Disclose Saudi Loans to U.S., Ask Former White House Spokesman, Robert Weiner and James Lewis, National Security Analyst; Only Oil Cartel Countries' Debt Is Secret

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Former White House and House Government Operations Committee spokesman, Robert Weiner, and National Security Analyst, James Lewis, call on the Treasury department to "disclose Saudi loans to the U.S." in an op-ed today in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

The Treasury Department "refuses to disclose how much we owe Saudi Arabia and other oil nations" but "discloses what we owe China ($896 billion), Japan ($877 billion), Britain ($512 billion), Brazil ($184 billion), and most countries."

"Oil countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Libya, and Venezuela, hold a fifth ($210 billion) of U.S. debt. OPEC, the Saudi-ruled cartel, manipulates oil and gasoline prices."

"They are taking what we pay at the pump and loaning it back to us."

Weiner and Lewis question the economic and military relationship with "the homeland of fifteen of the nineteen 9-11 hijackers" and "one of the most repressive governments. They batter their women, hide them under shawls, and force them to marry young and have sex; women cannot vote or drive."

Weiner and Lewis point out "DOD agreed to sell the Saudis $60 billion in military equipment and training – the largest U.S. arms deal in history"

"If their nation is a harbor for terrorists against us, why are we supplying them arms?  We are boxed into their debt, and we owe them.  If the American people are being blackmailed, shouldn't we know to what extent?"

Weiner and Lewis made direct inquires to the Treasury Department and only received a "formal non-statement: 'Treasury has been reporting this data in the same way for many years.  The Treasury Department General Counsel is reviewing how this information is disclosed to the public.'"

Treasury is continuing the Bush-Cheney policy of, "Basically, you can wait for Godot before we'll tell you," they say.

Weiner and Lewis assert, "We have a right to know how much money we owe to whom. It's our money."

Link: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/fl-saudi-arabia-loans-forum-0203-20110203,0,2447637.story

Contact: Bob Weiner/Gavriel Swerling 301-283-0821/202-306-1200

SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates