Hatred's Kingdom: How Saudi Arabia Supports the New Global Terrorism

Rating:
Summary: Shows the extent of Saudi support for terrorism
Review: Does Saudi Arabia have a problem? Well, yes. And we do not need Gold to tell us that. We can see what rights (or lack of them) exist for women there. Or for Christians. And how Jews and Pagans are relatively lucky: for the most part they do not get to be in this nation at all. We ought to know that Saudi Arabia was one of the very few nations that was unwilling to vote for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Saudi Arabia has never been in a war with Israel. Yet, for those of you who know a few Saudis, try this: ask them what they think of Zionism. It may be an eye-opener for you.

My point is not that Saudis are bad people. Quite the contrary. I think we ought to try to figure out why many otherwise friendly, goodhearted and bright Saudis have rather strange attitudes on some issues. And I think this book helps us do that.

The author raises some issues that I think are relevant. First, what is the role of Wahhabism in determining the attitudes of many Saudis on questions involving the West, Israel, women, or non-Muslims? Second, where does Wahhabi money and other support go, and why? Third, just what connections are there between Wahhabi money and terrorist attacks on Israel and the United States?

Gold's conclusion is that the Saudis must be held accountable for their actions. And this includes establishing international codes of conduct that will outlaw some of the incitement we see, including hatred taught in mosques, textbooks, and the media. Unless this is done, the Saudis will continue to preach peace to the West while funding terrorist groups that make peace impossible. Gold thinks that sooner or later, the Saudis will have to choose what side they are on. But I'm afraid that eventually, the Saudis may not be in a position to make a useful choice.

Rating:
Summary: The Fountainhead of Terror
Review: Until the demise of Soviet communism, the U.S unfortunately found it necessary to ally itself with some unsavory countries in order to face larger global issues. Saudi Arabia, with its strategic location and vast oil fields, is an example of such a country. After the Soviet Union collapsed, the U.S./Saudi relationship basically ran on inertia due to our need for a stable government in that region.

September 11, 2001 was a wake-up call. Fifteen of the nineteen hijackers were Saudis. Furthermore, the terrorist mastermind behind the attack was not only from Saudi Arabia but from one of its most prominent families. Clearly an American re-examination of the desert kingdom was in order. Dore Gold has provided the foundation for doing this and is in a good position to do so as a former foreign policy advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations.

Gold provides a solid empirical analysis of Saudi Arabia's support for Islamic terrorism. The specific sect of Islam which constitutes the state religion of Saudi Arabia is Wahhabism. This sect is particularly intolerant. Its adherents hold an extremely narrow view of how Islam is to be interpreted, have utter contempt for anyone whose religious belief differs from their own and are willing to spread Wahhabism through unbelievable violence.

Saudi Arabia has been able to spread Wahhabism, as well as its accompanying violence, through both its oil money and because of its special position within Islam as the birthplace of the religion. The two holiest cities of the religion, Mecca and Medina, are located within the country thereby giving Saudi Arabia even more influence as to how the religion is to be interpreted. As a visit to Mecca is required of all Moslems able to make the trip, Saudi Arabia has something better than a captive audience. It has an audience required by the religion itself to travel to the country where Moslems will be exposed to the extremist message of Wahhabism and thereafter take the seed of extremism back home with them.

There are two areas in which I think this book is particularly strong. First is that it demonstrates the extremist nature of Wahhabism to such a degree that it is difficult to maintain a position of moral equivalence. No doubt many readers have heard arguments along the lines of "Yes there are extremists within Islam but every religion has extremists. What about the Christian Coalition?" It is difficult to take such individuals seriously and this book provides ammunition to respond to them appropriately. Wahhabism is so violent and intolerant that "extremism" in other religions looks mild by comparison.

Second is the history of Saudi Arabia that Gold provides. When the Saudi family agreed to support Wahhabism in exchange for the political support of Wahhabis, it created a theocracy unknown to the modern West. What struck me regarding the relationship between politics and religion in Saudi Arabia was not necessarily how broad or how deep that relationship is but rather how intrinsic it is to the existence of the country. Politics and religion do not go hand in hand in Saudi Arabia but rather are interwoven into the fabric of the nation. This needs to be understood.

