Obama Holds Telephone Call with Saudi King as Syrian Diplomacy Row Intensifies
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: US President Barack Obama spoke to Saudi King Abdullah on Thursday, as regional diplomacy intensifies over Syria's escalating civil war and Iran's nuclear programme.

The White House declined to give details of the conversation, or to say exactly which issues Obama and Abdullah discussed.

"The two leaders reaffirmed the strong and enduring bilateral relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia," said a statement issued by Obama's press secretary Jay Carney.

The two leaders also discussed "a range of issues of mutual interest as part of their ongoing consultations," a White House statement said. » | Source: agencies | Friday, June 15, 2012

Foreign ‘Hands’ Attacking Islam, Region, Says Saudi King
BIKYA MASR: CAIRO: Foreign and “unnamed hands” are targeting Islam, the Islamic world and Arabs in the recent events in the region, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah said.

The king, who was giving a televised address Friday night to a conference of prominent Saudis, did not name any country in particular.

But Saudi officials have used similar terms in recent weeks to suggest a connection with Iran, a Shia country at odds with Sunni Saudi Arabia.

“There were hands that are known to you all … behind what has happened in the Arab world, regrettably targeting Islam and the Arabs,” he said. » | Bikya Masr Staff | Saturday, February 25, 2012

King Abdullah to Undergo Back Operation
ARAB NEWS: RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will undergo a back operation at a hospital in the capital city within a few days, the Royal Court said on Tuesday in an announcement.

"King Abdullah underwent medical tests (recently) after he developed back pain...and the tests showed that the grip around the third vertebrae has been loosened," the court said, adding that doctors have advised to carry out the surgery to repair the vertebrae. » | ARAB NEWS | Tuesday, October 11, 2011

King Abdullah Greets President Obama at the White House (Jun 29, 2010)

Saudi Arabia Shuns Thought of Arab Spring

BBC: Saudi Arabia has not seen the large-scale protests of the kind sweeping many Arab countries - it is a place which, above all, values stability.

There were hundreds of them, migrant workers, from South and East Asia, coming to Saudi Arabia to work for meagre, but tax-free, wages.

And their arrival in Riyadh coincided with my flight, making for a teeming but fairly orderly passport hall.

The queues were not moving much, however, and so one tall, thin Indian man decided to sit on the floor.

Not for long though.

Out of nowhere, one of the guards shoved his way into the line - spraying people left and right - and hauled the man back on to his feet.

Moments later, the same guard kicked the arm of another migrant worker who could not figure out how to operate the biometric scanning machine.

All this had taken place within 20 minutes of me setting foot on Saudi soil.

It was my first impression of the country - and to the extent that the incidents highlight the authoritarian, uncompromising nature of Saudi society, not to mention the appalling manner in which some low-skilled migrant workers are treated, then it has proven fairly accurate.

I have travelled the breadth - if not the length - of this desert kingdom over the past week or so, and the lesson I have learned again and again is that there is a Saudi way of doing things which is quite unique.

'Un-Islamic'

A tribal, hierarchical society defined almost exclusively by its religion tends not to tolerate much dissent - and looks suspiciously at any new behaviours and ideas.

A suggestion last week, for instance, from the education minister that it was maybe time to consider sending boys and girls to mixed-sex primary schools led to one opponent claiming the idea would turn boys into transvestites.

Any notion that Saudis had that the uprising in other Middle Eastern countries might take root here was brushed aside a few weeks ago by an edict from the country's religious leaders that dissent and protest were un-Islamic, and that Saudis should obey their rulers.

We do not challenge our parents in the house, one man told me, and so what makes you think we are going to challenge our government in the streets?

Beside a big stick, a rather large carrot has also been dangled in front of Saudis. » | Michael Buchanan, BBC News, Riyadh | Saturday, May 21, 2011

The Proxy Battle in Bahrain
THE NEW YORK TIMES: CAIRO — King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has demonstrated one lesson learned from the course of pro-democracy uprisings across the Middle East: The world may cheer when autocrats resign, but it picks carefully which autocrats to punish for opening fire on their citizens.

That cynical bit of realpolitik seems to have led the king to send troops last week over the causeway from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain, where they backed up a violent crackdown on unarmed protesters by Bahrain’s own security forces.

