Is Saudi Arabia The Ultimate Evil Empire?

In recent decades, Saudi Arabia seems to have accomplished more evil in the world than Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea. They are accountable to no one, and are rarely questioned or criticized internationally for their deeds. They are playing oil as the ultimate trump card, better than anyone else has ever done it. Time to stop giving them a free pass.

 

I posted this story on another thread, but here it is from a different news source

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/saudi-blogger-gets-first-installment-of-1000-lashes-for-insulting-islam-646541?pfrom=home-topstories

It serves as a good introduction to the kinds of issues we are dealing with in the case of this barbaric and cruel state.

I think it's important to stress one point about the Saudi regime and their relationship to Islam which may be unclear to many people. Although the relationship between the Saud royal family and the extreme Wahhibi branch of Islam goes back to the 18th century, Saudi is not an 'Islamic state' in the sense of being governed by Islamic authorities as is the case in Iran. In fact, the Sauds use Islamic law as a tool of oppression, and a way of ensuring they retain their autocratic control of the country, and it's vast oil wealth. Beneath a cloak of Islam they are in fact incredibly materialistic, and self indulgent to a point almost unimaginable. It gives them the power to act like medieval monarchs in Europe, only on a much grander scale. In effect, the absolute scum of the earth.

The vast majority of the population don't get much at all as their slice of the enormous amount of money generated by oil. It's pretty much forbidden to even think outside the box of strict orthodox Islam. The religious police carry canes, and frequently beat people summarily in the street for perceived infringements.
Execution is commonplace, and people are executed for minor drug offences. Women are stoned for adultery. Thieves have hands cut off. Their have even been crucifixions.

But these are our friends and close allies. They sell us oil, and spend a percentage of the money on arms. A convenient arrangement.

 

A technicality that seems to bring no benefit to its people.

I'm trying to think of something bad that has happened in the Middle East that didn't involve Saudi Arabia doing something to make it worse. Haven't come up with an example yet, except that I'm unsure of their involvement with ISIS.

 

Perhaps those that truck with them are equally as evil.

 

Yes. I think it's disturbing. But they got us over a barrel quite literally.

 

They do. In collusion with those that fear changing to ANYTHING other than oil. $$$$$$$ rules as usual.

 

That's something to think about very seriously. It's like when you want to buy an ounce of weed, you don't want to think too much about that drug dealer.

Every time we buy a dollar's worth of gas for the car, a few cents is going to fund misery and violence and intolerance around the world. We need to think about that more. At least I do.

 

This is why oil is so cheap now. It slows or stops investment in solar, wind, hydrogen, hemp oil, etc. Shakes 'em out, drives 'em down. Shame our politicians go along with it. Again=$$$$$$$

 

No Saudi Arabia is not the "evil empire" -- the US, UK and Israel are, if anyone. These countries all do business with Saudi Arabia, so how are they any better?

If Saudi Arabia is so evil, then why not place some of the blame on the countries that most enable them by doing business with them? I get so fucking sick of people attacking other countries, yet they seem to think everything here in the US is just fine.

Go clamor to the government to protect you from Saudi Arabia as they strip you of more of your rights and freedoms. Do you even care about that?

 

Last I heard in the USA to put you in jail they need to charge you with a crime, then take you to court. You can get family visits, see a lawyer, get medical treatment. You get a sentence, and when it's served you get out.

Not so in saudi, where arbitrary detention is a definite tactic used by the regime to suppress any whisper of dissent from the autocracy. People are simply locked away. No charges, no trial, no lawyers, no doctors no family visits. No habeus corpus.

OK Rat - the US does a similar thing in Gitmo. But the US doesn't execute it's own citizens for adultery or drug possession.

You know, because America is bad, and Britain is bad, doesn't mean other places aren't worse. And part of what makes us bad is the fact we are ready to deal with these fucking barbarians and turn a blind eye to what they do to their own people. But the average American or Brit couldn't give a shit about these brown faced people getting fucked over.

 

If the US was like Saudi Arabia, you would already be under arrest for the post you made, soon to endure a public beating.

 

Well, OK Karen, although I don't feel to sorry if petroleum companies are missing their profit targets this year. The oil workers, OK, sympathy there, yes. As for Russia, Iran and Venezuela, I feel nothing but contempt for those governments. I confess the hope that bankruptcy may bring liberalization to these oppressed nations

Wondering though, just who is questioned internationally? We seem to live in an age where anything goes; anywhere. We live in an age of nillistic apathy.

Is: The Interview the most coherent critique we can muster toward atrocity?

 

there are a lot of human rights abuse committed by Saudi Arabia. yet it goes ignored by the west because of trade and security agreements. money will always be more important than human right in a capitalist system. it will take a strong leader to stand up to Saudi Arabia

 

people are often killed by the americuntized police for domestic disputes and drug possession.. they never make it to trials.

 

I've said it for years.. SA is the most fundamentalist country in the region, why are we in bed with them?

Black gold, Texas tea... y'all come back now, ya hear?

 

Bet they even got themselves--A CEMENT POND!!

 

The US, UK, Israel...

It was intended to be nothing more than a light comedy. Sony didn't expect anyone to make a big deal out of it.

But not many critters. Can't survive out in the desert.

 

Yep, and check out Jethro, he's good at cypherin'...



The prince, a nephew of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah and owner of international investment firm Kingdom Holding, invested $300 million in the social media giant in late 2011.
(Reuters) - Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal says he will not sell any of his shares in microblogging site Twitter Inc when it goes public, and expects the firm's IPO to hit the market later this year or in early 2014.

 

I feel sorry for Ellie May.