Saudi Arabia - Friend or Foe?

 

 

 

"In life, it is important to know that your friends have your back - not stab you in the back..."

I don't think I am the only American who was bothered after the 9/11 attacks by the nationalities of the hijackers. 15 of the 19 were citizens of Saudi Arabia. We all know who the Saudis are, right? Our friends, one of our closest allies in the region. Right? Maybe not. And now it has been disclosed that retired Senator Graham (D-FL) is looking into an old allegation the Saudi government had a hand in the attacks. Not just 15 of their citizens, but the government itself.

When I first heard this on the news a few days ago, I thought it was a delayed April Fool's joke. We have had a good relationship with the royalty in Saudi Arabia since John Paul Getty went over there to help set up their oil business. We have known for years the dominant minority religion in Saudi Arabia is Wahhabi - ultra orthodox Islam. Many think Saudi Arabia is the current home for Wahhabi. Some believe that Wahhabi was the cornerstone faith of the hijackers.

Back to Senator Graham. Love him or hate him, the Senator does have some "street cred". While in the Senate, he was a chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee during and after the 9/11 attacks. He spent 18 years in the Senate and people who know the Senator describe him as cautious and not easily cowed nor misled. He along with some others, believe there are still many pages of damning evidence the FBI has in the past, and continues to withhold.

Trust me - I am not a big conspiracy theorist. I have never bought into the "truther" theory. The theory the US Government was behind the attacks. For me, that is simply a bridge too far. But Saudi involvement? That is almost as hard to believe.

But what if it is true? What possibly could have been their motive? And if we prove it is true, what do we do? Go to war with the Saudis? Destroy their Kingdom Tower to pay them back? Nuke Mecca? It is all bad. If Senator Graham is on to something, and there is a modicum of truth to this allegation, it will result in one the biggest and hottest messes this country has been in.

This story might just be a tasty morsel which will soon be gone, or it might grow legs. It is good to keep it on our radar until we find out. The last thing any of us need right now is for the cauldron in the Middle East to get any hotter.