John Solomon, Associated Press

WASHINGTON, 5 October 2003 — Saudi princes and their advisers are jetting across the United States for face-to-face meetings with Americans in an effort to dispel criticisms they have been soft on terrorism. The barnstorming from Los Angeles to Louisiana and beyond has been led by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the foreign minister; Prince Bandar, the Saudi ambassador; and two of Prince Saud’s advisers, Adel and Nail Al-Jubeir.

The Saudis have subtly criticized the Iraqi reconstruction, suggesting there was too much focus on removing Saddam Hussein and not enough planning on how Iraqis would be helped afterward. “The dialogue about Iraq in the United Nations before the war, during the war, and even after the war, has not been helpful by any means. This debate has considered everything under the sun except what to do to help Iraq,” Prince Saud told a gathering in Detroit. The Saudi officials field some candid questions from the Americans they meet. Chief among them — how could 15 of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers hailed from Saudi Arabia?

“Yes, 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi. But should everything else be forgotten, including the fact that we are being targeted by the same terrorists?” Saud answered at one stop. “It is inherently unfair to allow a group of deviant criminals to taint a nation of 16 million.”

The Saudis began the tour about a year ago after members of Congress, such as then-Senate Intelligence Committee leaders Bob Graham, a Florida Democrat, and Richard Shelby, an Alabama Republican, questioned the Saudis’ commitment to fighting terrorism.

The Saudis’ tour is designed like a political campaign. US President Harry Truman made such whistle-stop tours famous by train in the 1940s. The Saudis prefer a corporate jet. And instead of “Elect me,” the message is, “Trust me, Saudis are still America’s allies.”

“We wanted to go outside the (Washington) Beltway and interact with Americans. We want to shake their hand. We want to look them in the eye and tell them we are your friends,” said Adel Al-Jubeir, Saud’s foreign policy adviser who has visited more than a dozen cities.

Like the modern American politician, the Saudis have their own consultant, Washington-based Michael Petruzzello. Target cities are chosen carefully. Some are places like Houston and Dallas, which have huge business ties to Saudi Arabia and its oil. Others, like Alabama, are the backyard of some of the Saudi critics. Many of the Saudi appearances have generated letter-writing campaigns from business leaders to members of Congress.

Adel Al-Jubeir described a typical visit: A morning breakfast with business leaders, followed by an editorial board meeting with the local newspaper and several radio and TV interviews. A Rotary Club reception caps off the day.

The message at each stop is clear: Saudi Arabia has as much as the United States to fear from Osama Bin Laden. And while both could have done a better job before Sept 11, the two allies are working closer than ever to thwart terrorism.