In April of 2003, in the midst of "Mission Accomplished" fanfare, President George W. Bush gave in to terrorist demands and promised to withdraw U.S. troops from the Arabian Holy Land. The following excerpt is from the April 30, 2003 issue of the New York Times:

The United States said today that it would withdraw all combat forces in Saudi Arabia by this summer, ending more than a decade of military operations in this strategic Middle East nation that is America's largest oil supplier.

Why, after what was arguably the zenith of George W. Bush’s administration, would they quietly withdraw troops from Saudi Arabia? Why did the U.S. pack its bags and move the troops to Qatar? Could it be that the Bush administration gave in to terrorist demands as outlined by Osama bin Laden in his 1998 fatwa against the United States and its western allies? In this fatwa, bin Laden makes clear that the declaration of jihad is designed to eject western powers from the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, and the Al Aqsa mosque. The majority of the 9/11 hijackers, along with bin Laden himself, are Saudi Arabian. Saudi Arabia has long been the largest supporter and financier of Wahabbism, the most radical interpretation of Islam. Saudi Arabia is also one of the largest backers of U.S. debt and a reliable consumer of U.S. weapons and war machines.

Why, when the Bush Doctrine is founded on non-negotiation with terrorists, did his administration give in to one of the principle demands of Osama bin Laden? Given the pliant nature of the U.S. media, no analysis has been offered of this withdrawal. Neither has any investigation been conducted by the U.S. media into why this decision was made during the exact period of “Mission Accomplished” John Wayne machismo. If anyone on the world stage had an iota of conviction, they would ask George W. Bush why, of all the military bases in the world, he opted to shut down operations in the Muslim Holy Land, per the desire of Al Qaeda, our sworn enemy. However, he will be given a universal free pass because all responsible parties long ago decided that George W. Bush speaks ex cathedra when he is Commander in Chief. The fact is, this concession falls under the definition of appeasement. The additional fact is, no one in the established media complex will point this out. But there is no other rational explanation for a troop withdrawal from allied territory during a time of war.