Al Gore Event Funded by Bin Laden's Family

[Ryan Ruck]

Al Gore Event Funded by Bin Laden's Family

The Saudi Arabia seminar that was addressed by former Vice President Al Gore over the weekend in a speech that criticized the U.S. for being too tough on Arabs was sponsored, in part, by Osama bin Laden's family.

On Saturday, the state-run Saudi news outlet Arab News reported that the Jeddah Economic Forum, where Gore spoke, was funded by "Saudi Arabian Airlines, the Saudi BinLadin Group, Gulf One Investment Bank, Saudi Basic Industries Corp." and an array of other big companies with ties to the Middle East.

The Saudi BinLadin Group - which is Saudi Arabia's largest construction company - is run by Osama bin Laden's brothers and cousins. Jeddah, the site of the forum attended by Gore, is Osama bin Laden's hometown.

Although family members claim they've disowned bin Laden, his mother told reporters after the 9/11 attacks that she received advanced warning from him that something big was about to happen.

A wealthy bin Laden niece also reportedly abandoned her lower Manhattan apartment three weeks before the 9/11 attacks.

The BinLadin Group's longtime involvement in the Jeddah forum has been widely reported in the Mideast and European press.

In January 2002, ex-President Clinton addressed the JEF, which paid him $267,000 for his speech. According to London's Financial Times:

"The conference was dominated by the Saudis' desire to overcome the pressures of September 11 and strengthen U.S.-Saudi ties . . . The BinLadin Group, one of the forum's backers, has been battered by its association with Osama."

Other JEF speakers that year included President Bush's younger brother, Neil.

It's not known whether - or how much - Mr. Gore was paid for his speech.

[Sean Osborne]

AlGore... . He should be accused of and tried for treason; aiding and abetting enemies of the United States while on foreign soil. He's certainly learned from the Clinton machine. Bill did the same thing while visiting Moscow during 'Nam. I will never understand why so many American's hold these people in such high esteem and actually elected them to the highest offices in the land.

[Aplomb]

I will never understand why so many American's hold these people in such high esteem and actually elected them to the highest offices in the land.

The "woe is me" crowd loves the politicians who seems to give them their rights. People aren't taught to be critical thinkers or to investigate anything, taking the commercials and the news media portrayals as facts. We all need to change that. Reach those around you in your relatives homes, learn more, pass on additional information, vote, become precinct delegates, and post here and elsewhere so that the truth is available for people to see and comprehend. It's a disgrace that people vote without any real knowledge of who and what they are actually voting for and that they are voting in a self-centered manner. I know because I have done that in the past as well.

Just to illustrate the point, let me say that I visited some of my relatives in Ohio and found out that my neice was about to be hired for the first time. She and her mother and the family was proud of her and applauding her for her first real job outside of babysitting. I had to explain to them, much to their dismay and anger with me that planned parenthood is the number one abortion provider. They argued with me, thinking that they only assist with family planning and birth control. I presented a calm and informative little educational endeavor, along with telling them that they can verify that information in libararies and through Right to Life and to even ask them at the center if they do any abortions. The visit became strained. But she did not take the job. Can you imagine that if nobody had had the knowledge or the guts to say anything how long a teenager would have been a part of that until she quit or how long she would have stayed to justify her guilt?

It's the same thing with politicians and issues. You have to be the one to say something, even if those around you think otherwise because you may be the only one around who knows something that can change an attitude or a decision. It isn't fun to make waves but it may save America.