Well, Doug, you certainly have. The principal goal of all that Saudi money was what? It was to convince the American government to: 1. Make solving the Israeli/Palestinian problem the focus of American efforts in the Middle East
Oh, yea, we've done them a great disservice on that score. The hate index is at an all time high in that region as is world wide anti-Semitism. That's something that the Saudi's have worked consistently against?
2. To convince the American government to put no pressure on Arab governments (particularly Saudi Arabia) to reform
The Saudi's are reforming? When's the election? You'd think after Saudi nationals funded by oil sheiks from Saudi Arabia killed 3000 people in New York that we'd have been a bit more insistent about reform than we have. I think any other reasonable administration would have placed the blame for 9/11 squarely on the shoulders of those who were actually responsible.
Which was the _first_ Administration, ever, to reject those two premises? I'll give you one guess.
Gautam, the Middle East is a bigger mess than it has ever been. If the attempt to democratize Iraq fails, as is likely, the situation is bound to get worse. It's a mess that the Bush administration helped create through their lackadaisical approach to the threat of terrorism pre 9/11, through their inability to handle the reigns of world leadership, and through their pursuit of the wrong culprit in the region. Meanwhile, Bushco does everything they can think of to keep us from understanding the circumstances that led up to the attack. The were finally forced to let Rice testify before the 9/11 committee, but now they are withholding documents from the Clinton administration for Cripe's sake. Anyone that doesn't realize that they have some serious skeletons to hide is being dishonest with themselves. How do you explain their behavior?
Incidentally, as for that famous escape of the Saudis. Do you know who made the decision to let them out of the country? It was, well, your hero, Richard Clarke. Hmmm.
Hmmm, how about reading the article you forwarded to the list. Clarke said that the FBI had to OK it. That would mean that the FBI made the decision.
So other than the fact that no Administration in American history has done more to oppose the desires of the Saudi government than that of George W. Bush, what's your evidence that they've been bought off again?
Bought off is your phrase. My contention is that at the very least they have a serious conflict of interest. The kind of conflict that would undoubtedly cause you or I to loose our jobs, post haste.
What exactly did the Saudis get for that
money? Or, _as I've said before_, is it just that everyone who is so foolish as to disagree with you must have been bought off? If you want to know why civil political discourse in this country is decaying, looking in the mirror might be a good start.
So you're saying that if I see what looks very much like a conflict of interest, I should just shut up about it? Not a particularly American sentiment, Gautam. What's your next, suggestion, Gulags?
Doug _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
