[Ohioan]

The Saudi Royal family have indeed been friends to America. Their theology is not American, but they have heavily invested here for more than the fifty years of which you have written. (Actually, it was my understanding in 1987, that Saudi & Kuwaiti money poured into our stock market after the crash in that year, fueling the impressive "snap-back.") That was one of the reasons why I enthusiastically supported Bush I, in liberating Kuwait.

Most of the behavior that some people have deplored, here, reflects not hostility to America or Americans, but efforts to resist Marxist influenced radicalism in the Near & Middle Easts. On the subject of such, I am reminded of the old saying, I believe attributed to one of the Iroquois Indian nations, "never judge a man until you have walked at least seven miles in his moccasins."

Almost all of our real enemies in the Near & Middle Easts, gained power in over-throwing earlier monarchies, since 1950. (Examples, Egypt under Nasser; Iraq under Sadaam; Iran under Khomeni; Libya, etc..) There are many reasons why given the vast ethnic variations in the region, that an intelligently led monarchy is desirable in the region. For one thing, they have been far less apt to slaughter ethnic & religious minorities--far less.

William Flax

[DoughtyOne]

I agree with your comments there. Thank you.