Saudi Arabia has long been a paradox. Although the country is a primary oil supplier to the U.S., many Americans cannot find it on a map. It is still governed by medieval political institutions and Wahhabism, an obscurantist and often anti-Western doctrine of Islam. Yet American military support remains crucial to the survival of the Saudi dynasty.
A soon-to-be-released congressional report on 9/11 is expected to detail U.S. knowledge of Saudi financial backing for terrorists. The fact that Osama bin Laden and 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens has focused attention on the kingdom's role as a breeding ground...
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