We feel your pain

More apologia from the poor, insulted Saudis. Seems we Yanks just don't understand these noble desert dwellers. Today's story in the New York Times (front page of the print edition, above the fold no less). The immediate issue is a series of cash gifts from one of many princesses. This particular princess appears to be worthy of the HRH title, as such a title might be used in a real nation with real royalty, and waxes indignant at the mere thought that Saudi money, which comes mostly from thee and me to buy oil, might, just might, have found its way into the hands of the 15 Saudis who were hijackers.

Shocked, I tell ya, I'm just shocked, that Saudi money would wind up in the hands of malefactors. Whether this particular set of gifts, over a two year period, found its way into the hands of the evil ones, may never be satisfactorily proven. But what has been demonstrated, beyond a reasonable doubt, is that there is a pattern of Islamic, Saudi-funded charities, that provide significant funds to all sorts of terrorist outfits. These include the ever-popular choice al qaeda, as well as those fun-lovin' hamas buttholes.

The concerns of the Saudi ambassador, prince Bandar, along with princess Haifa (named after an Israeli city, I see) were dutifully related by the ever-concerned Times:

Both Prince Bandar and Princess Haifa said they were concerned that the clash of civilizations that President Bush and other leaders had sought to prevent since Sept. 11 was beginning to take hold in both countries.

"Of course I am worried," he said. "When we start bad-mouthing other people's religion, common sense goes out the window."

Well, I don't know about "bad-mouthing other people's religion." In the Saudi sandbox, there's only one religion allowed, and those who openly practice another are subject to arrest, expulsion, and even execution (if you are a Saudi citizen who professes Christ as Lord, you're dead meat). Princy is right; we "bad-mouth" Islam; they're more serious, and simply forbid and suppress all non-approved religions.

Again, if these desert rats had only sand and not oil and gas, does anyone think we'd do anything except send them care packages? Didn't think so. In conclusion, it's always wise to recall the seminal article by Victor Davis Hanson that appeared in the July/August 2002 issue of Commentary. Here's the abstract:

It is time for Washington to recognize its despotic, oil-rich "ally" for what it is, and act accordingly. Hanson discusses the rampant corruption in the Saudi royal family, its authoritarian governing philosophy, Saudi Arabia's support for terrorism, its interference in US domestic affairs and the need for the US to revamp its foreign policy to encourage democratic reform in Saudi Arabia.