That phrase in the title hardly requires translation, does it?  Jesuits place the abbreviated form, AMDG, at the end of letters and other documents to indicate that what they've done has been done for the greater glory of God.

Muslims do something analogous* when they invoke the name of the Prophet Mohammed — 'pbuh' — that is, 'peace be upon him.' At least Saudi Muslims do. How do I know that and what does it matter?

Well, for those who may not have yet heard, as it's not been widely publicized by the MSM, former Vice President Al Gore gave an address on Sunday the 12th of February to the Jeddah Economic Forum held in, of all places, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In a story dated the 13th, the Arab News, a Saudi English language publication, starting in the third paragraph and while quoting Mr. Gore states that:

'The 21st century has to be a century of renewal, and our ability to overcome these kinds of cycles of disrespect and violence is the key to making it a century of renewal,' he said, alluding, like many other speakers at the forum, to the recent controversy that erupted over caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Commenting on the negative Saudi image in America and the treatment meted out to Saudi nationals and Muslims in the US after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, he said that he and his Democratic Party colleagues have always opposed illegal detentions of Arabs and other people in the United States.

'Unfortunately there have been terrible abuses and it's wrong,' said Gore, adding that there were people even in the current Republican administration who have worked to protect the human and civil rights guaranteed in the US Constitution, and to expose abuses that have occurred following the Sept. 11 attacks. He also criticized the thoughtless manner in which visas for Arabs are now handled.

'. . . even in the current Republican administration'!

Isn't that special? This does make one wonder how Americans would have reacted to Mr. Gore had he made remarks critical of the U.S. while delivering a prepared speech in Japan or Germany during the halcyon days of WW II. And getting paid for it, to boot. My, oh my, have things ever changed.

But then, the Saudis are our 'friends,' aren't they? Seems I've heard somebody say that. So how can we be critical of Mr. Gore mouthing such defamatory statements regarding his own country when he's just having a friendly chat with our friends? Guess we can't. Nor should the subject even be brought up.

A non—scientific, small—sample survey of a few MSM sources indicates that they whole—heartedly agree amongst themselves that this is the case. A search conducted on Wednesday for items published over the prior seven days on the sites of the New York Times, Washington Post, BBC News, CNN, MSNBC and Fox News for the term 'gore AND saudi' yielded exactly two results. Both were at the Washington Post site and both were the exact same Associated Press article published on two consecutive days. Expanding the time frame did yield results for those same sites, so the search expression was not faulty.

One might also want to take note of some familiar corporate names who were sponsors of the Jeddah forum. To start with we have one of the 'diamond' sponsors, the Saudi Binladen Group. Sound familiar? But that's to be expected. Included in the 'gold' category we have Budget Car and Van Rental, (I can't help but wonder how many are one—way?), Citigroup Private Bank, (that's for the big guns), and SAP Arabia, (that wouldn't refer to us, would it?). Dropping a notch to the 'silver' there's Credit Suisse, (they had to be in there somewhere), and GM, (wait 'til the UAW hears about this). One of the media sponsors is Sky News, sister network to our very own favorite FOX News. How 'bout that?

While Al's in Jeddah sliming his own country, for pay, in the homeland of fifteen of the nineteen hijackers of 9/11 fame, at an economic forum sponsored in part by some big—name American corporations, V.P. Cheney is out over the weekend quail hunting and regrettably but accidentally shoots and, as it turned out, seriously wounds a friend.

Guess who's raw meat for the MSM dogs?

Even Peggy Noonan of the Wall Street Journal has suggested that Bush might want to dump the Vice President, he's become such weighty baggage. Though, as an elected official, I do believe he'd have to resign or be impeached. However, Bush has already stated he's satisfied with Dick's explanation of the accident and the surrounding events. And why shouldn't he be? There really isn't all that much explaining required by the circumstances.

Mr. Gore can disgrace himself, lie about and defame his country, and sell his soul to the Saudis with barely a peep in the media. His words and deed will reverberate throughout the Middle East to the detriment of the United States and all that it hopes to accomplish in that racked and inflamed part of the planet. More fuel for the conflagration that may yet turn out to be our funeral pyre. But he gets a pass since his mind is right and he's of approved political stripe.

Mr. Cheney? No quarter given this guy. He's the Dark Lord of the Administration. Surpassed, perhaps, only by the trebly—evil Karl Rove. Should the V.P. resign? Will he resign? Off with his head! Oh, my!

My days as a political junkie may be near an end. I just don't know how much longer I can tolerate all this deceitful nonsense. This foul crap. The defamation being endlessly spewed by the MSM, Democrats and radical liberals is revolting. They aren't just traitors to their country, they're traitors to themselves and all humanity. And it certainly isn't for the greater glory of God.

That's what the Saudis are up to. And if the attitude of the Democrats and their political rhetoric remain as foul, acerbic and disingenuous as it has been for some time now, the Saudis will have their way with us. The Saudis will have their way if the President, along with all the Republicans, continue to refuse to recognize the danger that is Saudi Arabia. They are not our friends. They wish to be our masters.

And we already pay them tribute.

Dennis Sevakis   2 17 06

UPDATE:  * Patrick O'Hannigan writes:

I enjoyed the Sevakis article on Al Gore's adventures in Saudi Arabia, but as one who studied with Jesuits, Irish Christian Brothers, and Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondolet for a total of 16 years, I must take issue with his statement that the Muslim abbreviation for "peace be upon him" is analagous to the Latin abbreviation for "to the greater glory of God."

Mohammed, even in Muslim theology, is not God. Wishing peace upon him may be salutary, but it's emphatically not the same as turning prayer, work, play, and everything else into worship —— which is the point of the AMDG abbreviation that Devakis rightly identified with old—school Jesuits.

Anyone who thinks "PBUH" and "AMDG" are analagous hasn't given enough thought to the matter. Even in the broad sense of being markers identified with Muslim and Chtistian (more specifically, Catholic) faith, the abbreviations aren't parallel, and to imply that they are is to suggest (falsely) that Islam is "punching above its weight," as they say in boxing.

Frederick Barbarossa, Godfrey de Bouillon, Francis de Sales, and many other Christians through the ages would disagree.

Which is only to say that Sevakis started on the wrong foot, not that he didn't recover enough to make good points later on.

As editor, I assumed Dennis Sevakis was analogizing on the use of four letters as an abbreviation following a name, not on theology. But precise meaning and careful logic are qualities we prize, so Mr. O'Hannigan's comments are most welcome.

Thomas Lifson