My only criticism of this book is that Gold has not adequately addressed the possible alternatives to Saudi control of the nation with its accompanying support for Wahhabism. The Saudi family had a significant rival in the Rashid family. Would a Rashidi Arabia be any better? If the Rashidis were not Wahhabis, what were they? What is their interpretation of Islam, their position on Israel, their take on Shiite Muslims? Who else besides the Saudis or Rashidis might fill a power vacuum within the country? Although it might be difficult to imagine something worse than Wahhabism, it does not follow that any alternative would be something to smile about. More analysis on this would have been helpful.

Almost everyone would now agree that radical Islam is one of the most dangerous forces the international community faces today. To address the problem, we must understand it. We also need to understand where it came from and how it continues to survive. Hatred's Kingdom is exceptionally helpful for such purposes.

Rating:
Summary: Where terror money comes from - Saudi Arabia
Review: Dore Gold does an excellent job laying out the history of the fanatical side of Islam which had produced the vast bulk of today's terror.

Wahabbi instruction has infected the Islamic world almost entirely due to Saudi funding, and Hatred's Kingdom lays out where it all started. The bargain that the Saudi's struck for legitimacy with Wahabbi clerics is detailed here as are the effects.

If you want to know "why they hate us", where they get their money, and how we got to where we are today, read this book.

Rating:
Summary: Utterly racist, completely fictitious and promotes hatred..
Review: Let's start with the title,

Should the author have replaced "Saudi Arabia" with "Israel", he would been receiving a massive stoning by many people accusing him of "anti-semitism". The very first word, "Hatred", suggest its bias and may not be regarded as a valid source.


Second, apart from the apparent position of the author, the book is clearly biased against many Saudis who cannot defend themselves due to linguistic limitations.

Saudi Arabia is a perfect scapegoat from Israel. After all, both are in defiance of UN resolutions, both ban Evangelicism, and both are ceaselessly condemned by Human Rights Organization and Amnesty International.

I come from that "Hatred Kingdom". I have been taught about Crusades, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (through what I perceive as a bias teaching, but then again, has there ever been any analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that was never labeled as "bias"?) and the only mention of the United States that I have stumbled across was in my geography class.

I am just 18 years old, but I remember what I have been taught very well.

Personally, I have never EVEN heard of Wahhabism until after 9/11.

This book as a haven of false proof for people dying to hate Saudi Arabia.

I shall discuss some points raised in his book.

1) The myth that 15 of the 19 hijackers, mentioned at the end of every news report regarding Saudi Arabia, are Saudis was completely fabricated, yet held as a strong proof of Saudi Arabia's support of terrorism.

(...)

Apparently, 7 of the 15 hijackers turned out to be alive, reportedly having their passports stolen a while before 9/11. Some of these people have never even been to the US, and the alleged pilot of the plane crashed in Pennsylvania never even heard of the state.

Thirdly, Saudi Arabia is one of the few countries that had its soldiers shot by terrorists in its war against terrorism.

If the book was against Israel, millions and millions will accuse the author of being anti-semite. Never there has been any anti-Israel books that were widely promoted.

I do not hate Israel, I do not hate Jewish people. In fact, I take pride in having some of them as friends. However, my point is, any anti-Saudi book written will always, get this, ALWAYS get the glamour and attention, thus becoming a best-seller.

Do you think that it doesn't hurt me, personally, seeing an increasing number of Americans falling for that myth that Saudi Arabia promotes terrorism?

Do you know how much it makes me sad to see these people bashing my country? What did I have to do with all of this?

Before I get all emotional, I will conclude my review by stating the fact that Saudi Arabia has not, does not and will never support terrorism.

What would Saudi Arabia gain from supporting global terrorism? Nothing.

Do you really think Saudi Arabia would commit an act that would strengthen US-Israeli ties? Do you really think Saudi Arabia would commit an act that would undercut their own oil revenues? Do you really think Saudi Arabia would commit an act that would anger the world against Arabs?

Me neither.

Rating:
Summary: Buy Gold and Silver
Review: The Saudi government claimed, "there is no proof" the Saudis had any direct involvement in carrying out the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Shortly after 9/11 the Saudi government hired Burson-Marteller investing $2.7 million to place Ads depicting Saudi as allies of America. The Ads were necessary to ensure the perception Saudi was not directly involved considering the fact 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi Nationals and 1/3 of the suspect terrorist were Saudi Nationals. More financial gestures followed, Al Waleed gave Giulani a $10 million to the Twin Tower fund and wanted America to take a more balanced stance in the middleeast, after which, Giulani returned the check saying, "there can be no justification for the destruction of the towers".

