Saudi Arabia has been buying PR ads touting their close friendship with America.

Well, with friends like them, who really needs any enemies. They deliver "lectures" and "ultimatums" to our president. They persecute Christians. They fund Palestinian suicide bombers with telethons. They fund madrassas that teach a radical, intolerant form of Islam that directly resulted in the Sept. 11 attacks. Their ambassadors write poetry praising suicide bombers, and their spokesman try to explain it away.

Fortunately Americans are paying attention and aren't being swayed. In fact, despite the stereotype that money trumps all else in America, Sept. 11 has resulted in an urge to put patriotism and truth first.

"We had a raging debate," said a senior marketing executive at one of the cable networks approached to run the two 30-second spots." I looked at the tapes. I thought they were tastefully done," said this executive, who, citing the issue's sensitivity, asked for anonymity. "I didn't like the end line, '[Allies] Against Terrorism.'" This network ended up walking away from a buy that was worth approximately $300,000 to $400,000, the executive said.

If you've got to take out an ad to convince us you're our friend, then you're not our friend.