Today marks the anniversary of attacks not only on the United States, but also on US-Saudi Arabian relations. The perpetrators of those outrages claimed the lives of 3,000 people - from more than 90 countries and of many religions. They attacked symbols of a world in the making, a world that held - and still holds - the promise of tolerance, of progress, of an improved standard of living, and of greater understanding among peoples around the globe.
Among the specific targets of those attacks was the 60 years of cooperation and friendship between the people of the United States of America and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
One of the tragedies of Sept. 11 is the popular confusion that has arisen about the relationship between our countries. In both countries, for some segments of the population, rational thought has been replaced by emotion fed by ignorance, fear and misinformation and, sometimes, outright lies. This has led many to a state of anger that is harmful to both countries. This must not be permitted to continue.
We cannot allow demagogues to define our relationship. We cannot silently consent as perverters of truth try to shatter the friendship and fellowship that Americans and Saudis have experienced for over two generations. Tens of thousands of Americans have lived and worked in Saudi Arabia. An equal number of Saudis have lived and worked in the United States. These people - the ones with direct experience - must speak up now to make it known that we are not enemies, but respectful friends.
Nor can we allow perverters of religion to separate the world and provoke a clash of civilizations. The perpetrators of last year's attacks attempted to give their actions legitimacy by cloaking their motives in the language of religion. Serious thinkers and religious leaders have seen through this deception and have condemned the terrorist acts for what they were. President George W. Bush and his Administration acknowledged this, clearly and repeatedly, saying, "The United States is not at war with Islam."
The United States and Saudi Arabia have reached the places we now hold in the world through different histories and traditions. At times, we do not agree on issues, but we can discuss them and seek mutually acceptable solutions. But we must do this with respect for those different histories and traditions. To do this, we must improve our knowledge of each other.
Americans generally do not know much about Saudi Arabia. But then, neither do Saudis know much about the United States. We must both make greater efforts to reduce this ignorance. If Sept. 11 had any positive effect, it was to make many Americans realize that they did not know enough about the Middle East and Islam. Over the past year Americans have sought to learn. Books about Islam and the countries of the Middle East have topped bestseller lists. Americans have gone online, using the Internet to read newspapers based in the region to find out for themselves what is going on. The American media, with mixed results, have attempted to gain a better idea of the facts of the region, frequently by visiting Saudi Arabia. On the whole, this is commendable, as knowledge leads to wisdom.
But it is equally important that Saudi Arabians also learn more about the United States, its people and culture. Satellite television programs do not tell the story of America, though they may tell American stories. TV programs do not tell how Americans are among the most religious people in the world, for example, with over 65 percent saying that they regularly attend religious services.
Scores of American universities offer programs in Middle Eastern Studies; some even have entire schools dedicated to that discipline. I would very much like to see schools of American Studies develop in Saudi Arabia.
I stand ready to dedicate our resources to help with the establishment of such institutions and to preserve the relationship that has served US and Saudi interests so well for the past 60 years.
