They are America’s key ally in the Persian Gulf region. But as many as 15 of the September 11th hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. The ruling royal House of Saud practices an ultra-stringent form of Islam, Wahhabiism, that some claim is a breeding ground for Muslim militants. And yet, the United States has a strong military presence in Saudi Arabia and offers an open diplomatic hand to the royal family. Presidential administrations past and present have claimed that Saudi Arabia is the keystone for stability in the Gulf region, but is the USA protecting Saudi Arabia’s stability or its oil? This hour, the petroleum protectorate: America’s alliance with the Royal House of Saudi.

Guests:

Christopher Dickey, Middle East regional editor for Newsweek Magazine;
Ltc. Ralph Peters, former intelligence officer

author of “Fighting For The Future: Will America Triumph?” and “Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World” (May 2002);
Judith Kipper, co-director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies