You posted: It’s more to do with Islam... than nation states. Much more.
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I think you are on to something. When reports are made about the Saudis or Saudi Arabia, the reports may be speaking about the Saudi Government, Saudi leaders, Saudi citizens, terrorists who emanate from Saudi Arabia but who have no ties to the government, etc. I see little care in the reporting on these distinctions. I see frequent references to the fact that many or most of the b*stards who carried out 9/11 were Saudis. Were they backed by the government? If not, then this distinction must be mentioned, but it is not.
Analogous reporting in this country would say that the United States is involved in drive by shootings in many of its large cities. The government has nothing to do with that, but certain criminal elements do. The Oklahoma City bombing was carried out by an American, but we don’t assign blame to the American government.
Journalism in this country is getting sloppier daily.
Apples and pomegranates. The US is a democracy with elected leaders, but Saudi Arabia is a monarchy and the royal family IS the government. There are hundreds of Saudi princes who have varying degrees of responsibility in the government and it is believed by our government that several of them have been bankrolling radical imams, madrassas and insurgents.