The move had immediate consequences for Middle East politics, and for American policy: It transformed Bahrain into the latest proxy battle between Iran and Saudi Arabia for regional dominance. And it called into question which model of stability and governance will prevail in the Middle East, and which Washington will help build: one based on consensus and hopes for democracy, or continued reliance on strongmen who intimidate opponents, sow fear and co-opt reformist forces while protecting American interests like ensuring access to oil and opposing Iran.

For Saudi Arabia, the issue in Bahrain is less whether Bahrain will attain popular rule than whether Iranian and Shiite influence will grow.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have sparred on many fronts since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 — a Shiite Muslim theocracy in Tehran versus a deeply conservative Sunni Muslim monarchy in Riyadh — in a struggle for supremacy in the world’s most oil-rich region. The animosity was evident in Saudi Arabia’s support for Iraq during its war with Iran, and it still shows in Iran’s backing for Hezbollah in Lebanon. » | Michael Slackman | Saturday, March 19, 2011

Saudi King Promises Reform, Offers Residents Cash
VOICE OF AMERICA: Saudi Arabia's king, seeking to keep unrest sweeping the Arab world at bay, promised reforms on Friday and cash incentives to residents.



In a nationally televised speech after midday Muslim prayers, King Abdullah praised his security forces for helping keep the country's stable during recent demonstrations in the kingdom.



When he finished his short speech, news anchors then read a series of royal decrees. They included promises of wage increases, and cash gifts. The government also vowed an anti-corruption drive. » | Friday, March 18, 2011

FT.COM: Saudi king disappoints reformist hopes » | Abeer Allam | Friday, March 18, 2011

Saudi King to Announce Reforms
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: King Abdullah expected to announce government reshuffle and anti-corruption measures in address to the nation.

Saudi Arabia's monarch will announce a government reshuffle, an anti-corruption drive and a promise to increase food subsidies to combat rising prices in an address to the nation, diplomats have said.



King Abdullah's speech - his first address since unrest began sweeping the Arab world - is expected after midday Muslim prayers on Friday, the state news agency reported.



The speech by the ailing 86-year-old monarch comes after several small demonstrations in the oil-rich kingdom. The monarchy could be worried about protests escalating into more intense gatherings.



Saudi diplomats, speaking to the Associated Press news agency on condition of anonymity, said the king plans to replace the ministers of defence, higher education and religious affairs.

The defence minister is ailing, while intellectuals have criticised the minister of higher education for dumping
billions on expensive projects that they said produced few results.



The diplomats said the king would not replace the head of the all-important oil ministry.

Many Saudis have seen little benefit from their country's oil wealth. » | Source: Agencies | Friday, March 18, 2011

Fury at Omani Sultan's Cash for Cambridge
THE INDEPENDENT: Cambridge University is at the centre of a row over ethical funding of universities after accepting a new donation from the Oman government to promote religious understanding. The deal, signed only two weeks ago, is the second substantial donation the university has received from the Sultanate – bringing total funding to the university to well over £4m.

The university has also received £8m from the House of Saud to set up a new centre for Islamic studies.

Last night a newly created students' group, campaigning to promote "clean" funding of universities, called on the university to refuse to accept any more cash from either regime – on the grounds it could be compromised. Continue reading and comment >>> Richard Garner, Education Editor | Wednesday, March 09, 2011

My comment:

The Brits fly around the world like prostitutes, accepting money for this and that from this one and that. Would Sultan Qaboos accept money for Omani universities for the promotion of Christian understanding? Or the Saudi's king, King Abdullah? No, I thought not. So why do we have to accept money for the promotion of the under-standing of Islam? I am looking forward to the day when these things are done in a spirit of reciprocity. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

When Will the Protests Hit Saudi Arabia?
HAARETZ: Group of Saudi intellectuals has already opened a petition on Facebook demanding to turn the kingdom into a constitutional monarchy and create division between the monarchy and the government.

It is quiet in Saudi Arabia - for now. No public square is crowded with thousands of protesters and no youths are busy tearing down pictures of King Abdullah in shopping centers. The slogan "The people want regime change" has been replaced there by the weaker "The people want reform."

Following three months in New York tending to his ailing back, and the tremendous headache that Lebanon caused, does anyone remember at all that Abdullah still has some unresolved problem's at home?

