Hi, SR - "Perhaps I'm being presumptuous and overly trusting, but hey, the bread's great!"
Not at all. I think the author of the article has a much deeper level of scepticism than you or I.
Having read his perceptions on the ISI in Pakistan, I slowly awakened to the depth of penetration by al-Qaida and its variants: from the Taliban to Kashmir, the region is permeated with fundamentalist terrorists. India is at considerable risk. Pakistan has, for years, been fostering the growth of these terrorist organizations.
I think the author has sufficient reason to look sceptically at Saudia Arabia, and wonder publicly about the true depth of penetration within that state.
I understand your point of view; to some extent I agree. However, I'm beginning to understand the possibility that the situation is worse than we had imagined.
In that respect, I think a more sceptical outlook has its place on this thread.
"I think we're sophisticated enough to recognize that the Saudi government errs, as all governments do, but they remain allies."
The efforts made by the Saudis to walk a fine line are not in question. The real question is whether they (and many other long-standing governments, like Egypt, or Pakistan) can remain in power. Could the proper combination of events drive them into a state of crisis - where fundamentalist organizations, driven by populist uprisings, suddenly tip the balance of power? How close is "...the proper combination of events..."? Perhaps, as you indicate, it is only a distant possibility.
I'm not so sure. I don't know, but I think we should look very carefully at the matter.
Regards,
Jim |