Saudi was accused of providing financial support to the Haamas. CFR, Henry Siegman claimed unnamed Saudi Officials transferred small areas of the West Bank to Israel. Bin Laden, in 1996 called for Ahmad Yasin release. Sheik Ahmad Yasin was leader of the Haamas imprisoned in Israel. Abdullah visited Yasin in the hospital after his release from Israel as symbolic of his support. Gold suggests many charity funds were Haamas fronts. When Prince Naif contributed $109 million to the Palestine Marytrs Humanitarian Assistance Act some of the beneficiaries were Mahmad Abu Hanud (Haamas), Families of the suicide bombers, and Sufian Jabarin. The fund was believed to create an incentive for further terrorist activity. Secretary of State, Collin Powel reflected on the cycle of terror and condemned the incentive. Gold claimed Saudi was the international banker for Fatah movement meaning Oil royalties funded terrors group activities.

Attention needed to be diverted from Saudi to the Arab Israel peace talks. The diversion took the heat of them and put it on the Israeli-Arab peace talks. Saudi entered the world stage as the negotiators for peace in the Middle East. Prince Abdullah suggested a full Israeli withdrawal in exchange for "full normalization" recognition from the Arabs for Israel. The message was clear; Saudi was ready to promote permanent peace.

The Saudi government could not maintain U.S relationships with its people. The people were pro-Arafat and the U.S was against Arafat. Saudi did not want to be seen by the U.S as supporting terrorism. The U.S relationship had to be maintained and Saudi made concessions allowing limited U.S access to bases during the Afghan war and Iraq war. When the Israeli-Palestine peace talks failed limit access to the Saudi bases were granted. When Israeli military entrapped Arafat in his Ramallah compound Saudi was critical of the U.S not being able to control Israel. Crawford submitted that oil could be used as a weapon. The U.S leaves strategic bases and the Siege on Arafat stops. The Saudi peace views differ from the Israeli peace views and interests.

Was Saudi tolerating clergy poison that drove the ideology of hatred? The five pillars of Islam included affirming God and his messenger, prayer, charity (tax), fasting, and the pilgrimage to Mecca. The first wave was the Islamic idea of Jihad as military expansion, which broke Islam by legalizing Jihad against other Muslims. The second wave was the Ikwan formation in Nadji settlement funded by Saudi Ibn Saud of the Modern Saudi State. Ibn Saud need a way to unit the independent tribes. Ikwan sent a strong message to muslims, pay charity, join Wahhabism or face conflict later. The British held the second wave in check. Ibn Saud could not rely on Wahhabism alone to unify the Arabian tribes, so he set a system of grants to the tribes and created a sizable entourage of Sheikhs. In 1938 when oil was discovered. Oil produced royalties: $3.2 million, 1946=$10 million, 1950=$212 million. The third wave was spanned years between 1950-1970 and was characterized as terrorist refuge.

The rise of the modern Saudi Kingdom came after the oil. The British converted their ships to oil burning. The German influence was dieing with the Ottoman Empire. King Faisal had four sons, Abdul was one of the four sons and his son's name was Ibn Saud. Ibn Saud resided as an exile in Kuwait and at 21 years of age retook Riyadh with the determination to retake lost territories. Twelve years later with the help of the British against the Ottomans he careful establishes claims to Bahrain, Qatar, Oman without disturbing the Sheiks under British protection and in 1915 joins the British Protectorate System.

The radical faction of Islam called Wahhabism added a sixth and disturbing pillar called Jihad, the Holy war. Wahhabism is becoming the Muslim Unitarian religion; its war is against the Idolatry of Material symbols with the desire too smash the idols of American Civilization. Unitiarian means conformance, fear, and arbitrary attacks against the innocent to generate fear. The ulama clergy drove the ideology of hatred with their radical Islamic creeds. Wahhabism demonstrates no religious tolerance. Wahhabism have subjugated Europe, gained control of the Vatican and Rome, taxed Kosovo, Bosina through poll taxes. The founder of Wahhabism was a man named Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhad.

