With 'friends' like these...

Every time you hear people say the Saudis are our friends, just remember: an addict can't afford to call his supplier anything uncomplimentary, no matter how truthful it might be.

Saudi Arabia's rulers threatened to make it easier for terrorists to attack London unless corruption investigations into their arms deals were halted, according to court documents revealed yesterday.

Previously secret files describe how investigators were told they faced "another 7/7" and the loss of "British lives on British streets" if they pressed on with their inquiries and the Saudis carried out their threat to cut off intelligence.

Prince Bandar, the head of the Saudi national security council, and son of the crown prince, was alleged in court to be the man behind the threats to hold back information about suicide bombers and terrorists. He faces accusations that he himself took more than £1bn in secret payments from the arms company BAE.

A true national security plan would involve getting us into a post-oil economy post-haste. The day we can look at that part of the world and say "no thanks, you can keep your oil AND your jihadists to yourselves" will be a good day indeed.