[Sam Hill]

"The US government and its foreign policy and intelligence communities are riddled not so much by neocons as with vast numbers of Arabists and Saudi sympathizers and hirelings. Saudi cash has bought them a great many friends in the US. We know that Joe Wilson and his institute receive substantial funding from the Saudis. Is there more of a Saudi connection than that? And is the sum of all such connections essential to explaining what Wilson and Plame have been up to?"

Great post. And great questions.

If Wilson were a Republican and had done what he has done to a Democrat President, we would never hear the end of how he is on the Saudi payroll. It would be on the front page of the NYT above the fold for the next five years.

[Enchante]

"If Wilson were a Republican and had done what he has done to a Democrat President, we would never hear the end of how he is on the Saudi payroll. It would be on the front page of the NYT above the fold for the next five years.

Yes, that's one of the most appalling aspects of this case - Saudi cash has been flowing to Wilson. Wilson has very close financial and business ties with both Saudi Arabia and Turkey..... not to mention doing his consulting/business strategy business in former French colonies where French gov't, intelligence, and business interests are still pervasive.... it's clear that in this whole affair he has served the interests of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and France. Of course, the dim-bulbs would say it's all in the US interest because they want us to have the foreign policy of France, but they are so WRONG.

[Cautor]

"The US government and its foreign policy and intelligence communities are riddled not so much by neocons as with vast numbers of Arabists and Saudi sympathizers and hirelings."

I couldn't agree with you more. I'm afraid even Bush senior has more Saudi/middle east contacts that I care for. I think he's a good man, but he is an old school types who is out to make a buck. Thanks for your thoughts.