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More foe than rival

Reader comment on item: [Saudi Arabia:] Not Friend or Foe

Submitted by Barry Shmookler (United States), May 14, 2002 at 23:42

Dr. Pipes:
I am a devoted reader of your columns and greatly admire your insight, knowledge of the issues and post-9/11 realpolitik. Thus, I was quite perplexed by your conclusions in "Not Friend or Foe." What began as an allegedly mutually beneficial agreement in 1945 between Roosevelt and Ibn Saud has evolved into a sociopathic relationship akin to that between a cocaine addict needing a fix and his/her dealer. The desperate addict is willing to accept humiliation and degradion, sometimes at any price, to obtain the desired product.

In the diplomatic arena, this was most evident when "The Prince" called on the President in Crawford, Texas. It was embarassing to hear the humiliating demands and admonitions targeted at Mr. Bush.

A much more serious consequence is the obvious US trepidation to confront Saudi with its obvious dominant and proactive role in international terrorism and radical Islam. I do not consider it hyperbole to state that without Saudi financial and political support, it is highly probable that 9/11 would not have occurred. Documentation confirms the extent of Saudi funding to al Qaida, not to mention its bankrolling of radical islamic madrassas that already assures us of thousands of irreversibly indoctrinated children who will be our future pilots and bombers. Yet we have not had the courage to demand an explanation why 14 of the 19 9/11 terrorists (not to mention bin Laden) originated from the Saudi peninsula.

As you note, prominent Saudis are eager to declare their willingness to join our enemies, should events not proceed in their favor. The suicidially skewed asymmetry of the 1945 pact is now all too obvious: for the US to obtain its fix (aka oil), it must pay OPEC determined prices, pay for Saudi protection to secure the flow of oil and put American lives on the line to protect the gracious Saudis from neighborly attacks from Sadam Hussein! Furthermore, Kingdom of Saud has the right to support organizations and movements that espouse the destruction of the US. In my world, Dr. Pipes, this stretches the definition of a "rival" beyond tolerance.

A further irony is that we are dealing with a tightly coiled adversary whose power and wealth derives entirely from a geological phenomenon that occurred hundreds of millions of years before man populated the surface of the earth. Their hubris is not founded on current technology or ingenuity.

Thus, it is simple to disarm this menace. We must rapidly wean ourselves from our dependence on mideast oil. US technology and science, with a brain trust that has produced more Nobel Laureates than any other country, can summon the expertise to develop efficient fuel alternatives. Also, even modest conservation measures will yield significant autonomy. The hardest part will be dissolving the government-oil industry embrace. These measures must be instituted for the future security and survival of our country.

Then all we will need to import from the Kingdom of Saud is dates.
Submitting....

