Saudi Arabia -- Friend or Foe?

The last several days have had a recurring theme in the media about Saudi Arabia and its role in either supporting or fighting terrorism, specifically Fascislam. The debate has simmered for a long time, brought on by the fact that 15 out of the 19 Al-Qaeda murders of September 11 were Saudis. But the argument is an unhealthy and unhelpful one -- Saudi Arabia is not a monolithic state, and various factions view America and the West differently.

There is a useful parallel here with Cold War Britain that is instructive if one does not carry the analogy too far. During the worst days of the US-Soviet freeze, the United Kingdom stood with the United States. There were members of the Labour Party on the far left who would have preferred a less aligned position. There were serious differences of opinion (the 1956 Suez Crisis being more than that). And British Intelligence had more than one Soviet spy near the top: Guy Burgess, Kim Philby, Donald MacLean and Anthony Blunt. Yet, Britain was a close ally of the USA.

Saudi Arabia lacks the cultural affinity with America that Britain has, and so some of the factions there are fundamentally opposed to American values. Even within the Saudi royal family, there are factions because the founder of the dynasty, Abdul al Aziz al Saud, had several wives with more than 40 sons (and no primogeniture to settle matters). King Fahd and his full brothers (the so-called "Sudairi Seven") are often seen as the most pro-American; the faction led by Crown Prince Abdallah has historically favored better ties with Syria and Iran. It shouldn't be hard for American Democrats and Republicans to understand political factions. However, there is one thing that is guaranteed: the House of Saud knows that without economic prosperity, it is doomed to suffer an Iranian-style revolution.

Did Saudi security forces help Al-Qaeda in the kidnapping of Paul Johnson, Jr.? It is not impossible. If they did, does that make Saudi Arabia an enemy of the United States? Many of the 9/11 hijackers lived for a time in Hamburg, Germany -- does that make Germany a terrorist state?

Mr. Bush has said that "You're either with us or against us." And to a degree he is correct; there can be no middle ground in the fight against Fascislam. However, it isn't quite as simple as that. If the House of Saud pursues policies that provoke a revolution that results in the country being run by a truly hostile bunch, America will have lost. The example of Spain is significant. The new government got elected because the old one was too pro-Bush (which is not the same as pro-American). In Spain, they use ballots; the Saudis will use bullets. A little patience and understanding for a flawed friend is in order.


© Copyright 2004 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.


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