Posted on 12/11/2002 2:16:15 PM PST by swarthyguy
A group of Americans, from among the hundreds of thousands who lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, have joined to launch an information service where they can discuss the challenges to the Saudi-US relationship and work to dispel the distortions and misperceptions about the Kingdom rampant since “Sept. 11.”
The effort, launched last month by a group of concerned “old-hands” — mostly retired expatriates now living in the United States, resulted in creation of the “Saudi-American Forum” consisting of a website and e-mail newsletter service. The purpose of the forum, stated on the website, is to serve as “a resource for Americans who value the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia and who want to act in response to erroneous and misleading depictions of the relationship in the media and elsewhere.” Moreover, the forum aims to “be a vehicle for stakeholders in the Saudi-US relationship to contribute their experiences and their ideas and opinions on the issues of the day.”
In the first month of the forum’s operation, hundreds of Americans who learned about the Kingdom first-hand have already signed on as members. They include workers and their families who lived in Saudi Arabia from as early as 1938 and stretch across the panoply of American experiences in the Kingdom in terms of occupations they performed, regions where they lived and deep personal ties they cultivated. Many of the new members contributed essays, letters to editors, remembrances and so forth about their personal relationship with the people of Saudi Arabia and their opinions and comments about the media firestorm that now overshadows the public relationship. They are deeply committed to maintaining the strength of Saudi-American ties and want to share their knowledge about the Kingdom. One editorial contributor to the forum website, William Tracy, who lived and worked in the Kingdom about 18 years between 1945 and 1980, submitted letters he has written to US newspapers addressing the relationship. In one essay he wrote about having met King Abdul Aziz in 1947. Crown Prince Abdullah during his visit to Texas this year, Tracy noted, “While visiting with many of the Saudi and American guests, I was reminded once again of how our two peoples share so many values — values such as generosity and hospitality, devotion and loyalty to family and friends, dedication to justice and to peace, our common quest for faith and spirituality.” Many of the forum members believe insight of this sort is sorely missing from the current dialogue, which they see as dominated by anti-Saudi voices with political agendas to advance. The forum website, located at: www.SaudiAmericanForum.net, includes resources for members who want to contact American media and officials to share their views and provides a venue for them to share those communications with others. The website also includes a sign-up form for others who have lived and worked in Saudi Arabia to become members — to receive the e-mail newsletters.
Other features of the forum include essays provided by specialists on Saudi-US affairs by invitation. The first of these, “Rough Waters: US-Saudi Relations in the 107th Congress” by David Dumke, former legislative director for US Congressman John Dingell, provides insights to Forum members on how little US lawmakers know about the history of Saudi-US relations. Visitors to the forum can use background material like this essay, coupled with their own insight, as they formulate their personal communications and initiatives.
The Saudi-American Forum information service is a new and growing project and it welcomes other Americans who live and work in the Kingdom to join their efforts.
More information can be found on the website at www.SaudiAmericanForum.net or through email to: info@SaudiAmericanForum.net.
Pardon my skepticism but I don't have much faith in the Saudis or those that attempt to fight "Saudi disinformation".
They should take their case to the Hollyweirds...they live in a fantasyland that would appreciate what they have to offer.
Those were the days, when we played the exciting game "Are you Astonished?"
It's too bad I have a conscience, unlike other GOP consultants (like Saudi whores Sandler Innocenzi), otherwise I too could make a fortune peddling Saudi lies to Americans.
300 million already learned "first hand" on 9/11.
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