Saturday, the FBI announced it was investigating whether the Saudi government funded students who assisted two of the 9/11 hijackers. Only this summer, a top Pentagon official told me there was no connection between the Saudi government and the September 11th attacks. Quite understandably that was all he could say in light of the Administration's policy. What is disturbing, if not surprising, is that the Administration stubbornly continues to downplay the Saudi government's complicity and perhaps direct involvement in al Qaeda's funding, so as not to distract from its war plans for Iraq.

It would behoove Americans to recall that in 1945 president Franklin Roosevelt and King Abdul-Aziz Ibn Saud agreed that the U.S. would protect Saudi Arabia from foreign threats and in return would gain preferred access to Saudi oil. Implied in this deal, was that the U.S. would overlook the autocratic nature of the Saudi government, as it was a vital buffer against communist incursion.

Much has changed since 1945, but this bargain has endured because it remains highly profitable for leaders on both sides--but at what cost? Unfortunately, 9/11 and other previous al Qaeda attacks are probably only the beginning of the cost to the U.S. But the Saudi government may also eventually pay, as the clash on November 16th and November 17th between Saudi security forces and young disciples of bin Laden hinted.

Obviously the Bush administration is not willing to sever ties to Saudi Arabia, to pull out our troops, close our bases, and pay $5 dollars/gallon or more at the gas pump. But, if the Administration and Congress are going to be serious about eliminating al Qaeda, then they must bring enormous pressure to bear on the Saudi government to completely cooperate in apprehending and bringing to justice private citizens or officials that have aided al Qaeda. No doubt this will be tricky, as the money has probably come from the highest levels. However, to ignore this, as the Administration would like, is a mistake we cannot afford to make.

Last month the Washington Post reported that U.S. intelligence named about a dozen of al Qaeda's Saudi financiers and that the Treasury Department is sending officials to Europe to gain cooperation in freezing their assets. These private Saudi citizens have apparently been funding al Qaeda all along and enjoy the protection of the government. This is no secret and the Administration knows it, but has so far been unwilling to take the drastic action necessary to cut terrorist funding.

Two months ago, the Wall Street Journal cited the example of an alleged al Qaeda logistics chief and Saudi businessman who was recently detained by Saudi police, after he was named in a private lawsuit brought by victims of the World Trade Center attacks. If we knew about him, why didn't we present him with a one-way ticket from Prince Sultan Air Base to Guantánamo Bay?

The truth is, we know very well where the money is coming from, even though American officials insist it's difficult to track the many cash transactions involved. It is difficult, but it's significantly harder when you're not even willing to try.

Jonathan Reingold is a former research associate at the World Policy Institute.

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