EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Those who assert that Saudi Arabian involvement in the Afghani-Soviet conflict directly links the Kingdom with Islamic militancy are neglecting the fact that neither Saudi Arabia nor the United States were allowed to be involved in the day-to-day operations of the clash. It was, in fact, Pakistan who created and used the militant and fundamentalist Muslim movement as a tool to manage troubles that might spill over the border into Pakistan . In their efforts, the Pakistani government greatly increased the number of religious schools, or madrasas, in order to collect and mobilize Afghani youth to fight the Soviet Union . Upon the Soviet withdrawal, these schools would give rise the Taliban. It was the inter-state movement of people organized primarily by the Pakistanis and Muslim Brotherhood that connected the various singular Muslim entities and imparted them with the organizational and military skills they employ today. So, while the Saudis and the CIA were involved in the conflict, the incubator of modern militant Islam was Pakistan . As both Saudi and US involvement aided in ridding Afghanistan of the Soviet Union , they also facilitated Pakistan �s creation of the breeding ground for al Qaeda. Now the two nations must unite under the new common goal of ridding the Middle East of the militant fundamentalists.

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What are Saudi attitudes toward terrorism, bin Laden, and the United States?  These are questions that have plagued U.S. policymakers and the American people for the past two years.

However, despite deep concern, to date, no comprehensive study has been conducted into Saudi attitudes on these critical questions.  There have been some partial efforts. A Gallup poll of Saudi opinion conducted in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks pointed to strong negative feelings about the U.S. and a state of denial regarding the attacks themselves.   A later Zogby International (ZI) poll conducted in April 2002 noted that the root of Saudi, and general Arab, alienation from the U.S. was their deep frustration with American policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  

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