Rob Andrews: “after 12 years of difficult negotiation, Saudi Arabia joined the World Trade Organization last November. This was good…”

“after 12 years of difficult negotiation, Saudi Arabia joined the World Trade Organization last November. This was good news--the Saudi government has the potential to further join the world community as a responsible actor on the world stage, and the Saudi economy is a large one that will benefit from international trade, as will the U.S. in turn from increased commerce with the Arab nation. However, the Saudis are yet again missing a unique opportunity to reform, blinded by an irrational hatred of their neighbor, Israel. This is part of a larger fabric of unacceptable behavior on the part of Saudi Arabia, which seeks greater ties with the West while maintaining its autocratic and anti-democratic policies. State- sponsored Saudi TV regularly broadcasts not just anti-Israeli diatribes, but anti-American propaganda as well, further encouraging the attitudes that lead to terrorism. The fact that Saudi nationals continue to significantly fund international terrorism, as reported this week by the U.S. Treasury Department, means that Saudis have a long way to go to match their anti-terror rhetoric with their actions. As I have in the past, I once again call on Saudi leader Prince Faisal to take responsibility for his government's actions which promote hatred and the repercussions it has on Saudi Arabia's relations with other countries.…”