I think he's both. He's a naturalized Saudi citizen, but because he was born in the U.S., he is also a U.S. citizen.
Interesting questions and debate. What is an "American"? What does it mean to be a United States citizen? If you ally yourself with terrorists or an enemy, is it treason? Do you abdicate the benefits of citizenry?
"Thousands of people from around the world will raise their right hands, swear allegiance to the United States, and become proud American citizens this weekend. They will become Americans because they choose to do so, they love what we stand for, and they are willing to renounce any loyalties to all other foreign governments in order to become one of us.
"And then there are "Americans" such as Yaser Esam Hamdi. These are "Americans" by accident. "Americans" on paper. "Americans" who invoke their citizenship privileges only when it comes time to save their hides or cash in on government benefits.
"Hamdi was born in East Baton Rouge, La., on Sept. 26, 1980. His parents were both citizens of Saudi Arabia. Hamdi's father was here on a temporary work assignment as a chemical engineer for the Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corp., a Saudi government-controlled industrial giant. When Hamdi was 3, his family went back to Saudi Arabia.
"For the next two decades, Hamdi was raised in the Saudi kingdom. He spoke their language, not ours. He went to their schools, not ours. He embraced their culture, their religion, and their way of life. Not ours.
"In late fall of 2001, Hamdi was captured in Afghanistan by our boys. He was armed with a Kalashnikov rifle, fighting as part of a Taliban or al-Qaeda unit, which surrendered to Northern Alliance forces. Our government declared him and hundreds of his comrades "enemy combatants" and sent them to Guantanamo Bay for interrogation and detention.
-Michelle Malkin
What makes An American?
http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=2914 So he was born in the US, so what?, look at all the illegals who come over the border, and squat out some bambinos. Sorry but I do not consider these citizens. Some new Constitutional Amendment must address this gap in our security.