Who loves the Saudis??????????

Based on Craig Unger's research, Michael Moore accurately relates in Fahrenheit 9-11 that, in the wake of the 9-11 attacks, the White House approved planes to pick up the Bin Ladens and numerous other Saudis. Furthermore, using a combination of private and commercial flights, over 140 prominent Saudis would depart the US over the next fortnight.

Craig Unger's expose begins with the September 13 flight of several wealthy Saudis from Tampa, Florida, to Lexington, Kentucky, when all private air traffic in the US was still grounded; a flight the FAA denies ever took place. While commercial traffic had slowly restarted on September 13, it was highly unusual for private charted flights to obtain approval. The Saudis were the exception. Over the next few days a number of similar flights took place as the Bin Laden family and other important Saudis were rounded up for what Unger describes as "The Great Escape". Within two weeks, at least two dozen members of the Bin Laden family had been whisked out of the US.

A common rebuttal charges that the departing Saudis had been extensively vetted by the FBI and others before departure, and that counter terror Chief Richard Clarke had approved the flights. However, Clarke's testimony to the 9-11 commission makes clear that any vetting was merely of the formal kind, involving the dictation of statements, and hardly impeding the movements of the terror mastermind's family. By contrast the November 25th, 2001, New York Times was reporting that, at the same time: "More than 1,200 foreigners have been detained as part of the government's investigation into the terror attacks, some spending months in prison." Incidentally, not one of these 1,200 detainees was ever charged in relation to terrorism or the 9-11 attacks.

Moore's critics continually trumpet the fact that commercial traffic had resumed by September 13, as if this erases the abnormality of these events. In fact, the nature of the Saudi's private charted flights and the special deference accorded the Bin Laden family were exceptional, and form a powerful part of Moore's attempts to expose the toxic nature of the U.S.-Saudi relationship. The fact that Hillary or Bill Clinton receive slimy wads of oil soaked cash does not diminish these acts , Im afraid. Afterall, these were real bona fide terror suspects.

In contrast to John Ashcroft's 1,200 "terrorist" detainees, numerous questions have been raised about the prominent Saudis who left in the wake of 9-11. After all, mere weeks before the attacks, many members of the Bin Laden family had gathered, with Osama, in Afghanistan for the wedding of one of his sons. Craig Unger also describes an apparent close relationship between Saudi Prince Ahmed bin Salaman and Al Queda leader Abu Zubaydah, who, with the aid of sodium pentothal, asserted that the Prince "knew beforehand that an attack was scheduled for American soil that day." Many of Moore and Unger's critics may be astounded to note that the FBI questioning of the Prince did not reveal such a link before his speedy departure on September 16.

This is a real 9-11 conspiracy. It illustrates not that the administration are great masterminds who orchestrated the attacks, merely uninterested, unaccountable elites who orchestrated the safety of their friends, with little concern for justice for those incinerated on 9-11 and the interdiction of those who orchestrate and fund terrorist threats. Shame on them and those who reflexively defend them.