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The former US Treasury attache to Saudi Arabia on the strong Saudi relationship and women's rights
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But we have Morgan -- -- -- who's a Saudi -- expert she's an American diplomat.
She is now.
Rip.
Well -- tell you where she is now which is former US Treasury Department official.
As -- to -- Saudi Arabia where you spent a lot of time as well as other -- in the Middle East do you think so I'm struck with about the Saudi US connection -- -- Saudi Arabia in.
Terrorism -- as a -- ten years ago.
We found -- a lot of the terrorists to attack the Twin Towers were from Saudi Arabia bin Laden is originally from Saudi Arabia.
We know that the saudis have supported madrassas in Pakistan and al-Qaeda -- -- Saudi Arabia ten years later.
You know that the Saudi Arabia has really evolved over the past -- years I think initially after 9/11 there was quite a bit of denial that it could have been there -- people involved in such a horrendous attack.
And over the past ten years you've seen a lot of things happened in Saudi Arabia I think the relationship with the US has strengths and and interestingly you also saw al-Qaeda turn on the Saudi Arabian government explain that -- happened so over the past six to seven years there have been many threats in Saudi Arabia there where there's been assassination attempts against Mohamed -- and I F.
The conference's son who is the deputy at the ministry of interior.
There were bombings in Riyadh the US consulate was attacked agenda.
So I think that.
Once these things started happening in Saudi the government and and the people in charge of the ministry of interior really realize that we have a problem here we have to deal with it is now the terrorists have turned on us.
And so look how of this house that manifests itself and have they gone after terrorists have they helped us find Terrence.
Yes absolutely they have really strengthen the ministry of interior and the various services.
That work to -- after.
Illicit organizations.
You've seen probably one of the strongest relationships that the US government has on the counter -- site is with the Saudi Arabian government some very strong.
Very useful relationship I think for both sides I think we've we've seen a lot of cooperation with the saudis.
And -- been really great partners on on the counter terrorism side.
-- Funding the saudis have historically done sort of with two hands on one hand as you -- there helping us they're helping us find bad guys.
You're helping her track down terrorist financing but on the other hand some members of the Saudi royal family.
Continue to be one of the major sources of funding for -- -- for Islamist movements that.
Nationwide.
How do you figure.
Interestingly at the Treasury Department this is one of the main things that that we focused on and that I focused on -- that is the treasury attache to Saudi Arabia.
And I would say we really have a turning point about three or four years ago.
With the saudis on the subject of a financial terrorism.
It's a very complex.
The problem to deal -- in fact.
We have issues dealing with in the US because it involves.
Looking for the financial sector looking to spot -- list -- crimes so what we started doing is really working with the saudis on the counterterrorism site to show them.
You know the the reporting of the things that we were saying that.
That would you have -- obviously nefarious activity.
And anything that we've really -- that -- really that is is in our partnership we've trained the saudis think this is how you look for for -- sort of nefarious an illegal activity in -- is sort of -- how you connect the dots.
I would say that that that the saudis really have made incredible progress.
Over the past few years in dealing with the finance issue.
I think -- age when it comes to funding madrassas and and various.
Moscow around the world especially in Pakistan and South Asia I think it's it's an interesting balance for the saudis because they want to obviously -- -- believe very deeply in Islam.
The event that the birthplace of -- and Medina and then of all of the holy sites so I think on one hand they would like to continue to you know obviously helped.
-- religion overseas and fun this contrast says but we've encouraged them to mean the really -- a strong look at what happens in the madrassas that that their funding.
Are they training grounds for terrorists aren't had a recruitment area for -- Exactly I mean I think it's a case by case basis and it's something that you that the security services have to monitor and something we've obviously encourage them to do that's.
About you the relationship between -- -- in Saudi Arabia has certainly been very close sign out -- when I was in the Reagan administration.
It was a very close relationship the saudis helped us and the Cold War by pumping more out driving down the price of -- even to their own disadvantage.
But we've seen in the last year.
Where -- relationship between the Obama administration and the saudis seeds have been afraid.
-- -- perspective.
I would say having been there and having been on the ground that we have maintained a close relationship I think it's in Saudi Arabia's interest.
-- to have the US -- a partner -- -- just as as well to work with them in their region.
I think -- Arab Spring changed a lot of things and I really at times I think X.
I think the Saudi government probably question who.
Who are friends who's the US loyalty and after -- -- Mubarak.
Yeah I start -- the -- exactly I I think it's a strong relationship I mean obviously we're incredibly dependent on their oil they realized that and there's there's a variety of ways in which that we work together this.
-- places where we disagree women's rights and in human rights and other issues and I think so it's.
For me as a as a person has been a diplomat for the US government -- really interesting.
Dichotomy.
In our relationship because we have so many issues that are really important that we work together -- Yet at the same time we have so many issues that we disagree on so the one of the more fascinating relationship -- think the us government house.
Arab Spring spinster -- out -- -- -- He you know King Abdullah by Saudi standards it has been quite the -- I have always been fascinated by what he's actually done for women and many people.
Normally where where where where it's like I'm everything that's why women drive services you know stone -- society right.
But one of the things that he has since he's built he's he's building -- university for women called the princess -- university in Riyadh.
And we have more students than I think more saudis than ever -- into the US for education.
And so I think what he's done to move -- women's rights forward is to really.
Educate women and I would say for the first time men and history of the country and certainly of this people women are being educated women are going to work.
It's not always easy I think Saudi women face the -- same struggles that you and I face in America about working in balancing.
Oh my gosh darn it and I think I am -- -- and say -- forgot her name but I think it's -- complete that people are people women -- women no matter where you are and so I I I.
Really think it's important with the king has done to promote women being educated in advanced degrees.
And also if he saw recently I think it was last fall.
He said that he would give the women's right to vote in the next municipal elections but what's even more important in my opinion is that he said that he would nominate women to the -- council.
And the Shura Council is is a legislative bodies so to speak.
Obviously it's not a democracy there but the Shura Council does have teeth and they do that they do work with the council of ministers -- seeking to create legislation for the country.
And the fact that women might be considered in the Shura Council is of it's a -- -- step forward for Saudi Arabia.
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