The post drama that unfolded in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, in the aftermath of a devastating bomb that killed 19 innocent young Americans is worthy of a discussion group and the attention of all those who follow Saudi Arabia.

When recently, Bandar reported on Saudi television that the internal security of Saudi Arabia was a Saudi matter, he forgot completely that his security would not exist had not the U.S. come to his rescue in the Gulf War. That was the American gift to the Saudi people.

It seems that there have been two attempts by top U.S. officers stationed in Saudi Arabia to increase security in order to protect their troops and those two requests have been denied.This is Bandar's July 4 gift to the American people.

When the F.B.I tried to conduct its own investigation of the four suspects that planted a bomb in November that also killed four Americans and that subsequently were beheaded after being paraded on Saudi televisions, the al-Saud refused access to the F.B.I. This is Bandar's July 4 gift to the American people.

On this usually happy occasion of Independence Day, America has to be sad. Sad that after all it has done and is doing to protect U.S. and Saudi interests, the U.S. is being led into a trap of deceit by King Fahd and his family. We gave Saudi Arabia security, stability, order, and our best to build that country. In return Saudi Arabia has given us a corrupt King, a sleazy family, and internal policies that are killing Americans in cowardly terrorist activities. Yet, we still support that family because the U.S. is an ally and a friend. The U.S. stands by its friends in the Middle East as it tries to rebuild and landscape a new scene based on peace and cooperation.

Bandar bin Sultan asked the United States to protect Saudi Arabia but without showing they are protecting the country. The Saudi authorities asked the U.S. military to paint their tanks and jet fighters with Saudi colors and man them with U.S. personnel in order to avoid looking like the U.S. is in fact protecting the country. This request made someone flip at the Pentagon. The Pentagon was so angry with this request that they have refused even to respond to it. Bandar imagines that coloring U.S made, owned, and operated tanks with the Saudi flag and colors will keep fundamentalism away. He is willing to put the lives of U.S. soldiers at risk just to protect their staying in power and looting the country. This kind of exchange between two friendly nations makes you think about how the Saudis relate to their protectors and friends : Like slaves that can be bought with cheap oil..

Even though our administration stand by the corrupt royal family in Riyadh, the U.S. and world public need not to stand by this family. The stakes are high for oil is a source of modern life, but the stakes are higher if we let this family continue to rule because we are compromising tomorrow's values over today's economics. Common sense tells us that the world can no longer accept a family that is accountable to no one in a country rich with resources. Common sense tells us that total lack of freedom of expression died when communism fell. Common sense tells us that corruption is a crime against humanity.