For Bush to say that Islam is a peaceful religion is insipid. Bush claims his own war policies are peaceful, he calls Sharon a man of peace. Religions have been used for peace and war, for liberation and oppression. While we have some supporters of Bush claiming that Christianity is superior to Islam because it is more peaceful, these same individuals advocate massive aggression. Bush claims that Jesus is his great influence even as he militarizes the United States on an unprecedented global scale. This is precisely the type of hypocrisy which Jesus derided.
-Sam Husseini, Institute for Public Accuracy ------------------ Between the Lines Q&A: A weekly column featuring progressive viewpoints on national and international issues under-reported in mainstream media U.S.-Saudi Relationship Ignores the Oil-Rich Kingdom's Repression and Human Rights Violations Interview with As'ad AbuKhalil, author of forthcoming book, "The House of Bush and the House of Saud," conducted by Scott Harris Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, where 15 of the 19 men who hijacked three U.S. planes were citizens of Saudi Arabia, the oil-rich kingdom has come under close scrutiny. The fact that Al Qaeda terror network mastermind Osama bin Laden is a member of one of Saudi Arabia's most prominent families has also contributed to new inquiries into Saudi terror connections. But because of the strategic importance of Saudi Arabia, which possesses the single largest reserves of oil in the world, successive American presidents have been hesitant to criticize the Saudi monarchy, its government's repressive policies and its officially sanctioned religious intolerance. In the post-9/11 period, the Bush family's positive personal and business relationship with members of the Royal Saudi family has added additional conflicts of interest in formulating U.S. policies to effectively confront the roots of terrorism. Recent unconfirmed reports alleging that the U.S. Saudi ambassador's wife had funneled money to 9/11 hijackers underscores the strains now apparent in this once strong relationship. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with As'ad AbuKhalil, associate political science professor at California State University and author of the forthcoming book, "The House of Bush and the House of Saud." Professor AbuKhalil explains why he feels the U.S. must dramatically transform its relationship with the Saudis if our nation is serious about applying one standard in challenging oppression and supporting human rights. As'ad AbuKhalil: There has always been a very close association between the government, the elite of the United States and the elite of Saudi Arabia -- a certain kinship between the royal family and the so-called "royal" families of the United States who have ruled over. One of the things I point out is that there are so many paradoxes about this relationship. They tell us that they are based on shared values and one wonders what these are -- unless they are speaking about religious intolerance, misogyny, extremism and sexism that prevails in much of Saudi Arabia. The president of the United States, despite the negative press of Saudi Arabia in this country, assured the crown prince in a phone interview that there is a permanent eternal friendship between the two nations. While there is now sudden attention to the record of the royal family in funding, financing and supporting some elements of fundamentalist, extremist Islam, the United States has a similar joint effort in that regard. For much of the recent history of the Cold War, the United States, through the CIA and the Defense Department worked hand in hand with the royal family to support, sponsor and arm extremist, fundamentalist Islam all in the hope of undermining the powers of secularism and socialism in the Middle East. In many ways, you cannot open the files of the responsibility of Saudi Arabia in the support for the Islamic extremism from which emerged Osama bin Laden, without paying some attention to the same record by the U.S. government. Between The Lines: Why has the Bush administration gone out of its way to placate the Saudi royal family? There are many obvious answers to that question, including the word "petroleum." As'ad AbuKhalil: Well, it's not only about oil, however. Oil is a big factor. But not only this government, Bush, as well as Clinton, as well as Bush before him, as well as Reagan, Carter, everybody -- they have had an extremely deferential, respectful relationship with the royal family because they are basically obedient clients of the United States. They do what they are told, and most importantly, they provide the United States with cheap oil and they play an extremely pro-American role within the OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) and for that, they are rewarded with the kind of praise and deferential treatment that they receive. Between The Lines: What should American citizens be concerned about in terms of the relationship between the Bush family and the House of Saud? As'ad AbuKhalil: Very good question. In fact, in my forthcoming book on the subject, I warn about the consequences of U.S. foreign policy toward Saudi Arabia. I say that in many cases, Sept. 11 is an outgrowth of this policy of the United States toward that government. The United States has now 10,000 troops in that kingdom to prop up an extremely corrupt, unpopular, despised regime in the region. We suffer in America today because of that policy. The Bush family -- the father, certainly, and the son -- through oil interests have had those close ties to the royal family. The father and many of the people within his administration have been involved with the Carlyle Group which has extremely strong ties to the royal family of Saudi Arabia. The response by America to Saudi Arabia after Sept. 11 is largely technical. We wanted to crack down against financing, we wanted to arrest more people, but not a single word is said about the most troubling aspect of the relationship, which is Saudi Arabia is running one of the most oppressive countries in the world. And you don't hear a word in the press or from the government about sexism, discrimination, and the lack of freedoms in Saudi Arabia. Between The Lines: Now Saudi Arabia has played it down the middle of the road in terms of its position on any future U.S. war undertaken against Iraq and the government of Saddam Hussein. Obviously, there are many considerations for the Saudi royal family -- balancing the maintenance of a long-term relationship with Washington and the fear that they have of angering (the Saudi) population that could overthrow their monarchy. As'ad AbuKhalil: The royal family is concerned. You see, the United States, after Sept. 11, is running according to the principle of what I call "the Hamid Karzai rule," according to which the United States will only tolerate clients who are supportive of U.S. foreign policy 100 percent. Ninety-percent, 95 percent, 99 percent kind of clientage is not going to be tolerated by the United States. This really explains the trouble that now is faced in the relationship between the two countries. Saudi Arabia wants to be loyal to the United States, but they are also worried about their own domestic audiences. You see, there is a kind of bind that the royal family finds itself in. On the one hand, you want to please the United States, but on the other hand, the more you please the United States, the more you displease your people. So, which way do you want to go? And the Saudi family is under pressure by the Americans to go along with America much more closely, to align itself with ! the American war, but they are becoming increasingly unpopular in the kingdom because there is a mounting tide of anti-Americanism in the kingdom itself. It's very fair to say that had the United States government over the years not embraced and endorsed the Saudi corrupt oil family, the fight between bin Laden and the House of Saud would be a fight that would have taken place on Saudi soil. In other words, we would have been spared Sept. 11. As'ad AbuKhalil's book, "The House of Bush and the House of Saud" is soon to be published by Seven Stories Press.
