after the king renewed bandar's post on the national security council for an additional 4-year term in september 2009, bandar failed to make the customary public demonstration of his allegiance to the king. this noticeable absence was followed by others: an avid fan of the dallas cowboys, bandar did not appear in his customary seat—next to owner jerry jones in jones's skybox—for the home opener of the new cowboys stadium. in october 2009, he was not present in king abdullah's delegation for the watershed damascus visit. most strikingly, in december 2009, prince bandar was not present for the return of his father, crown prince sultan, from morocco. after that event, journalists began to report on bandar's disappearance, noting that his last appearance in public had been with king abdullah in jeddah on 10 december 2008.