The Saudis who fund terrorism

Aside from this definitely significant point that Saudis are funding terrorists who are killing several Americans a day, take a minute to read the reportorial "out" that Thomas Ricks cites for not reporting on this Saudi money being used to kill Americans.

Austin, Texas: We often see the press repeat the White House talking point about Iran supplying the insurgents with weapons, but we hardly ever see the press actually ask about the pretty well-known trail of money that leads from Saudi Arabia to the insurgents so they can buy those weapons. Is the press afraid of offending Saudi Arabia? Does that go against some establishment policy? Are they unwilling to investigate the source of insurgent funding for that reason?

Thomas E. Ricks: Your question goes to one of the vulnerabilties of journalism. There was a lot of quiet talk among US officers in Iraq about the role Iran was playing in Iraq, especially with sophisticated bombs, but you didn't see much talk in the media about the Iranian role until top US officers and and the Bush Administration started talking about it.

Likewise, if they started talking about the money trail from Saudi Arabian citizens, you'd see more stories about it. But they don't like to talk about it. It is something that many journalists ask about, but you have to have something to print beyond rumor.

I respect Thomas Ricks, and understand the argument that "you can't print rumor," but, you know, he is a reporter, isn't he? When did "the news" become what the government wants to talk about?

(And, citing the US claims on Iran is a very bad example of "publishing on fact" as the early reporting of that infamous Baghdad briefing has now been almost entirely debunked.)