The ulama gained power over the royal family. The religous clergy control the power. Muhammad Ibn Saud was ruler of the clan, iman of the Wahabi Community, supreme leader and yet Wahhad ulama would have power to dispose royal family members perceived weak in Wahhabism.

Islamic leaders of the past demonstrated religious tolerance. For example Saladin permitted the Jewish people to resettle the Holy City following the crusades. Islam not Wahhabism is a religion of peace.



Rating:
Summary: If You Have Power
Review:
Has Mr. Gold visited Saudi Arabia? Does he speak Arabic? I wonder how he comes to his conclusion about Saudis and Saudi culture. The conclusion was built on some ill translated sentences and paragraphs that were picked from textbooks, letters and documents and were presented as "evidence". I think it is easy to use the method "pick, pick, pick" to generalize and make concepts. Based on textbooks, media coverage, books, speeches and documents, this method can be used, for example, to call the US "the most aggressive country" and its people, the most dangerous people. On the other hand, this same method can be used to prove that the US is a peaceful nation. My point is that picking sentences from speeches and choosing paragraphs from texts is not the right way especially when it comes to make judgment about cultures and people.

In Short, we live in a strange world. If you have POWER, you can support your point. You can print books, get great media coverage and call your enemy whatever you want especially when your targeted audiences are not well educated about issues you discuss.

By focusing on the Saudis, the main, yet implicit, purpose of this book in my view is to tell the book audiences "Americans" that Israel (the author's country) has nothing to do with recent Muslims hate of the United States. Why ? because it is all about the Saudis and Muslim problem and hate!!




Rating:
Summary: Welcome To The Dark Side
Review: When I bought this book I new the author was the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations at one time and I had a concern that the book might be a bit bias against Saudi Arabia given the history between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Other then the author getting a bit defensive about the few times he mentioned the Palestinian Israeli issue, it did not seem to me that the author was being anything but fair. As a disclaimer I would add that most of the book deals with a subject matter that is rather new to me so it could be completely bias and I might not be able to see it. With this being said I did learn a great deal for the book and found it well written. The world the author takes the reader into is an unknown world for most of us and it will probably take a number of books of this type before the general public starts to see the light in regard to Saudi Arabia.

The author provides the reader with a rather detailed history of how the Wahhabi sect of Islam has become the main if not only form of religion practiced in Saudi Arabia and how it is linked into the ruling royalty. What I found most interesting is the detail that the author gives about the connections between the rulers of the country and the practice of Wahhabi Islam. Up to this time I had always thought that the Osama bunch was a small fringe group within Saudi Arabia and that the government was more moderate and was interested with positive relations with the U.S. What the book shows is that the roots of the radical beliefs run deep and this is not something that will quickly disappear within the Saudi Kingdom. You almost wonder how U.S. citizens feel safe enough to live and work there given this deep and broad level of hatred for the western world.

The author gets into a good amount of detail on the terrorist attacks against the U.S. up to September 11 and explains the connection to Saudi Wahhabi groups. He also spends a good deal of time talking over the how the wealthy in Saudi Arabia get money to the Osama type groups and just how hard it would be to stop. The only part of the book that I was a bit disappointed in was the last chapter where the author tries to detail out what he thinks could be done to correct this problem. This section of the book was almost embarrassingly light and was a let down given the rest of the book was so good. I do not fault the author for the lack of solid ideas to correct the problem, that is an issue that has been and will be debated for years. But I did hold him accountable for trying to pass this "glass is half full plan" past the reader as some sort of end all be all plan. The author should have had a bit more courage and just admitted that besides the obvious, he did not have a plan to resolve the issues. Overall I enjoyed the book and learned a great deal from it.

Rating:
Summary: Gives Clarity and Explanation!
Review: There comes a time when Americans must realize that people want to kill us because they feel we threaten their way of life. If it were just our policies then just the Government and Military would be a target; instead innocent civilians are. This book lays out the timeline, ideology and justification currently used in the current phase of terrorism. The Saudi Royal Family has gotten themselves into a tremendous jam they can't get out of by supporting the US and their clergy that preach hateful rhetoric against the US.

This book explains the history and hatred even between the middle eastern countries and people, also the differences between the different sects of Islam are explained and how much they hate each other. Unfortunatley they are taught to hate us more....