Kansas State Collegian January 25, 2007
Outgoing Saudi ambassador to give first 2007 Landon Lecture; Saudi students invited as special guests to lecture
first 2007 Landon Lecture Friday.
Appointed ambassador on July 20, 2005, Prince Turki al-Faisal is the 147th lecturer in the lecture series' 40-year history. Charles Reagan, chairman of the Landon Lecture series, said he invited Prince Turki to give the lecture after he gave a speech during International Week in April 2006.
From 1977-2001, Prince Turki served as director general of the General Intelligence Directorate, which is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's main foreign intelligence service. He is the brother of Prince Saud al-Faisal and son of the late King Faisal.
In August 2002, Prince Turki and two other Saudi princes were sued for allegedly helping finance the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to www.globalsecurity.org. One month later, he commented in Arab News Newspaper that "Saudi Arabia has worked with the United States for the past 70 years. Both countries have benefited from this enduring partnership. Remember that we face the same threat: Bin Ladin targeted Saudi Arabia before he targeted America."
More than 100 Saudi Arabian students from K-State, Saudi students from other Kansas universities and leaders of Saudi student associations in surrounding states are expected to attend the lecture, Reagan said.
Mohammad Alanazi, president of K-State's Saudi Club, attended Prince Turki's K-State lecture last spring and said it encouraged Turki to give a Landon Lecture.
"I think he is a political man, and he can give a talk about politics," Alanazi, graduate student in computer science, said. "The Middle East plays an important role in that area. I encourage everyone to come hear him listen and ask him questions."
Michael Suleiman, distinguished professor of political science, said Prince Turki's comments on Middle East politics are important since Saudi Arabian relations influence the United States and the Middle East region.
"He's ambassador of an important country in the Middle East that has huge oil reserves that are important for industrialized counties, especially the United States, and a country that is a major ally of the United States in the Middle East," said Suleiman, whose academic specialties include Middle East politics.
Saudi Arabia also plays a key role in militaristic, political and economical world issues, Reagan said.
"They've been a staunch ally of the United States, and they play a key role in everything that happens not only just in the Middle East but in the economic scene of the whole world," Reagan said. "It's important to hear from their ambassador directly and, even more importantly, for our students to have the opportunity to question the ambassador."
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