We also have significant strategic security and economic relationships with the Saudis. Are you proposing that no Saudis be allowed into the US to study?
WASHINGTON -- At a Capitol Hill hearing today, U.S. Senator Kit Bond expressed concern to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that Saudi Arabia continues to fund the spread of the hate-filled teachings of extremist Wahhabism within America's borders.
"The Saudi's are exporting anti-American, extremist teachings directly into our country," said Bond, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
.... The time to put a stop to this is now and if the Saudi's don't recognize the danger their actions pose to America, then America must reevaluate our relationship with the kingdom."
http://www.aina.org/news/20050217133223.htm
Freedom House’s Center for Religious Freedom has completed a year-long study of documents collected from more than a dozen Saudi-funded mosques in the United States—and the study confirms what many of us had long suspected: Saudi Publications on Hate Ideology Fill American Mosques. (Hat tip: TexasSecurityMom.)
Among the key findings of the report:
* Various Saudi government publications gathered for this study, most of which are in Arabic, assert that it is a religious obligation for Muslims to hate Christians and Jews and warn against imitating, befriending, or helping them in any way, or taking part in their festivities and celebrations;
* The documents promote contempt for the United States because it is ruled by legislated civil law rather than by totalitarian Wahhabi-style Islamic law. They condemn democracy as un-Islamic;
http://freedomhouse.org/religion/news/bn2005/bn-2005-01-28.htm
As to letting in Saudi students in and our valued strategic relationship with this 'non-state supporter of terrorism'; I know we are trying to be nuanced, but have we seen any progress? Has anybody in the State Department acknowledged the risk of allowing thousands of people from a state that, in the main, hates us and that appropriate measures have been taken? The Federalist Papers clearly allude to the history that Republics fail because of foreign influence.
Great talk. Oh that it were that simple.
Unless we are ready to start driving those little electric fart cars or go back to bicycles we are hopelessly stuck with our Saudi "partners".
Of course their excuse for supporting terrorists is that they are being blackmailed by the terror types in their own kingdom. (one even threatened to key a Rolls) When you have the kind of money they have, a billion here or there is really chump change. And if they have to buy off some radical terror type or war lord it really machts nicht to them.
Meanwhile every school child in Pakistan, iran and half the mid east is learning to hate us and kill the Jew.
Most of this energy security problem can be blamed on our buddies(oh excuse me the loyal opposition) the democrats who won't allow drilling here or there or most anywhere.
Thanks demorats! Thanks pelosi, reid, chuck the schmuck and a host of others who would rather turn mooslim than drill.
As to letting in Saudi students in and our valued strategic relationship with this 'non-state supporter of terrorism'; I know we are trying to be nuanced, but have we seen any progress?
Yes, the Saudis have been killing and rounding up AQ within the country. The Saudi regime is one of the major targets of AQ. They want to take down the Saudi government and have been trying to kill members of the Royal Family. The Saudis have also been working with our intelligence agencies and sharing informtion.
Has anybody in the State Department acknowledged the risk of allowing thousands of people from a state that, in the main, hates us and that appropriate measures have been taken?
There are risks in allowing anyone in, including from countries like the UK. We have terrorist watch lists and other checks before issuing visas. I don't buy your premise that Saudi Arabia, "in the main, hates us." We have 25,000 Americans living and working in the Kingdom. I lived there for five years and just don't share your assessment. We will agree to disagree.
The Federalist Papers clearly allude to the history that Republics fail because of foreign influence.
I think the enemy within is a far greater danger. We live in a global economy. Foreigners own over half of our national debt in the form of T-bills. We import 60% of our oil. We can't wall ourselves off from "foreign influence" whatever that really means.
How many terrorists attacks on US soil have been pulled since 09-11-01?
Why is it the bulk of the fighting, and the vast bulk of the dying, on OUR side of the war is being done by Muslim Iraqis, Pakistanis and Afghanis?