“As President Obama considers what to do about Afghanistan, it is important that he hear perspectives from all sides concerned about that critical region. In Riyadh, it is clear that the Taliban are not becoming more popular in Afghanistan, as some have claimed. … Nor are the Taliban a cohesive or uniform political party, with a chain of command and a political manifesto. … Nor is merely disabling Osama bin Laden enough, as some suggest. He has become not only the symbol of opposition to the world order, in general, and the US, in particular, but he is looked upon by disaffected youth — and not just Muslims — as the indomitable, untouchable and indestructible Robin Hood.” (10/13/09)