The media’s reaction to Seymour Hersh’s bin Laden scoop has been disgraceful

[OilemFirchen]

94. Bergen's observation about bin Laden's relationship to Saudi Arabia is an important key.

I get the impression that some here don't recall, don't know, or willfully ignore what set off the wealthy bin Laden in the first place:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beliefs_and_ideology_of_Osama_bin_Laden

Bin Laden was born in Saudi Arabia and had a close relationship with the Saudi royal family, but his opposition to the Saudi government stemmed from his radical ideology. The Saudi decision to allow the U.S. military into the country in 1990 to defend against a possible attack by Saddam Hussein upset bin Laden, although he was not necessarily opposed to the royal family at this time or going to war with Iraq and even offered to send his mujahedeen from Afghanistan to defend Saudi Arabia should Iraq attack, an offer which was rebuked by King Fahd. From his point of view, "for the Muslim Saudi monarchy to invite non-Muslim American troops to fight against Muslim Iraqi soldiers was a serious violation of Islamic law".

Bin Laden, in his 1996 declaration entitled "Declaration of War against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Places", identified several grievances that he had about Saudi Arabia, the birthplace and holy land of Islam. Bin Laden said these grievances about Saudi Arabia:

List of nine grievances follow - excised for fair use.

Bin Laden wanted to overthrow the Saudi monarchy (and the governments of Middle Eastern states)[18] and establish an "Islamic Republic" according to Shari'a law (Islamic Holy Law), to "unite all Muslims and to establish a government which follows the rule of the Caliphs.

The notion that the Sauds were providing him assistance is ludicrous.