One of the world's indictments against the deposed Taliban regime in Afghanistan was its destruction of ancient Bamiyan Buddhas, two huge statues. The same radical Islam that animated the Taliban's desecration -- and which underlies much of Islamist terrorism -- threatens some of the most sacred religious sites in the Muslim world, not excluding Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, in Saudi Arabia.

Christianity, Judaism and some of Islam long ago left off hyperventilating over the sin of idol worship. But for the radical interpretation of Islam called Wahhabism -- official state religion of Saudi Arabia -- praying at historic mosques, tombs and sites connected to Muhammad, preserving such sites, and even decorating new mosques are considered idolatry.

Wahhabis, who are Sunnis, destroy the shrines of rival Shi'a and Sufi sects in Saudi Arabia under the cover of opposing idolatry. Saudi developers, including the bin Laden family of black sheep Osama, use the Wahhabi opposition to idol worship to justify removing sacred sites in the way of construction projects -- including towers near the Grand Mosque of Mecca, whose foundation has been weakened by constant pounding. The ancient city retains only 20 structures dating to the Prophet Muhammad (A.D. 570-632).

A residential skyscraper to be built in partnership with the London-based luxury hotel chain Le Meridien is to rise near the Grand Mosque -- over the site of Muhammad's birth.

Wahhabism has been around for two centuries, but strong only since the discovery of Arabian oil in the 1930s. But notwithstanding its central position in Saudi Arabia, most Saudis -- currently including King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz -- feel that the attack on Islamic historic sites has gone too far. American diplomats -- who are closely watching as this debate unfolds in Riyadh -- don't place much reliance on Saudi professions of regard for the nation's own historic patrimony. Still, they understandably hope that dismay over the loss of sacred sites will grow. Such heartfelt religious emotions on the Saudi street could help crack the foundation of the Saudi kingdom's kleptocracy.

A constitutional monarchy could be the result, a liberalization that might help preserve the sacred sites of Islamic history -- and promote a more moderate Saudi regime. The war on terrorism has many fronts. This one may be the strangest.