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Saudi Arabia says "NO" to free speech

angrysoba said:
Saudi Arabia is still very much in the dark ages and I don't know if genuine reform will come there for some time. There has been a lot of talk from people like King Abdullah and a few of the princes about reform - and a lot of talk from Washington about how the US is urging it - but with the Saudis I'll believe it when I see it and not before.
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Yeah I agree. Personally the sooner the house of Saud falls, the better the whole world will be. A lot of professional terrorists either seem to be Saudi, or somehow are linked to money coming from there
 
Virus said:
Equivalence denied.

As usual. The thread is really just a thin veneer for hatred of the US.
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Why is it denied? It´s realpolitik sure, but it doens´t change the fact that the US (and others, FYI, Portugal sold weapons to Iraq during their war with Iran) are in bed with brutal regimes for their own benefit.
 
Thunder said:
no Virus, demanding consistency from the United States does NOT equal "hatred fo the USA".
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He's not asking for consistency from the US, he is asking you.

And thus far, your only consistency appears to be "Whatever I can use as a club to bash the US and Israel".
 
Johny2x4 said:
Why is it denied? It´s realpolitik sure, but it doens´t change the fact that the US (and others, FYI, Portugal sold weapons to Iraq during their war with Iran) are in bed with brutal regimes for their own benefit.
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If you think Saudi Arabia is as bad as Iraq under the genocidal Saddam Hussein you don't know anything.
 
America gets a very small portion of its oil from Saudi Arabia. Most of it comes from Canada and Venezuela. That's logical given their proximity.
 
Virus said:
America gets a very small portion of its oil from Saudi Arabia. Most of it comes from Canada and Venezuela. That's logical given their proximity.
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Er, not quite. Saudi is the #3 exporter of oil to the US, behind Canada and Mexico. Venezuela is #5.
 
Cleon said:
Er, not quite. Saudi is the #3 exporter of oil to the US, behind Canada and Mexico. Venezuela is #5.
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By ranking, yes. But to elaborate, in percentage terms, about 21% from Canada, 12% from Mexico, and 11% from Saudi Arabia. Canada and Mexico combined account for one-third of all imports.
 
Thunder said:
the USA should not be giving most-favored nation trade status to big-time human rights abusers.
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So which countries would you eliminate?

Seriously, who would you trade with, because after a while, your list of possible trade partners is going to grow pretty damn thin.
 
Thunder said:
quoted for all-time. :p

what do you call it.....a representative democracy?

lolololol
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It isn't a dictatorship. It's an absolute monarchy.

You do realise that there are more than two possible options right? If something isn't a representative democracy that doesn't automatically make it a dictatorship.


ETA and while we're at it, you're laughing out loud out loud out loud out loud?
 
Thunder said:
quoted for all-time. :p

what do you call it.....a representative democracy?

lolololol
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Thunder your ignorance is showing, seriously. I suggest you go and read up on Saudi Arabia. At that point you might come to a realisation about them and figure out exactly why they are better off with a monarchy than without one. I can tell you right now, if the Monachy left SA tomorrow it wouldn't be the people in charge. The Monarchy is actually a moderating force in SA. If they weren't there it's be a full blow Islamic Theocracy which would make Iran look moderate.
 
MarkCorrigan said:
It isn't a dictatorship. It's an absolute monarchy.
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the two are not mutually exclusive.

Although, in theory, the country is an absolute monarchy, in practice major policy decisions are made outside these formal governmental structures and not solely by the king. Decisions are made by establishing a consensus within the royal family (comprising the numerous descendants of the kingdom’s founder, Abdul Aziz). In addition, the views of important members of the Ulema (religious scholars), leading tribal sheikhs, and heads of prominent commercial families are considered. Participation in the political process is, therefore, restricted to a relatively small number of individuals and the Saudi public as a whole is not permitted to participate, nor is it reported by the Saudi media

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia#Politics

yep, looks kinda like a combo between Monarchy and Islamic state/dictatorship to me.
 
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Thunder said:
the two are not mutually exclusive.

Although, in theory, the country is an absolute monarchy, in practice major policy decisions are made outside these formal governmental structures and not solely by the king. Decisions are made by establishing a consensus within the royal family (comprising the numerous descendants of the kingdom’s founder, Abdul Aziz). In addition, the views of important members of the Ulema (religious scholars), leading tribal sheikhs, and heads of prominent commercial families are considered. Participation in the political process is, therefore, restricted to a relatively small number of individuals and the Saudi public as a whole is not permitted to participate, nor is it reported by the Saudi media

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia#Politics

yep, looks kinda like a combo between Monarchy and Islamic state/dictatorship to me.
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So it's something that might or might not be a dictatorship which might or might not have a dictator. Is that it?
 
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