May 30, 2004

Baer's Sleeping With the Devil

If you are not yet appalled by the Saudi government, and by how the American political system deals with it, you might want to read (or skim) Robert Baer’s Sleeping With the Devil. Because you really should be appalled by these things. Baer's book is an arresting read. And it’s filled with all sorts of terrifying anecdotes that show the royal state to basically be a totalitarian kleptocracy run by sex fiends who are determined to maintain their rule at any cost (c'mon, doesn't THAT sound like beach reading?). For many years the costs have included serving as the bank and breeding ground for a host of radical Islamic clerics and terrorist groups. As if that’s not frightening enough, Baer’s other target of ridicule is how the complicit the United States is in allowing all this to happen. The level to which the Saudis are plugged into the political classes in DC, and of course into the American economy generally, is gut-wrenching. Of course the saddest part of the whole situation is that there is no obvious way to fix this menacing situation.

Posted by armand at May 30, 2004 04:21 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Books


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