The tumult across the Arab world means Abdullah has fewer friends in power, like Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (who is still hospitalized in Saudi Arabia).

Abdullah wasn't going to wait for the same fate to befall him, and so sent some rays of hope to the youths of his country. No, he does not intend for the time being to allow women to drive cars, let alone be elected to local government; he does not intend to set up a parliament or to cut the royal house off from controlling the country.

Abdullah has done what he has always done best - write fat checks and distribute $36 billion to young Saudis who want to build homes or set up a business. He even tossed a small bone in the direction of the women - they will be allowed to vote in local elections this year, but they still can't run.

The royal checks may not suffice this time, though. A group of Saudi intellectuals has already opened a petition on Facebook in which one of the main demands is to turn the kingdom into a constitutional monarchy and to create a division between the monarchy and the government. >>> Zvi Bar'el | Wednesday, March 09, 2011

America's Secret Plan to Arm Libya's Rebels
THE INDEPENDENT: Obama asks Saudis to airlift weapons into Benghazi

Desperate to avoid US military involvement in Libya in the event of a prolonged struggle between the Gaddafi regime and its opponents, the Americans have asked Saudi Arabia if it can supply weapons to the rebels in Benghazi. The Saudi Kingdom, already facing a "day of rage" from its 10 per cent Shia Muslim community on Friday, with a ban on all demonstrations, has so far failed to respond to Washington's highly classified request, although King Abdullah personally loathes the Libyan leader, who tried to assassinate him just over a year ago.

Washington's request is in line with other US military co-operation with the Saudis. The royal family in Jeddah, which was deeply involved in the Contra scandal during the Reagan administration, gave immediate support to American efforts to arm guerrillas fighting the Soviet army in Afghanistan in 1980 and later – to America's chagrin – also funded and armed the Taliban.

But the Saudis remain the only US Arab ally strategically placed and capable of furnishing weapons to the guerrillas of Libya. Their assistance would allow Washington to disclaim any military involvement in the supply chain – even though the arms would be American and paid for by the Saudis. >>> Robert Fisk, Middle East Correspondent | Monday, March 07, 2011

Saudi Arabia King Accused of Misjudged Bribery in Attempt to Avoid Unrest
THE GUARDIAN: King Abdullah needs to implement political reform, scholars claim, as students plan 'day of rage'

Leading intellectuals in Saudi Arabia have warned that grand financial gestures are no substitute for meaningful political reform, after King Abdullah unveiled a $36bn (£22bn) social welfare package in advance of planned anti-government protests next month.

In a statement released on Thursday, a group of Saudi scholars called on the royal family to learn from recent uprisings in the Gulf and North Africa and to start listening to the voices of the kingdom's disenfranchised young people, some of whom are planning a "day of rage" on 11 March. Several Islamic thinkers, as well as a female academic and a poet, are among those adding their names to the declaration.

"The Saudi regime is learning all the wrong lessons from Egypt and Tunisia," said Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Centre. "The unrest in the region is not fundamentally economic, it's fundamentally about politics. Economics plays a role but what the events of the past few months have shown us is that Arabs are looking for freedom, dignity and democracy – and if the Saudi leadership can't see that, then they're in trouble."

Saudi Arabia's 86-year-old monarch returned home this week from three months in hospital abroad, and immediately announced a vast package of welfare measures including new education and housing subsidies, the creation of 1,200 jobs and a 15% pay rise for all government employees.

But analysts believe the king – who promised far-reaching political reform when he ascended to the throne in 2005, only to make little effort in tackling the political status quo – has misjudged the grievances of his population.

The kingdom remains an absolute monarchy with few outlets for dissent, with public policy-making concentrated almost entirely in the hands of the ruling family. >>> Jack Shenker | Thursday, February 24, 2011

Related >>>

Saudi Arabia King Rolls Out Reforms
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: RIYADH—Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah returned to the kingdom Wednesday after a three-month absence for medical treatment and introduced a number of nonpolitical reforms amid regional uprisings that have toppled regimes in Tunisia and Egypt and infected neighboring Bahrain.

The social and economic overhaul, estimated to cost around 135 billion Saudi riyals ($36 billion), include housing support, funding to offset inflation and guarantee of payment for students overseas, according to a series of royal decrees published on the official Saudi Press Agency, or SPA. They come as political upheaval continues to sweep the Arab world.

