After September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, America has been able to put together a sizable multinational alliance to combat terrorism (Gold, 2004). Any countries in this alliance, though, are insignificant in the war against terrorism. Furthermore, the ability of certain coalition members to combat terrorism has been called into question. For example, a review of their documents reveals that some of these countries seem to be part of the problem rather than part of the solution to international terrorism. These issues are particularly acute in relation to Pakistan, China, and Saudi Arabia. Arguably, Saudi Arabia only joined the war on terror coalition out of pressure from the US after the September 11 attacks. Despite being a member of the coalition on terror, Saudi Arabia’s contribution has been very minimal and appears to be forced upon the state. For instance, Saudi Arabia rejected the request of the US to use its military bases during the operations against Osama in Afghanistan (Cordesman & Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2009). In the past, the American government has always stated that it would treat state-sponsors of terrorism, in the same manner, it deals with terrorist organizations. In this regard, if Washington is serious about implementing this policy, Saudi Arabia should have been included in the list of states that sponsor terrorism.
The Saudi government has been the primary sponsor and financier of various terrorist groups such as the Taliban, Hamas, Al, Qaeda, and recently ISIS among other terror organizations all over the globe. Most of these funding and support is channeled to terrorist organizations by the Saudi Arabian monarchy through suspicious charitable activities and organizations. Some of the schools and religious organizations funded by the Saudi monarchy have become sources of jihadists all over the world because they teach Muslim children indoctrinated versions of Islam commonly referred to as the “Wahhabi Islam” (Cordesman & Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2009). This doctrine teaches children and adolescents that US is not only the core of infidel authority and power, but also a big threat to the existence and spread of Islam. Therefore, students from such schools are potential recruits for terrorist and extremist groups.
Saudi Arabia is an absolute theocratic monarchy governed through extreme Islamic laws referred to as Sharia. The extreme sharia rules coupled by the Wahhabi Islamic doctrine go against human right regulations. Some terrorist organizations such as ISIS are also governed by the same Sharia laws and Wahhabi Islamic doctrine that originated in the Saudi kingdom. The Saudi government has been accused of violating human rights especially against people who express their dissent or opposition to the Wahhabi doctrine preached by the monarchy (Ehrenfeld, 2005). Those who oppose the Wahhabi doctrine upon which most terrorist organizations anchor their beliefs are often executed through beheading and crucifixion. The US war on terrorism can only be won if it can stop the spread of the Wahhabi doctrine propagated by the Saudi Arabian monarchy, which feeds radical and extremist groups ideology.
In the recent past, the Saudi Arabian monarchy has spent more than $100 billion to export its Wahhabi interpretation of Islam all over the world (Cordesman & Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2009). This ideology is channeled through charitable aid by targeting poor Muslim nations and refugee camps where there is a huge population of indigent, illiterate, oppressed, and uneducated people (Cordesman, 2006). In addition, the Saudi elite are known to fund or contribute significantly to the operations of most Sunni-based terrorist groups all over the world. However, it has been a significant challenge for the international community to convince the Saudi government to treat funding directed at terrorist activities or groups as a critical problem that supports terrorism because most of it is channeled through charitable and humanitarian organizations.
Regardless of the role of Saudi Arabia in the war against terrorism, it is evident that the state supports violent extremist groups and reinforces this through the Wahhabi doctrine of Islam. Despite American and coalition allies bombing al-Nusra, Saudi Arabia continues to fund this Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria (Norton, 2016). However, regardless of the brutality and support for extremism exhibited by the Saudi monarchy, the US continues to perceive the country as a critical ally in security and counterterrorism initiatives. The US offers diplomatic, financial, and military cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
References
Cordesman, A. H. (2006). Saudi Arabia: friend or foe in the war on terror?. Middle East Policy, 13(1), 1-28.
Cordesman, A. H., & Center for Strategic and International Studies (Washington, D.C.). (2009). Saudi Arabia: National security in a troubled region. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger Security International.
Ehrenfeld, R. (2005). Funding Evil: How Terrorism is Financed--and how to Stop it. New York: Bonus Books, Inc.
Gold, D. (2004). Hatred's kingdom: How Saudi Arabia supports the new global terrorism. Washington, D.C: Regnery Pub.
Norton, B. (2016). Saudi Arabia funds and exports Islamic extremism: The truth behind the toxic U.S. relationship with the theocratic monarchy. Retrieved from http://www.salon.com/2016/01/06/saudi_arabia_funds_and_exports_islamic_extremism_the_truth_behind_the_toxic_u_s_relationship_with_the_theocratic_nation/
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