I hope this site becomes a place for dialogue and the exchange of ideas. I want to raise consciousness about issues and stories that don't always make the headlines. I believe that global awareness makes a person smarter and ultimately more human. I'm grossed out by what some "news" outlets masquerade as news. It seems that so many of these outlets cover international stories only when there's catastrophe or war. It's a shame.

There are so many fascinating people doing important things out there. As a journalist I've been blessed with the opportunity to travel all over the world. I want this to be a place for everyone to find out about people and organizations that I've encountered that are doing good work. I'd like to share some of my experiences and invite all of you to share your thoughts and stories you think should be told. Let's expand our horizons together!

North Korea
A trip to one of the most isolated countries on the planet
Child Trafficking: India
In India, there are millions of children who are being forced to work as slaves.
Inside Maximum Security
Unprecedented access to SAC -- a maximum-security men's prison.
Female Suicide Bombers
Increasingly, women are using their bodies to deliver an attack.
Meth: The World's Most Dangerous Drug
An exploration the impact meth is having on societies in Portland, Omaha and Bangkok
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There is certainly no shortage of issues that should demand our attention, but here’s a list of some that I think are of vital importance. Please share with me your thoughts on these and issues that are of concern to you.
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April 02, 2008 5:05 PM  (go back to main view)
Saudi Arabia...hello!!!!!!

Which country remains the leading source of money for Al Qaeda and other extremeist groups? Not Pakistan, not Iraq, not Afghanisatan. It's our "ally," upon which we are extremely dependant: Saudi Arabia. If we recall, the majority of the 9/11 hijackers were from here. It's in ironic that though we are engaged in multiple conflicts overseas, Saudi Arabia is hardly ever mentioned. It isn't discussed by the candidates running for President.

The Bush Administration's top financial counter-terrorism official, Treasury Undersecretary Stuart A. Levy told a Senate Committee that the Saudi government has not done enough ot prevent wealthy Saudis from bankrolling extremeism. He did not want to directly criticize a U.S. ally, but he acknowlegded frustration with administration efforts to persuade the Saudis to act.

Its moments like these when I wish the American people would start asking more questions rather than believing the pontification and propaganda that they see on TV. If we were really fighting the "War on Terror," we must get out of bed with those who are financing it. This isn't an assualt on the administration, it's an overture to all Americans--myself included--to THINK about how reliant we are on a country from which it is known that the financing of terrorism comes. It is one of the world's biggest abusers of human rights and is one of the most closed countries on earth. American journalists are almost never allowed in. This is our partner?

Are we prepared to think critically and be proactive about reducing our reliance on foreign oil?

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon said that the Saudi failures mean that Americans who pay more than $100 a barrel for oil are in effect, bacnkrolling extremeism because wealthy Saudi's "backdoor" thier profits into charities that fund extremeist causes.

Let's wake up.

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Blog Comments (9):
Posted by  on

The US already rules Saudi Arabia. Under cover. That's why US won't benefit from blaming it on the Saudis, because Saudi Arabia leaders are their puppets! We both know that America planned 9/11 (along with Saudi Arabia) to harass (MORE) those poor countries mentioned there, and to have a "reason" for starting a war on them.

Just get over it already, people!
And hate the big heads.
Yeah.



Posted by  on
From the last two comments, we can see how different people are. Americans think their government is Saudi's puppets because of oil and money. Saudi's think their government is American's puppets because ...

But one thing is clear. The Americans are not Jihadists and they live in today's world. Some Saudi's are Jihadists and they live in the world of 2000 years ago and refuse to change because what their God said has and will never change. I think if they relly want to follow their God, they should not drive cars, they should ride camels.
Posted by  on
"...Because you seem to be really distorted and unaware."

You have to be delusional if you think that funding originating from Saudi Arabia does not play a major role in funding Islamic extremism throughout the world. Not only do the Saudis practice Wahhabism, a radical form of Islam, but their Human Rights violations and are well known. It is common knowledge that the Saudis have massive amounts of capital in the US, and it is not directly addressed because this would lead OPEC (you may have heard of it), which controls a significant amount of oil that reaches America, would restrict oil supplies and cause the American economy to plummet as a result. I can imagine that any rapid American initiatives to rid itself of oil dependency would lead OPEC to cut off supplies as well and cripple the American economy before alternatives could be utilized. So you see, America is trapped in this arrangement, and it is largely their own fault for building up such a huge dependency on oil over the years.

Nice history facts, why don't you open up a newspaper, remove your own 'black glasses', and wake up? Because you have no idea what you are talking about.
Posted by  on
Well the Saudis were not the reason for those attacks just like the Americans were not the reason for killing millions of Iraqis and Afghanis. From the Saudi side was Osama who is originally Yemeni who grew up in SA and recruited outcasts and psychopaths from allover the "world" Blame the world now!!. He was funded by the US in the Afghani-Russian war, he was a helper. George Bush, helped to kill many innocents but nobody is blaming the American people, Why? Because not the Americans who did that but George bush Kabeesh?! Osama and his gang were expelled and exiled from Saudi Arabia before 9/11 precisley in the 90s, 10 years before the inhumane attacks on the WTC towers. He hated the Americans for intervening in the war of desert storm because he thought that Saddam could be stopped and impeached by the people of the same region, not by and outsider who apparently know very well and dealt with in the 80s, in Afghanistan. If the Saudis were responsible why would not they be exposed?. Not because the money SA has in the US but because there are no connections whatsoever. So try again!!!! Live in SA then come and Talk about it. I bet that you have never talked with A Saudi ever in your life so hush. And what you referred to as Terrorism funding, was donation from poor Saudis to help friendly and poor nations around the Islamic world. If the donations and charities to help poor countries to reconstruct the damage that has been caused on their land because of the superpowers today considered illegal then say BYE BYE to humanities. And please don't refer all this to the people because they don't know where their donations were going, but rather look at the tip of the pyramid and you will eventually find the cause. The government and the people of Saudi Arabia didn't forget the help of the US in the desert war, because Americans helped Saudis, and politically and logically, there is no reason for the Saudis to hurt the US. I would suggest that you read more and try to take off the black glasses that you are wearing and stay away from racists and biased people and you will be fine. Because you seem to be really distorted and unaware.

Stop the Generalization.
Posted by  on
The Saudi's are holding over one trillion US$ in US Treasury Bills and Federal Reserve Bonds. They could squash the US economy like a bug and destabilize the entire nation by pushing a button. Any politicians who even mention the Saudi's are either bought or destroyed by the International Bankers.
Posted by  on
The question is why they still hate us even with all these business and money?

The answer is because we don't believe in Islam. Even worse, it's because most of the westerns believe in Christianity which is their historical enemy. Particularly bad, because the westerns embedded Jews in their heart land.
If we stopped even doing business with them then it would be disastrous.

So this will not change until one day renaissance happens in the Islam world or Israel disappears.
Posted by  on
Great post, but believe me, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Here's my own effort to ask questions (and find answers) about our so-called "friends and allies", the Saudis:

http://www.asecondlookatthesaudis.com

Posted by  on
Your politicians dare not criticise the Saudi's because your gas guzzling economy depends upon keeping them friendly. My own government in the Uk dare not criticise the backhanders that have been paid by various defence contractors to particular members of theSaudi Royal family because we do not want to lose the Saudi's business. The sycophantic way in which we all ignore their influence in world terrorism is demeaning to all of the true democracies thru the world.
Posted by  on
I was waiting for someone to point that out.
Why am I not surprised that it is you!

Well done, Lisa!

P.S. You may want to change your Oprah appearence on your schedule page from the 8th to the 4th so more people get to see it....
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