It is depressing to see the degringolade of publications like Commentary, perhaps part of a larger trend on the right to downplay the depravity of the Saudi regime.  While I am not as certain as Mr. Schwartz that the Wahabis and their approach are entirely modern (one could make the case that the Almoravid invasion of Spain brought a similar repression into that country), he is quite right in pointing out the absurdity of authors like  Muravchik allowing the Muslim extremists to define their own labels. Self predication is a basic aspect of propaganda.  Having just finished the Commentary article myself, I am struck by its similarity to the garden-variety Stalinism of so many pre-war intellectuals. The lies of the Saudis, like those of Stalin and his enthusiasts, are being waved about as slogans intending to replace any serious consideration of just how bad a place that kingdom actually is...