Saudi Arabia Sending Millions To Iraqi Insurgents

Have we already chosen a side in the Iraqi civil war? It certainly looks like it, when you consider our government's different treatment for those countries funding the factions fighting in Iraq.

The Bush administration is coming down hard on countries like Iran and Syria, saying they are funding the Iraqi Shiite factions. Bush accuses these countries of trying to foment violence between Shiites and Sunnis, in the hope of helping to establish a Shiite government in Iraq.

But are we coming down as hard on the countries that fund the Sunni insurgents in Iraq? Not at all.

The Iraq Study Group tells us that millions of dollars are being given to Sunni insurgents by sources in Saudi Arabia. The money is given to Sunni clerics, who then funnel the money to the Iraqi insurgents. The Study Group says large boxes of money are being smuggled into Iraq by truckers and bus drivers from Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi government denies that this is happening, but isn't that what we would expect them to say? Just last week, Nawaf Obaid, who headed a security group close to the Saudi government, said Saudi Arabia would use its money and oil to support Sunnis and thwart Iranian efforts to dominate Iraq. Obaid was fired for letting the cat out of the bag, but that doesn't alter the truth of his statement.

But the Bush administration is doing nothing to punish the Saudis for supporting the insurgents who are killing our American soldiers. That is because the Bush family has many friends and business associates in the Saudi royal family. Remember, the Saudis were allowed to fly out of America immediately after the 9/11 disaster. The Bush administration allowed them to fly even though everyone else, including American citizens, were grounded.

If Bush is going to allow the Saudis to fund one side in the Iraqi civil war, and cannot keep the Iranians from funding the other side, he needs to immediately withdraw our troops from Iraq. They are stuck in the middle with no friends on either side.

But Bush will not withdraw our troops, because it would involve his having to admit he made a mistake [something his personality will not allow him to do]. Bush started this whole mess, but don't hold your breath waiting for him to fix it.