The author comments on the demand of some congressmen that $1 million of American aid be allocated to the Ibn Khaldoun Center. He believes that they were aiming either at sowing discord between the center and people who deal with it or wanted to prove that the center functions under their protection and thus deserves their support. He wonders why they chose the Ibn Khaldoun Center specifically and what their objectives were. He approaches a number of intellectuals for their opinions in this regard.