"The measures are paying particular attention to housing, unemployment, education and helping the brunt of Saudis who work for the public sector be better protected from cost of living pressures. The unemployment benefits are the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia," said John Sfakianakis, chief economist at Banque Saudi Fransi. "The message from King Abdullah is that he's aware of the challenges facing the economy and steps are taken to address immediate and more medium-term issues." >>> Summer Said | Thursday, February 24, 2011

King Abdullah Back in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's king returns home after months of medical treatment abroad. Video courtesy of Reuters

Saudi King Returns After Long Absence
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: DUBAI--King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia returned to his country Tuesday after a three-month absence for medical treatment, potentially signaling he will play a more active role as the country deliberates its response to the turmoil sweeping across the Arab world.

Although the oil-rich kingdom has escaped the sort of unrest unleashed in Egypt, Libya or Tunisia, there have been signs of domestic discontent over high unemployment, as well as some nervousness that Saudi Arabia's Shiite Muslim minority could be inspired by the protests of their co-religionist neighbors in Bahrain.

During the king's prolonged absence from the kingdom, analysts had voiced worries that the country's other ageing leaders—notably the defense minister Prince Sultan and the interior minister Prince Nayef—could struggle to react with agility to the regional challenges and to any big protests at home.

Since King Abdullah left in November for two operations on a herniated disc, Saudi Arabia has lost a key regional ally with the toppling of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak earlier this month.

Scholars and analysts have said the royal family will be particularly worried by the protests that have shaken Bahrain—the only member of the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council so far to have been affected by the regional unrest. The tiny island kingdom is linked to Saudi Arabia by a 16-mile causeway and has a majority Shiite population who are ruled by a Sunni royal family.

Although Saudi Arabia is mostly Sunni, its own Shia minority mainly live in the oil-rich east of the country adjacent to Bahrain and historically have shared some of their neighbors' anger over religious discrimination and lack of opportunities. Read on and comment >>> Angus McDowall | Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Report: Saudis Warned Obama Not to 'Humiliate' Mubarak
FOX NEWS: Saudi Arabia has threatened to prop up embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak if the Obama administration tries to force a swift change of regime in Egypt, The Times of London reported Thursday.

In a testy personal telephone call on Jan. 29, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah reportedly told President Obama not to humiliate Mubarak and warned that he would step in to bankroll Egypt if the U.S. withdrew its aid program, worth $1.5 billion annually.

America's closest ally in the Gulf made clear that the Egyptian president must be allowed to stay on to oversee the transition towards peaceful democracy and then leave with dignity.

"Mubarak and King Abdullah are not just allies, they are close friends, and the King is not about to see his friend cast aside and humiliated," a senior source in the Saudi capital told The Times.

Two sources confirmed details of the King's call, made four days after the people of Egypt took to the streets.

The revelation of Saudi concerns sheds new light on America's apparent diplomatic paralysis and lays bare the biggest rift between the nations since the oil price shock of 1973.

The tough line from Riyadh is driven by concern that Western governments were too eager to shove aside Mubarak when the uprising began, without proper consideration of what should follow him.

"With Egypt in chaos, the kingdom is Washington's only major ally left in the Arab world and the Saudis want the Americans to remember that," said a source in Riyadh.

The White House declined to comment on the reports Wednesday, saying that the administration did not divulge what other leaders said to Obama. >>> | Thursday, February 10, 2011

This just goes to show how much might the US has lost in recent years. Now, under Obama, other countries are telling the US what to do, not the other way around. And this warning, it must be remembered, comes from a monarch who is himself propped up by the US! There seems to be something wrong with this picture. And isn’t this a clear case of the tail wagging the dog? – © Mark

THE TIMES: Exclusive: Saudis told Obama to back Mubarak: Saudi Arabia has threatened to prop up President Mubarak if the White House tries to force a swift change of regime in Egypt. In a testy personal telephone call on January 29, King Abdullah told President Obama not to humiliate Mr Mubarak and warned that he would step in to bankroll Egypt if the US withdrew its aid programme, worth $1.5 billion annually. America’s closest ally in the Gulf made clear that the Egyptian President must be allowed to stay on to oversee the transition towards peaceful democracy and then leave with dignity. “Mubarak and King Abdullah are not just allies, they are close friends, and the King is not about to see his friend cast aside and humiliated,” a senior source in the Saudi capital told The Times. >>> Hugh Tomlinson, Riyadh | Thursday, February 10, 2011 [£]

