".. the same lefties who actually supported the communists?"

I wonder who financed the Bolshevik revolution in the first place, and why? Maybe the same people who funded the Nazis!

And who kept the Soviet economy afloat through the Kruschev era by secretly buying Caspian oil through Iranian oilfields at market prices?

(Hint - it wasn't those evil lefties).

Arab petrodollars are everywhere, particularly in commercial ventures.
They are as sinister as the Sovereign Wealth Funds run by certain countries that buy up everything they can in countries such as ours.

I find it more interesting that the Singapore government owns more commercial assets in this country than our own Government does and also runs the internal telecommunication network inside Government House.

Wobbles

I’m not sure who it is you think financed both Hitler and the Bolsheviks. I’ll be looking forward to seeing your evidence on that.

To somehow suggest that the US deliberately kept the Soviet Union afloat by secretly buying oil is ridiculous. You forget the Cuban missile crisis almost saw the beginning of WW3. And it was Kennedy and Johnson at the helm during most of the Khrushchev period. Neither were noted right wing reactionary types.

I too find it disturbing that foreign governments can buy so much of our commercial and strategic assets. I was pleased when Rudd told the Chinese that they couldn’t buy the mining companies and assets they were seeking. I think the foreign investment review board has an important role to play in our national security.

Nevertheless this does not take away from the fact that the Saudis have been liberally spreading around their money in an attempt to instill their fundamentalist strain of Islam on moderate Islamic communities across the world. If we are to successfully live together with muslims we must make sure that they are of moderate political persuasion. We must help fight the malign influence of fundamentalists. Otherwise it just won’t work.

Foxy,

The real story is that the VC not only courted the Saudis, he promised them some control over how the money was spent, And he was going to keep it quiet.

Dear Wobbles

I also find it MOST disconcerting that the Singapore Government owns so much of our infrastructure.

Optus sattelites is one I worry about. As I recently had some chats with a mate who was in charge of the defense aspects of Optus B1 and B3, I can assure you at least of the following:

An Australian citizen must be on the various official bodies controlling them, and on deck in the tracking stations, such that our defense interests are not compromised. To me its probably the weakest insurance we have, but a little is better than none.

Imagine if our government suddenly wished to change the coverage area of the defense transponders on the sattelite, and this was picked up by or had to go through the Singapore Government, which might be 'leaky'. Intelligence bodies read VOLUMES into any slight alteration of satellite coverage..which never happens without a reason.

Saudi money could achieve mannnny things.. influencing curriculums, choice of lecturer.. and so on.. very dangerous stuff to me.

Accepting money for the right reason is not wrong as the money is for education then accept it .The Saudi people are great people but a wrong move the saudi's made was building on sand as a great storm will wipe there hard work away .Investing in education the Saudi have seemed to place there money in a rock solid investment that a storm will not move.David H.

Mattermotor,

I'll try to make this easy to understand. The ONLY education that Saudi money is used for is to educate suicide bombers and their sympathisers in the wahabist interpretation of the Koran.

They aren't using this money to teach science or english or any other useful subject. They use it to teach the Koran in the manner that the fundamentalist wahabist imams of Saudi find appropriate.

Its called conversion or missionary work and they have a lot more money and a far more radical agenda than the Mormons.

But you just pretend its about buying school supplies for the kids and training new maths teachers if it makes you feel better.

I'm sure the saudis are literally quaking in their boots in their fear of your biblical storm washing away those who build their house in the sand. Terrified even. Who knew we had amongst us someone who could predict the future.

Dear Paul,

What proof do you have that the Saudi money is going to be used for extremist studies, suicide bombers et cetera?

From what I've read it seems that even the faculty members of the Islamic Studies Centre at Griffith University are suggesting that the money be returned so as not to give the studies centre a 'bad name.'

They want to encourage the teaching of 'moderates' in Islamic Studies - not fundamentalism.

Do you know something that the media doesn't, something concrete that supports your claim - or is this simply your opinion on the subject?