Posted on 09/27/2007 11:37:55 AM PDT by mojito
A new movie called "The Kingdom" shows Saudis fighting terrorism alongside FBI agents. That's certainly what we'd like to see. But like the flick, it's pure fiction.
There's new evidence the Saudis aren't cooperating in our battle to eradicate terrorists or those who bankroll them. Their negligence is shocking even to cynics.
According to the Treasury Department's top anti-terror official, the kingdom has not prosecuted a single person named by the U.S. or the United Nations as a terror financier. Asked by ABC News how many Saudis have been charged with funding terror since 9/11, Treasury Undersecretary Stuart Levey said, "There have not been any." Not one? "No," he asserted.
In a rare public rebuke of our alleged war ally, Levey pointed out that the Saudi government has failed to go after even men like Yasin al-Qadi, a wealthy Saudi businessman whom both the U.S. and U.N. blacklisted as an al-Qaida financier one month after the 9/11 attacks.
Al-Qadi remains free, still a prominent figure in the kingdom. "And he remains designated to the United Nations for his material support to al-Qaida," Levey fumed. "When the evidence is clear that these individuals have funded terrorist organizations and knowingly done so, then that should be prosecuted and treated as real terrorism."
In another example, a top Saudi charity official whom U.S. prosecutors accused of funneling funds to al-Qaida fighters in Chechnya is still at large.
After the Al-Haramain Foundation was shut down as an al-Qaida front, the official left its U.S. branch in Portland, Ore., and returned to Saudi Arabia. He now works for the city of Riyadh.
The Saudis were supposed to create a commission to police such charities. We're still waiting. Meanwhile, Saudi charities continue to pump millions into the global jihad.
U.S. officials say al-Qaida's resurgence is due in part to a renewed flow of money from the kingdom to operations in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Riyadh continues to look the other way as cash is sent from mosques and charities to support jihadists and Sunni insurgents next door in Iraq.
It's official Saudi policy, moreover, to ignore the flow of Saudi fighters joining the jihad in Iraq. Lost in all the saber-rattling over Iran is the inconvenient fact that the majority of suicide bombers in Iraq are from Saudi Arabia.
Administration officials concede Saudi's role in Iraq has grown "counterproductive," one of many euphemisms used to avoid alienating the Saudi royal family.
Under other circumstances, such behavior might be called acts of war. After all, this is the old home of Enemy No. 1, Osama bin Laden, and 15 of the hijackers he ordered to attack us.
It's highly likely that some of the Saudi nationals killing our troops in Iraq may be recycled al-Qaida terrorists.
Last December, we agreed to release into the custody of Saudi authorities 29 Saudi killers from Gitmo. What did they do with them? Jail them? Work them over for information about new terror plots or leads on other terrorists?
No, Saudi police freed all 29 of them.
That now makes 53 Gitmo terrorists we've returned to Saudi Arabia only to watch them go free. Some have rejoined the battlefield after being released.The Saudi government wants the remaining Saudis held at Gitmo returned. No doubt all of them will be set loose too.
Saudi Arabia's promise to crack down on terrorists is as empty as its vow to clean up its hateful textbooks calling for jihad against infidels.
With friends like the Saudis, who needs enemies?
Foe. Oil or no oil, we need to identify who the enemies of free people include. Saudi Arabia harbors and finances more of our tewrrorist enemies than any other country. They make Iran look like cub scouts when it comes to supporting terror groups. Money and influence.
Does the label “Necessary Evil” fit? I think so.
To save on air fare only the heads of the detainees should be returned.
The Saudis, evil and delicious when toasted over an open flame.
The Saudis hate and despise America. But, they will do business.
I vote for “mortal enemy”.
They make Iran look like cub scouts when it comes to supporting terror groups. Money and influence.
So why are we getting ready to sell S/A 20 billion in military equipment? Hope and pray that stuff does not get pointed and shot at us after the sale.
As I have written before, let them throw rocks.
Saudi Arabia: Friend or Foe? Depends. Do you see a loan shark a friend or as a foe? Is a dealer a friend or a foe? Is a bookie your friend or your foe?
From the Saudi point of view, the US is a strategic interest to them. I honestly can’t blame them for conducting their foreign policy to benefit themselves first. I just wish our government did the same.
I’m all for that but the problem is that our political establishment will not stop looking the other way. Think of how long this has been going on. The same thing is going on with China and has been for quite a while albeit under different circumstances.
It won’t end until there is a substantial change in the mind-set of this country and, barring a rather cataclysmic event, I don’t see this happening. I hate to say it, but that’s how I see it.
The only fly in the ointment, so to speak, would be for the occupant of the Oval Office to actually have a spine and spit in the face of “popular” polling and big-media influence and do what’s right for our country (first) and our allies (second) and perhaps the rest of the world would finally get a clue.
Rant mode off. Gotta get to a conference call. Keep fighting the good fight.
Foe. Oil is second to their number one export - terrorism.
However, I'm more worried that we consider Pakistan an ally.
We have a separation of church and state in this country.
Should mosques that receive funding from the Saudi government be denied tax free status? Or does that only refer to our own government’s imposition of a single religious faith?
We’re on a hand-holding relationship with them, apparently.
I vote for foe though.
That would be the queeranus. They lied..... again......
They are only our ally against Iran/decendants of muuuhhHamhead (Pigs be inseminating him).
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