“A briefing given last month [July 10, 2002] to a top Pentagon advisory board described Saudi Arabia as an enemy of the United States, and recommended that U.S. officials give it an ultimatum to stop backing terrorism or face seizure of its oil fields and its financial assets invested in the United States. ‘The Saudis are active at every level of the terror chain, from planners to financiers, from cadre to foot-soldier, from ideologist to cheerleader,’ stated the explosive briefing. It was presented…to the Defense Policy Board, a group of prominent intellectuals and former senior officials that advises the Pentagon on defense policy. ‘Saudi Arabia supports our enemies and attacks our allies,’ said the briefing prepared by Laurent Murawiec, a Rand Corp. analyst. A talking point attached to the last of 24 briefing slides went even further, describing Saudi Arabia as ‘the kernel of evil, the prime mover, the most dangerous opponent’ in the Middle East.”
– Thomas E. Ricks, “Briefing Depicted Saudis as Enemies,” The Washington Post, Aug. 6, 2002