On November 26, 2007, Arab News reported that Saudi Arabian authorities had released after their repenting of their Jihadist ways, approximately 1,500 “reformed extremists”. It went on to say that: “The committee has met around 5,000 times to offer counseling to 3,200 people, who were accused of embracing the takfeer ideology. The committee has successfully completed reforming 1,500 people."So who are these reformed extremists? The New York Times reports that of the estimated 60 to 80 foreign fighters who enter Iraq each month, nearly half of them are from Saudi Arabia. They arrive in Iraq not only with arms, but also with millions of dollars. Funds donated to the insurgents by private Saudi citizens as zakat. According to the Los Angeles Times, 50% of these Saudi fighters come to Iraq to be suicide bombers. Once caught by American forces they are repatriated to Saudi Arabia for prosecution. However, that is not exactly what happens to them. The extremists land-up in something more like a country club than Guantanamo says Time magazine, where between counseling sessions the “detainees” play ping-pong, volleyball and video games.
On October 6, 2007, the Saudi Interior Minister, Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz gave as an Eid al-Fitr gift of $2,700 to each of the 55 Saudis who were formerly in held Guantanamo They were also released by the authorities to spend the religious festival with their families. In addition, the Assistant Interior Minister, Prince Mohammad bin Nayef, the minister's son, offered to cover the wedding expenses of any former Saudi inmate of Guantanamo wishing to marry, including buying furniture for their new home. So far the Ministry of Interior has helped 107 would-be Jihadist get married, including 30 out of the 61 repatriated from Guantanamo.Also, according to Asharq Alawsat, the detainees are allowed to meet with their families each day for up to an hour. In addition, they are able to visit their families for a period ranging between three and five days for those who are detained in security-related cases, and for a period of no more than two weeks in the case of the former Guantanamo inmates.
This all begs the question: On what basis did George Bush on October 19, 2007, certify Saudi Arabia an anti-terror ally?
I think the answer to your question is that George Bush is a traitor, plain and simple. You might have noticed all the chatter about whether Bush is the worst president in U.S. history. But if people ever really wrap their minds around the scope and magnitude of the evidence implicating the Saudis:
www.asecondlookatthesaudis.com
And the extent of Bush's efforts to use the power of the presidency to shield and protect them, I don't think people will be talking about George Bush versus Herbert Hoover anymore. It'll be George Bush versus Benedict Arnold.
Posted by: Bill in Chicago | November 28, 2007 at 07:58