Saudi media are now the most reliable outlets for US propaganda. It is without exaggeration that I say that US officials are more frequent guests on AlArabiya TV than on US networks. I certainly see Condoleezza Rice on Saudi media more than I see her on Fox News. This has increased now that the US government--I am judging as an observer--has all but given up on the expensive but failed Hurra TV and Sawa radio. (Why are we still funding them? We should organize a group for taxpayers-against-continued-funding-of-failed-Arab-media). And Saudi media is where you watch the on-going Syrian-Saudi conflict. Lately, they seem to derive particular pleasure from reporting on secret messages between the Syrian government and Israel--perhaps to cover up the negotiations between Israeli and Saudi officials. I asked Syria's ambassador in Washington, DC about the news of the secret messages between Syria and Israel (Imad Mustafa, as I always say, is a decent and competent man--and I tell him and tell others that his government does not deserve him). He wrote to me: "I can categorically deny it, and you can confirm that. Whenever the Israelis send us a message through a third party about the need to conduct discreet and secret talks, our response has invariably been: we don't understand the need for 'secrecy' , our position on Syrian-Israeli talks is well known and publicly announced. We do not believe that 'secret' talks would lead to any constructive results, they will only help Israel create an atmosphere of doubts, conspiracies and betrayals. This is exactly what Israelis are trying to do when they 'leak' news about secret meetings or secret channels between Israel and Syria." Saudi media are so eager to cover up Saudi troubles with counter-propaganda. Displeased with press reports about the Saudi corruption scandal in the Yamama arms' deal, AlArabiya TV yesterday was reporting about some Qatari arms' deal. I searched the internet--where Walid Jumblat finds his "documents"--and could not found anything on that. And where else but in the Saudi media would you read such probing interrogation of US officials (this from the interview with Rice on Al-Arabiya): " QUESTION: And that national reconciliation is very important in Iraq. Obviously, some countries have contributed on this, such as Saudi Arabia. Are you expecting a wider role from Saudi Arabia in the future to help on this regard?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, Saudi Arabia has been active in helping on Iraq. They've been very active on the Sunni outreach side, working with tribes and others to try to bring Sunnis into the process. Iraqi leaders have gone there to visit, including Prime Minister Maliki. I hope Saudi Arabia will also do more to help stabilize Iraq."