Corrupt Regimes

Imperial Hubris Series

Imperial Hubris by Michael Scheuer, 2004, Excerpts

The U.S. has allied itself with regimes whose barbarism has long earned the Muslim world’s hatred. The Persian Gulf regimes – especially Saudi Arabia – are among the earth’s most corrupt, dictatorial, and oppressive. They rule peoples eager to be free of their yoke and who think their torturers survive because of U.S. protection. Washington and the West have supported the Muslim tyrannies Islamists seek to destroy. We have nothing in common with the regimes; the tie is based overwhelmingly on the West’s obsession with cheap oil.

Washington’s half-century record of safeguarding tyrannies entirely discredits for Muslims any claim we make of intending to build democracies. The creditability issues that result from America’s proven taste for any Muslim tyrant who maintains internal order and stability, peace with Israel, and low oil prices destroys what little democracy-building potential we may possess.

Few Muslims would oppose the destruction of these apostate governments that are among the planet’s most brutal, repressive, corrupt, and hypocritical, family ruled regimes that have the profits from oil sale to fund their own debauchery and rent the loyalty of their bankers, businessman, and academics.