THE TIMES: How the anger of an oil-rich king has put Obama back on the wrong side of history >>> Giles Whittell, Washington | Thursday, February 10, 2011 [£]

Saudi-Arabiens König kanzelt Obama am Telefon ab
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Der Einfluss der USA in der Ägypten-Krise ist offenbar kleiner als gedacht: Saudi-Arabiens König Abdullah soll gedroht haben, sich auf die Seite von Mubarak zu schlagen. In dem hitzigen Telefonat mit dem US-Präsidenten verteidigte er seinen "Freund"- und beschert Barack Obama noch mehr Ärger.

Riad/Washington - Die Krise in Ägypten sorgt für diplomatische Verstimmungen zwischen den USA und Saudi-Arabien, einem wichtigen Verbündeten des Westens in der Region. König Abdullah warnte die US-Regierung in einem Telefongespräch davor, einen Umbruch in Ägypten zu forcieren. Am 29. Januar - vier Tage nach Beginn der ersten Massenproteste in Kairo und anderen ägyptischen Städten - griff Saudi-Arabiens Regent zum Hörer und maßregelte US-Präsident Barack Obama. Das berichtete die Londoner "Times" am Donnerstag, sie bezieht sich auf hochrangige Diplomaten in Riad.

Der Tonfall sei "gereizt" gewesen, schreibt die Zeitung. Abdullah drohte, Ägyptens Präsident Husni Mubarak zu unterstützen, sollten sich die USA gegen den umstrittenen Machthaber stellen. Zudem werde er Ägypten finanziell aushelfen, sollten die Amerikaner ernsthaft erwägen, die milliardenschweren Rüstungshilfen an Kairo einzufrieren. Abdullah mahnte Obama der Zeitung zufolge, die USA dürften Mubarak keinesfalls mit offenen Rücktrittsforderungen "demütigen".

"Mubarak und König Abdullah sind nicht nur Verbündete, sondern auch Freunde. Der König wird nicht dabei zuschauen, wie sein Freund weggeschoben und erniedrigt wird", zitierte die "Times" einen Diplomaten. Nach den Unruhen in Ägypten verbliebe den USA derzeit nur noch ein stabiler Partner in der arabischen Welt: Saudi-Arabien. "Und die Saudis werden die USA genau daran erinnern", ergänzte der Diplomat.

Die US-Regierung steckt in der Ägypten-Krise in einem Dilemma: Einerseits unterstützt sie die Forderungen der Demonstranten nach einem längst überfälligen Machtwechsel, andererseits fürchtet Washington, zu viel Druck könnte eine friedliche Lösung erschweren. Wann genau Mubarak abtreten soll, ließ Obama bislang offen. >>> amz/AP | Donnerstag, 10. Februar 2011

King Abdullah Goes Shopping in New York
THE AUSTRALIAN: AFTER two months in Manhattan, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia faced a problem that frequently troubles travellers leaving the Big Apple.

Like many before him, who promise themselves one nice pair of socks in a little brown bag from Bloomingdales and leave with suitcases bulging, the King seemed to have more luggage than he had arrived with.

Reports from JFK airport in New York last week suggest that at least 12 luggage buggies were required to transport his cases onto three aircraft. >>> Will Pavia | The Times | Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Saudi King Leaves New York Hospital After Back Surgery
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The King of Saudi Arabia has left a New York hospital to recover from back surgery.

King Abdullah left the hospital on Tuesday evening "for his New York residence for a period of convalescence and physiotherapy," the Saudi court said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.

Saudi television showed the king, about 86 years old, together with Abdullah al-Rabeeah, the health minister, walking with difficulty and smiling at hospital staff.

There was no mention of when the king would return to Saudi Arabia.

As head of a government led by several princes in their 70s and 80s, many also suffering chronic health problems, Abdullah's travelling to the United States for treatment sparked quiet speculation about the future of the leadership in many Saudi circles.

He flew to New York on November 22 and was operated on two days later at New York Presbyterian Hospital for a debilitating herniated disc complicated by a haematoma that put pressure on his spine. >>> | Wednesday, December 22, 2010