OMG, do you really think he's trying to protect the Saudis?
I think he's trying to protect the office of the Presidency. The truth is that the Bush family knew who attacked the Twin Towers and whisked the Saudi Royal family members that were here in the US onto a plane and out of the country immediately after the attacks.
You'd be surprised at the amount of covering up Presidents do to cover the arses of previous administrations, no matter which party they were in. It's a behind the scenes rule of all the occupants and past occupants of the White House. I've heard that for many years and seen a lot of evidence that proves it.
Gerald Ford lost any chance at winning the presidency on his own by pardoning Richard Nixon. Investigation of Iran Contra ended when Bush SR went into the White House and Bill Clinton never bothered to bring it up when he entered office. When W Bush entered the White House all the investigations of the Clintons ended with nothing to show for them and we all know Obama did not go after W for possibly committing War Crimes.
It's gone on for years and years.