Obama’s Warning To Saudis: Stop Cash To Terror Groups In Pakistan

President Barack Obama receives a gift from Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah during a meeting at the king's farm outside Riyadh June 3, 2009. REUTERS/Larry Downing

From London Evening Standard:

Barack Obama begins his tour of the Middle East today with an appeal to Saudi Arabia to help curb the growing instability in Pakistan.

The kingdom has so far sat on the fence over the spread of Taliban militants on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, but the issue will be on the agenda when the President meets King Abdullah in Riyadh today.

Mr Obama's defence secretary Robert Gates has already asked Saudi Arabia, which has a close relationship with Pakistan and major influence in the region, for help in countering the terrorist threat.

Read more ....

My Comment: This is not going to fly. As far as the Saudi's are concerned, these monies are going to charities and schools .... and not to terrorists.

Saudis Use Cash And Counseling To Fight Terrorism

Former Al Qaeda Members

From The Christian Science Monitor:

About 3,200 former militants have completed the ambitious program aimed at persuading them to disavow violent Islamist ideologies.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Khalid al-Hubayshi's career as an Islamic warrior came to an end with the siege of Tora Bora in Afghanistan. Ordered to retreat, he walked through snow for six days. He was captured by Pakistani forces, delivered to the Americans, and relocated to a cage in Cuba.

The young Saudi's break with militant jihadi ideology was not as swift. It started in Guantánamo, but ripened only after he returned home in 2005 to an unexpected reception. Mr. Hubayshi was treated to a mix of forgiveness, theological reeducation, psychological counseling, prison time, and cash.

Read more ....

My Comment: There are so many Al Qaeda sympathizers in Saudi Arabia, that if they plan to rehabilitate all Al Qaeda members with therapy, rehabilitation, and money, expect the Saudi budget to become bankrupt. What the Saudis are doing is just a band-aid solution that does not address the Wahabi theology behind much of what Al Qaeda promotes. The Saudi Government cannot ... because it is an ideology of religious hatred and intolerance that many of them are sympathetic to.