When Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic relations with Afghanistan on September 25th, the decision was hailed as the final step in the international isolation of the Taliban regime. But the most remarkable feature of the action is how slow the Saudis were to take it. The Saudi government sees Osama bin Laden as a threat to its very existence. Yet Saudi Arabia was one of only three countries to recognise his hosts, the Taliban, as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. Even after Mr bin Laden took refuge with them in 1996, Saudi Arabia is said to have helped pay for their drive to take full control of the country. And, now that America is planning to hunt Mr bin Laden down, Saudi Arabia seems reluctant to join the chase.
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机译：当沙特阿拉伯于9月25日中断与阿富汗的外交关系时，这一决定被人们誉为塔利班政权国际孤立的最后一步。但是，该行动最显着的特点是沙特人采取行动的速度有多慢。沙特政府将本·拉登（Osama bin Laden）视为对其生存的威胁。然而，沙特阿拉伯是唯一承认塔利班为阿富汗合法政府的三个国家之一。甚至在本·拉登先生于1996年与他们避难之后，据说沙特阿拉伯已经为他们取得完全控制该国的努力提供了帮助。而且，既然美国正计划追捕本·拉登先生，沙特阿拉伯似乎不愿意加入这场追逐。
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