A briefing given last month to a top Pentagon advisory board described Saudi Arabia as an enemy of the United States. "The kernel of evil, the prime mover, the most dangerous opponent," is how the report describes Saudi Arabia, according to an article in the Washington Post today. The briefing recommended that U.S. officials tell the Saudis to either stop backing terrorism, or face seizure of its oil fields and its financial assets invested in the United States.
"The Saudis are active at every level of the terror chain, from planners to financiers, from cadre to foot-soldier, from ideologist to cheerleader," according to the report, which was presented on July 10 to the Defense Policy Board, a group of prominent intellectuals and former senior officials that advises the Pentagon on defense policy. Another excerpt: "Saudi Arabia supports our enemies and attacks our allies."
A Pentagon spokeswoman was quick to say that the briefing does not "reflect the official views of the Department of Defense," emphasizing that Saudi Arabia "is a long-standing friend and ally of the United States." But the Post noted that the views expressed in the briefing represent an increasingly accepted point of view within the Bush administration, especially on the staff of Vice President Cheney and in the Pentagon's civilian leadership.
In a related note, Michael Freund reports in the Jerusalem Post today that the Saudi government has taken several recent steps to tighten its trade boycott of Israel. Specifically, Saudi officials have blacklisted some 190 Arab and Western companies in the past ten months for importing Israeli-made goods into the kingdom. Other recent Saudi measures include instructing the customs service at border crossings to bar entry to any products not carrying a certificate of origin - for fear that the items may have originated in Israel.
"The Saudis are active at every level of the terror chain, from planners to financiers, from cadre to foot-soldier, from ideologist to cheerleader," according to the report, which was presented on July 10 to the Defense Policy Board, a group of prominent intellectuals and former senior officials that advises the Pentagon on defense policy. Another excerpt: "Saudi Arabia supports our enemies and attacks our allies."
A Pentagon spokeswoman was quick to say that the briefing does not "reflect the official views of the Department of Defense," emphasizing that Saudi Arabia "is a long-standing friend and ally of the United States." But the Post noted that the views expressed in the briefing represent an increasingly accepted point of view within the Bush administration, especially on the staff of Vice President Cheney and in the Pentagon's civilian leadership.
In a related note, Michael Freund reports in the Jerusalem Post today that the Saudi government has taken several recent steps to tighten its trade boycott of Israel. Specifically, Saudi officials have blacklisted some 190 Arab and Western companies in the past ten months for importing Israeli-made goods into the kingdom. Other recent Saudi measures include instructing the customs service at border crossings to bar entry to any products not carrying a certificate of origin - for fear that the items may have originated in Israel.