With
friends like this
Gerry
Wachovsky
According
to Webster's New World Dictionary, the definition
of the word 'ally' is, "To unite or form
a connection between." Why then, does this
not seem to hold true for one of the United
States' supposed Middle Eastern allies,
Saudi Arabia? This kingdom, rich in oil
and home to two of the holiest Islamic cities,
Mecca and Medina, entered into peaceful
relations with the United States in 1945,
when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president,
and these official relations are supposed
to hold true today. It seems that after
Sept. 11, however, Saudi Arabia, an ally
of ours, has become more like one of the
many countries in that region that hate
us so greatly.
Let
us begin with the events of Sept. 11. Fifteen
of the nineteen hijackers were Saudi nationals,
and according to a July 24 congressional
report detailing many of the events surrounding
and leading these men "received visas in
Saudi Arabia." The report goes on to say
that prior to Sept. 11 Saudi Arabia was
quite "uncooperative" when it came to terrorism
investigations by the United States, which
makes one wonder about this alliance we
supposedly have. I would like to think that
countries who are referred to as allies
of one another would help each other out
and make sure that all requests, within
reason, are met, but unfortunately it does
not seem that way.
Now
the plot really thickens. The aforementioned
recent congressional report contains several
blotted out portions, as do many government
documents that have not been fully declassified,
but that is not to say that certain people
have not read what is beneath the black
ink. A U.S. government official who has
read the classified portion was quoted last
month saying it describes "direct involvement
of senior [Saudi] government officials in
a coordinated and methodical way directly
to the hijackers." That sure raises an eyebrow,
if you ask me. The government official goes
on to say that the classified portion also
contains "very direct, very specific links
that cannot be passed off as rogue, isolated
or coincidental." Quite a bizarre way for
a supposed ally to treat another, wouldn't
you say?
Saudi
Arabia has questionable practices in other
areas besides politics, however, as the
country demonstrated just this past week
when it declared a ban on Barbie dolls,
the popular Mattel toy. According to Saudi
Arabia's religious police, Barbie dolls
constitute a "threat to morality," not to
mention it being a "Jewish doll." Uh oh,
here come those big bad Jews again! Seriously
though, since when did typical Jewish women
become tall, blonde, Playboy playmate look-a-likes?
I would like to know what synagogue the
Saudi Arabian religious police go to, and
if it is still accepting membership! The
Saudi religious police commented further
on this ban on their website, where they
posted the following message: "Jewish Barbie
dolls, with their revealing clothes and
shameful postures, accessories and tools
are a symbol of decadence to the perverted
West. Let us beware of her dangers and be
careful." The perverted West, huh? What
a pleasant thing for an ally to say! I do
find it quite ironic that in a country where
women have virtually no rights whatsoever,
the religious police are concerned about
a plastic toy corrupting the masses.
So,
is Saudi Arabia really one of our more loyal
Middle Eastern allies? In light of its recent
record, I would say this alliance is questionable.
Don't get me wrong - I would love to be
able to understand their mentality, but
alas, I do not think it is possible. After
all, I am just a "perverted" Westerner.
Gerry
Wachovsky is a broadcast journalism major
ad can be reached at SenorBucho@aol.com.
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