[Washington, D.C. - January 29, 2003]  For many Americans, the first month of a new year can hardly have transpired successfully if the First Leader failed to give the State of the Union Address. President Bush delivered the annual speech last night to a joint session of Congress.

On the day after this important occasion, the Saudi American Forum is pleased to report on the state of Saudi Arabia-United States cooperation in the war on terrorism.

Unabated Bashing

A report at this juncture is timely for various reasons. An overriding one is that the American media's rash of negative information and analysis related to the Kingdom continues unabated.

The phenomenon began in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, and was accelerated after Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Abdallah won unanimous backing from all 22 members of the League of Arab States for his unprecedented peace proposal to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. Unable to find bona fide fault with the proposal, critics elected instead to attack the messenger and the messenger's country.

In contrast, given what is at stake in the United States' relationship with Saudi Arabia, the number of factually correct and insightful statements appearing on an ongoing basis in published reports about the Kingdom continues to be far fewer than one might imagine or have reason to expect. This is particularly the case with regard to various aspects of public discourse regarding the special ties between Riyadh and Washington.

Many Americans and Saudi Arabians, together with others proud to count themselves as the allies and strategic partners of both, remain astonished by the stridency and shrillness of large section's of the media's unrelenting attacks. They also find the nature and extent of the smear campaign unprecedented and mean-spirited.

Harming the Relationship

No one on either side can deny that the ongoing anger and confusion of many Americans since the 9-11 terrorist attacks stems largely from the fact that 15 of the 19 attackers came from the southwestern region of the Kingdom. Neither can one deny that the prolongation of such sentiments is, in various ways, natural and understandable.

Despite this, large numbers of American and Saudi Arabian analysts are taken aback that such a concerted media operation to harm the relationship is coming overwhelmingly from within the United States.

Increasing numbers believe that the campaign to malign the Kingdom and the special U.S.-Saudi relationship has gone on for far too long. They also are apprehensive that its continuance poses considerable danger to the national security, people-to-people, and related interests of both countries.

The Concern

Significant numbers of publishers and editors responsible for the newspapers' op-ed pages, weekly journals, and television and radio talk shows can hardly claim that, in reporting on Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Arabia-US relationship since September 11, they have consistently adhered to the highest standards.

A critical chorus has voiced the view that as far as honoring the ordinary norms of responsibility are concerned, the conventional canons of media integrity continue to be conspicuous by their absence. What is worse, there are no known instances to date where any publications moguls have been called to account.

On the other hand, many would ask whether there is much ado about nothing in this instance, claiming that, if anything, there is little new in this regard. Others would agree and add the caveat that as the ties between no countries are bereft of blemish there should be nothing wrong with pointing out what those blemishes are.

But neither of these two points is at issue here. Rather, the concern is of a different nature. It is that any sustained depiction of reality that is consistently inaccurate and negative with regard to the multifaceted web of mutual benefits between these two global giants is unavoidably laced with damaging and potentially dangerous consequences.

In this regard, senior officials on both sides acknowledge an understated reality as to what is being placed at risk. It is embedded in the fact that the bilateral relationship is of immense mutual benefit to Americans and Saudi Arabians alike.

It is that the range of such benefits is such that many foreign policy strategists outside the Saudi Arabian-United States relationship find it difficult to contemplate that a comparable range of advantages could accrue to their own countries.

It is that the benefits to both Americans and Saudi Arabians that derive from the relationship are the envy, if not also the fantasy, of public and private sector leaders in every other country in the world.

The Issues

This is the context in which this author presents herein a collection of official U.S. and Saudi Arabian statements, together with other commentary and remarks by the top leaders in America and the Kingdom, on most of the issues that have been and remain in the media's line of sight.

In so doing, the purpose is to provide a source of information and reference that would not otherwise be readily available on what high-ranking American and Saudi Arabian leaders have and have not said on the topics in question.

What is reported here are facts forgotten by many who continue to contend that the Kingdom has not been sufficiently forthcoming in aiding American officials in their efforts to investigate 9-11, to stem the tide of criticism against the United States, and to improve the bilateral relationship.

The facts presented are valid through a year ago today and refute the lingering charges that the Kingdom has been inadequately cooperative from the beginning.

The greatest number of false and misleading statements and analyses that continue to appear in the American media relate to the following:

• the extent to which the Kingdom has or has not condemned terrorism;
• the status of U.S.-Saudi Arabian investigations of the September 11 terrorist attacks;
• the Saudi Arabian-U.S. relationship;
• the allegations of Saudi funding for terrorism;
• the identification and freezing of terrorism's financial assets;
• the question of Saudi Arabian support for Osama bin Laden; and
• the Kingdom's education system and anti-Americanism.

Documentation

The documentation herein relates not only to an official institution from which commentary regarding these issues and questions has emanated. It relates also to the date the commentary was published.

The statements are also linked to many of the most authoritative individual sources of American and Saudi Arabian responses to these and related issues. The material covers most of the frequently asked questions since September 11 and continuing through mid-January 2003.

The reason for the lessened frequency with which the state of Saudi-American cooperation on terrorism has been reported in the past several months is not coincidental. It is the result of the far greater worldwide attention to the Iraq crisis and, correspondingly, a far lower profile with regard to other issues than before.

With respect to each of the topics examined, the Kingdom's policy or position on the issue or question in dispute is presented first, followed by documentation of statements from one or more American officials in response.

I. On Saudi Arabian Cooperation with the United States

The Kingdom's Position …

Crown Prince Abdullah recently described Saudi Arabian-United States' ties as "excellent." Cooperation and support remains very high at all levels, particularly in military, diplomatic, and economic affairs. The Kingdom does, however, continue to have concerns with regard to American policy towards the Middle East, and it continues to urge the United States to become more involved in efforts to bring peace to the region.

In some of his repeated statements on this subject, the Crown Prince has expressed a belief in being honest and sincere with one's friends. To this end, he has frequently indicated the belief that America's earlier prolonged disengagement from the peace process was wrong.

He has also consistently stated that because Washington's subsequent engagement has been more rhetorical than operational, this has been and continues to be not only harmful to American credibility, but, also, dangerous for the region.

The Crown Prince has consistently pointed out that the Kingdom has been a loyal friend and ally of the United States for over six decades. Indeed, this year will commemorate the 70th anniversary since diplomatic relations between the two countries were established.

Prince Abdallah and all the country's top leaders have emphasized that the two countries have a multifaceted range of very strong ties, and, from their side, they intend to keep it this way and, in so doing, remain committed to the fight against terrorism.

…And the Documentation of American Officials' Statements

"We've had a very constructive dialogue with Saudi Arabia on a wide range of issues, including this terrorist financing effort, and as you are aware, we're very satisfied with the level of Saudi cooperation."

Source: Philip Reeker, Deputy Spokesman, U.S. Department of State, December 7, 2001

* * *

* * *