Reply #2: I think that's a good question. [View All]

I think the case I have heard is that the gov of Saudi Arabia is pro-US - perhps because we're the best customer for oil and we give them lots of access to US industry. The large royal family who run things drink booze, smoke cigars and chase women, but the population, poor and religious, are Wahabbist Muslims - the most fundie of the lot.

To avoid a revolution they allow the madrassas and a limited number of terror training camps to exist as long as they don't do so too publicly and as long as they have no direct traceable ties to the state of S. Arabia.

The wahabbists get to foment Islamist revolution (in other countries) - the royal family gets to keep most of the oil proceeds - and the US gets to come to them when OPEC starts calling for cutting oil production to raise prices.

It's like a three way co-dependency.

But, I'm sure some others here might have better info than me. Hopefully, some of them will chime in.