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Reader comments (94) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Brother Hood [10 words]NoumanMay 6, 2011 09:18184955
Agree [61 words]BharatFeb 10, 2009 04:10150146
secular [22 words]susiJan 21, 2009 08:25148633
Very unlogical and a biased analysis. [18 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Osman KhanNov 5, 2008 11:33142123
Arab Deception [67 words]Michael CookeDec 24, 2005 01:5330479
Time will bring change [329 words]Donald SmithAug 7, 2005 11:2324409
What A Game [254 words]Abu MustafaJun 26, 2005 21:1122881
Open War is Upon Us and there is Nothing We can do to Stop It. [701 words]Aaron SpeerApr 15, 2005 11:5321677
It is urgent to separate oil dependence from voluntary submission to dictators [207 words]Joseph ConstantinFeb 1, 2005 10:4620033
Head of the Snake [31 words]DaveJan 29, 2005 12:4619970
Fools [94 words]MikeNov 17, 2004 02:1318414
1Oil Boycott? [48 words]Clifford IshiiOct 6, 2004 20:3617552
Oil Boycott? [22 words]Clifford IshiiSep 13, 2004 01:4616919
Very true insight to Saudi Arabia [14 words]Michael SullivanJun 22, 2004 01:1715751
a saudi arabian ... [190 words]mayJun 3, 2003 21:249361
Surprising! [98 words]KashifMay 7, 2003 06:318922
Aran world has not delivered to itself or the outer world. [232 words]Christopher GolitsynMay 1, 2003 18:038821
Neither friend nor foe [86 words]Elanjical AbrahamApr 15, 2003 06:488369
Friends and USA [373 words]NoorMar 31, 2003 15:467817
for the peace of the world [26 words]mbarekJun 14, 2006 05:177817
People.... Think twice [119 words]MeedoFeb 1, 2003 01:086218
Saudis could be friends as well. [142 words]Fariba HeidariJan 25, 2003 03:145963
10USA is the biggest terrorist country [30 words]AhmedJan 16, 2003 02:505801
Read This [68 words]Leslie FrischDec 17, 2008 17:285801
Saudis did it. period [188 words]C.E. HumphreysDec 3, 2002 18:124391
Anything but justice ? [404 words]KhaledNov 26, 2002 10:584224
Saudi Arabia is no friend [55 words]Jillian SharonNov 24, 2002 21:014194
People don't understand our differences [85 words]sultanNov 24, 2002 06:134185
Deadly Cocktail [126 words]David SteinbergNov 22, 2002 01:254141
Persian Gulf oil import numbers [23 words]DonovanNov 9, 2002 00:523736
A Prescription for Chaos.. [119 words]George ANov 4, 2002 17:033600
Saudia Arabia - no friend of the US! [123 words]Gary L AdlerNov 4, 2002 15:123595
Culture Clash [317 words]Tom DykesOct 7, 2002 19:062954
Short term, immediate action [339 words]Ken McPhersonSep 28, 2002 02:422683
Astute Accuracy [244 words]Vernon SimSep 25, 2002 02:092628
The Demise of Arab Oil Imperialism [132 words]Andrew DubowyjSep 18, 2002 05:372529
Saudis: "A new disease to World" [74 words]Joly MathewAug 29, 2002 21:392205
The U.S. has no option other than total war [387 words]Vincent RacanielloAug 25, 2002 23:202094
Saudi Arabia vs. Iraq [183 words]Patrick GriffithsAug 20, 2002 23:492028
House of Cards [604 words]Paul GreenAug 12, 2002 21:031783
Indict, extradite, and use civil courts [146 words]Austin MoseleyAug 9, 2002 14:161744
Take back what is ours [27 words]John PusinskyAug 6, 2002 20:111657
Boycott Middle East Oil [173 words]John MJul 31, 2002 20:531578
Friend or Foe [118 words]Sig ZeitlinJun 26, 2002 20:581050
US Policy has Allowed This Situation to Develop [605 words]William J. SturmMay 19, 2002 19:01406
Consider energy policy with security [138 words]R.L.ClairMay 19, 2002 17:01405
Not Rivals: The Saudis attacked the US [253 words]Richard StoneMay 17, 2002 20:41401
I agree with you but... [100 words]Sindibad AladinMay 17, 2002 15:15400
ibn Saud Mafia [126 words]Frank BlazeyMay 17, 2002 14:35399
A Constant Threat of Terror [213 words]Jamie MusikantMay 17, 2002 02:16398
Saudis Betrayed by Inane US policy of 'Engagement' [256 words]Bill BryanMay 16, 2002 18:44396
1The Foremost American Haters [300 words]Arvind SundaramurthyMay 16, 2002 05:20387
*Sigh* People just never think outside the box. [184 words]Capt. AmericaFeb 11, 2011 01:57387
The Arab world's economics dictate their actions [288 words]Jaime EisenMay 16, 2002 01:36386
Why Only Saudis? [79 words]Arthur HutchinsonMay 15, 2002 23:34385
Saudis - friend or foe? [216 words]Susan BlakeMay 15, 2002 22:37384
Let's Rid Ourselves of Saudi Oil [148 words]Steven LitvintchoukMay 15, 2002 22:34383
Friend to Whom? [124 words]Ben FranklinMay 15, 2002 21:24382
End World Dependence on Arab Oil [140 words]Ariel LiebmanMay 15, 2002 20:01380
The Coming War Against Saudi Arabia [944 words]Michael Lopez-CalderonMay 15, 2002 17:39378
Proud Atheist Supports War against S.A. [155 words]Dr. John Michael NahayJul 15, 2007 06:50378
sorry for the comment. But you understand NOTHING AT ALL [75 words]FreedomMar 10, 2011 04:08378
The Original Muslims [57 words]Alexios AshMay 15, 2002 17:35377
It's not the saudi's,it's the oil... [92 words]Jonathan brukesDec 25, 2008 22:58377
World War III Has Begun But Nobody Wants To Admit It [141 words]Scott FlemingMay 15, 2002 17:08376
Daniel, you're right again! [106 words]Steven HoopMay 15, 2002 13:05375
SAUDI ARABIA, THE ENEMY [224 words]Ilene H. RichmanMay 15, 2002 12:56374
Clearly a foe [50 words]Brent WatersMay 15, 2002 12:23373
Economic impact [55 words]Bob IrvingMay 15, 2002 11:30371
Saudis are Mortal Enemies [114 words]Spyros AlvonellosMay 15, 2002 07:24370
Lucas J. Meyer - Extraordinary Inflation? [51 words]BobMay 15, 2002 06:57369
Wrong country? [309 words]anonymousMay 14, 2002 23:43367
More foe than rival [482 words]Barry ShmooklerMay 14, 2002 23:42366
Nuwabians [157 words]E. N. AmraniMay 14, 2002 22:20365
nuwabian [39 words]xMar 13, 2006 00:58365
the root (Africa),Egypt and History [48 words]Anthony DevineJan 26, 2007 14:41365
Saudis: Not Rivals -- Enemies! [71 words]Steve HermanMay 14, 2002 21:11363
Wake up, Americans to the Saudi danger! [178 words]Motty PerelMay 14, 2002 19:44360
1US-Saudi relationship based on technology transfer [44 words]Mark DurieMay 14, 2002 18:48359
The Fear of Saudi Competition [575 words]B ShniperMay 14, 2002 17:37358
Clearly a Foe [63 words]Adam BrowserMay 14, 2002 15:55357
Make the Saudis Need the US [216 words]Samy MikhailMay 14, 2002 15:29356
Saudi Treachery [90 words]Burton SehlerMay 14, 2002 15:19355
The Saudi Threat [222 words]R. CrockettMay 14, 2002 14:42354
The Saudis as Rivals [30 words]Ken BesigMay 14, 2002 14:08353
A Little Economics [183 words]Lucas J. MeyerMay 14, 2002 13:56352
Saudi Arabia is an enemy [209 words]Ken ShofnerMay 14, 2002 13:51351
Late reply to General Shofner [11 words]Lengthy PMar 18, 2008 22:35351
More proof of Western folly [100 words]Bill BrentMay 14, 2002 13:48350
Wahabi arrests in Georgia [108 words]TPutnamMay 14, 2002 13:23349
Excellent Analysis [10 words]Allan GrafmanMay 14, 2002 13:12347
Why Not Foe Only? [55 words]Dick MiliteloMay 14, 2002 12:57346
Certainly no friend [145 words]Francis W. ThorntonMay 14, 2002 12:32345
Daniel you have excelled again. [26 words]Denis BieberMay 14, 2002 12:22344

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