Then again, the U.S. president might not get to hear about Farhan, who was jailed after calling for political reform in Saudi Arabia.

Political reform in the Middle East? Yes. The kind calling for greater freedom of expression and of participation in one's government? Yes. Isn't this just what the American president has been clamoring for since he discovered the Middle East the day after 9/11 when he set out on his own jihad, or crusade, to bring democracy to the region?

Bush and his entourage, who are on a quest for democracy in the Middle East almost as ardently as Indiana Jones was when looking for the lost ark, will have the golden opportunity to put to practice what they preach.

A Saudi blogger in jail for standing up for his rights should come across as music to Bush's ears. This is right up his alley. The question is will the president even raise the issue with the Saudis?

The snag, though, is that a jailed blogger is not necessarily the sort of topic the Saudi authorities will want to discuss at any great length during the president's visit on Jan. 14-15. Nor is it really going to be a matter likely to figure on the topics of conversation between the U.S. president and his Saudi interlocutors. The Saudis will say it is an internal affair, that the Saudi blogger is a "terrorist," or that he incited, or called for violence, or for the overthrow of the monarchy, or …

Al-Farhan, whose name in Arabic means "the joyful one," is certainly far from that. Last week Saudi security forces showed up at his house in Jeddah and took him to an undisclosed location. Until now, it is still not known where he is being detained, and even his family has not been told where he is.

The United States said Thursday it raised the issue of his arrest with the authorities in the ultra-conservative kingdom underlining Washington's commitment to freedom of expression.

General Mansur al-Turki, a Saudi interior ministry spokesman told the Jeddah daily newspaper Arab News that Farhan, was being held for "interrogation for violating non-security regulations."

Huh?

Saudi bloggers launched a campaign supporting Farhan. They were in turn joined by international and Saudi non-governmental organizations, including the Arabic Network for Human Rights, Reporters sans Frontiers (Reporters without Borders) and the Committee to Protect Journalists.

But the voice with the most clout is that of the U.S. president. Will Mr. Bush speak up in defending the rights of Saudis? Stay tuned.

You can visit Farhan's blog at www.alfarhan.org.