"Wonder what ticked him off"
For the 60 years prior to 9/11, they were a strong ally. After 9/11, certain people (like Rudy Giuliani) stirred up anti-Saudi sentiments in the US. The political situation in SA is complex, with the ruling party distanced from the people and the Imams. They have an understanding where they are separate and leave each other alone. As a result, the Saud family had no knowledge of the 11 Saudi hijackers, but still got stereotyped as the guilty party in lots of people's eyes. Then we invaded a Sunni muslim country (Iraq) and gave the Shiite's lots of power when SA is predominantly Sunni. The Saud family's hold on power is weak and this threatened it greatly. They are thinking about their own interests.
SA would also be very unhappy if the US pulled out, as Democrats want. They figure expressing this "displeasure" to their domestic audience, however, will not have an impact on US policy at the moment.
But if he refused to attend a state dinner in DC and now he's saying this, it sounds like something ticked him off recently.
"Saudi family had no knowledge?" Prince Salman, who was named by Abu Zubaydah as his chief Saudi contact, retired his top thoroughbred ,Point Given, on Aug. 30,2001 and made sure he was sold to a Kentucky breeding farm before the 9-11 attacks.
The Saudi royal family has been the primary funding source for Wahhabist schools (madrassas) and mosques that have been cranking out terrorists and exporters of terrorism for thirty years.
"After 9/11, certain people (like Rudy Giuliani) stirred up anti-Saudi sentiments in the US."
After September 11, The Saudi Prince, Alwaleed bin Talal, offered New York City Mayor Rudi Giuliani $10 million to assist the victims of the attack. In presenting Giuliani with the check, bin Talal made sure to place the blame for the attacks on U.S. support of Israel. Giuliani did the right thing & returned the money. Guess who asked for the money afterward? Cynthia McKinney.
I would put the blame for anti-Saudi sentiments in the US where it belongs. On the Saudis.