Guthrie
Mayor
The current crisis in Iraq is not to be taken lightly. Yet, it reveals a profound bi-partisan fraud by those claiming to be distraught over the humanitarian suffering. For those who focus on the crimes of enemies, while ignoring their culpability in their own crimes, forfeit their right to be taken seriously. For those who use the incident to score partisan points, by for example mocking Obama’s timid bombing, are even more pathetic. It is remarkable to view this situation as anything other than the result of a bi-partisan multi-decade policy of imperializing the region.
Saudi Arabia has been a United States ally since World War II when the US state department described its oil has one of the “greatest prizes in world history.” The US, emerging from the second World War as a global power unrivaled in world history, explained very clearly that that prize would belong to the US. Kennan stated that we “must put aside vague notions of human rights” and deal with “straight power concepts.”
Saudi Arabia is one of America’s most enduring allies in the third world. Military aid has essentially stayed the same through the cold war to the present day. Recently, when Obama took office, the US announced an increased splurge, including a 29.5 billion deal to send Saudi Arabia F-15 aircrafts. This was backed up in 2013 with billions of dollars more in shipments that included missiles and troop transports. According to the US state department, the United States “The United States and Saudi Arabia have a longstanding security relationship and have cooperated closely for nearly 60 years.“ The state department added that the United States has trained the Saudi armed forces, the Saudi National Guard as well as training their internal security service(a branch of the minister of information.
Saudi Arabia, the State department continues, is Saudi Arabia’s “largest training partner” and is one of largest export markets for the US in the Middle East. Furthermore, “As the region is going through a period of great transformation, the United States appreciates Saudi Arabia’s leadership in working toward a peaceful and prosperous future for the region.“
Additionally, an April 2013 Snowden memo shows that the NSA is increasing ties with Saudi Intelligence services. The NSA is now providing direct analytical and technical support, among other things, aimed at bolstering Saudi Arabian “internal security.” In layman’s terms, the NSA is helping Saudi Arabia crush dissent to its brutal regime.
Saudi Arabia operates under a strict interpretation of Sharia law. But don’t confuse that with saintly behavior. This year alone Saudi Arabia has beheaded 12 women in public. One 14 year old girl, Sarah Balabagan, killed a man who was trying to rape her. She is waiting her own beheading as we speak. Additionally, there are “increasingly ferocious lashings of hundreds of foreign female workers.” One woman was beheaded for chewing “qat” a mild leaf with slight drug effects.
According to Robert Fisk, “not a single western embassy has protested.” Not a word in the press. According to a Saudi intellectual, the increase in brutality from the Saudi government is “fear of a breakdown in security.” The leaders are worried that their internal domestic population, might rise up and demand basic freedoms and an end to the tyranny. At least 80 people were beheaded last year in Saudi Arabia, though many claim the number is far far higher, as a result of the inherent secrecy in which these killings take place. Most of the victims are women and most claim they were defending themselves against the rape of an older man. However, payments of a million dollars or more can often buy freedom.
Other reports of torture include burying people alive, sentencing people to be paralyzed, electroshock therapy on genitals, and much more. Child rape is essentially legal.
Human rights groups have documented a “Deterioration in Saudi Arabia’s Human rights” the imprisonment and killing of activists. Independents NGOs were recently forced out of the country. During the arab spring, planned protests were aborted after the minister of information announced that any protests would be met with an iron fist. Like the US, Saudi Arabia has adamantly blocked any moves for democracy in the region.
The preceding facts are something you would read about in a free society. But in a country were doctrinal controls is strong and rigid, people here focus on the crimes of ISIS, who according to Iraqis finds its creation in the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion.
Saudi Arabia is but one example of numerous nations in the region that enjoy strong US military support while murdering their own population. In fairness to Israel, they simply murder another population. Namely, those living under occupations and state of sieges.
So before you start regurgitating American news reports on ISIS, know first that your outrage has no moral authority. Only those who focus and criticize their own crimes first, can then turn to the crimes of others. Those who remain silent in US complicity for the brutal Saudi Arabian regimes, discredit themselves perpetually in discussing political affairs.
http://www.ndtv.com/topic/saudi-arabia-beheading
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2014/07/saudi.html
Saudi Arabia has been a United States ally since World War II when the US state department described its oil has one of the “greatest prizes in world history.” The US, emerging from the second World War as a global power unrivaled in world history, explained very clearly that that prize would belong to the US. Kennan stated that we “must put aside vague notions of human rights” and deal with “straight power concepts.”
Saudi Arabia is one of America’s most enduring allies in the third world. Military aid has essentially stayed the same through the cold war to the present day. Recently, when Obama took office, the US announced an increased splurge, including a 29.5 billion deal to send Saudi Arabia F-15 aircrafts. This was backed up in 2013 with billions of dollars more in shipments that included missiles and troop transports. According to the US state department, the United States “The United States and Saudi Arabia have a longstanding security relationship and have cooperated closely for nearly 60 years.“ The state department added that the United States has trained the Saudi armed forces, the Saudi National Guard as well as training their internal security service(a branch of the minister of information.
Saudi Arabia, the State department continues, is Saudi Arabia’s “largest training partner” and is one of largest export markets for the US in the Middle East. Furthermore, “As the region is going through a period of great transformation, the United States appreciates Saudi Arabia’s leadership in working toward a peaceful and prosperous future for the region.“
Additionally, an April 2013 Snowden memo shows that the NSA is increasing ties with Saudi Intelligence services. The NSA is now providing direct analytical and technical support, among other things, aimed at bolstering Saudi Arabian “internal security.” In layman’s terms, the NSA is helping Saudi Arabia crush dissent to its brutal regime.
Saudi Arabia operates under a strict interpretation of Sharia law. But don’t confuse that with saintly behavior. This year alone Saudi Arabia has beheaded 12 women in public. One 14 year old girl, Sarah Balabagan, killed a man who was trying to rape her. She is waiting her own beheading as we speak. Additionally, there are “increasingly ferocious lashings of hundreds of foreign female workers.” One woman was beheaded for chewing “qat” a mild leaf with slight drug effects.
According to Robert Fisk, “not a single western embassy has protested.” Not a word in the press. According to a Saudi intellectual, the increase in brutality from the Saudi government is “fear of a breakdown in security.” The leaders are worried that their internal domestic population, might rise up and demand basic freedoms and an end to the tyranny. At least 80 people were beheaded last year in Saudi Arabia, though many claim the number is far far higher, as a result of the inherent secrecy in which these killings take place. Most of the victims are women and most claim they were defending themselves against the rape of an older man. However, payments of a million dollars or more can often buy freedom.
Other reports of torture include burying people alive, sentencing people to be paralyzed, electroshock therapy on genitals, and much more. Child rape is essentially legal.
Human rights groups have documented a “Deterioration in Saudi Arabia’s Human rights” the imprisonment and killing of activists. Independents NGOs were recently forced out of the country. During the arab spring, planned protests were aborted after the minister of information announced that any protests would be met with an iron fist. Like the US, Saudi Arabia has adamantly blocked any moves for democracy in the region.
The preceding facts are something you would read about in a free society. But in a country were doctrinal controls is strong and rigid, people here focus on the crimes of ISIS, who according to Iraqis finds its creation in the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion.
Saudi Arabia is but one example of numerous nations in the region that enjoy strong US military support while murdering their own population. In fairness to Israel, they simply murder another population. Namely, those living under occupations and state of sieges.
So before you start regurgitating American news reports on ISIS, know first that your outrage has no moral authority. Only those who focus and criticize their own crimes first, can then turn to the crimes of others. Those who remain silent in US complicity for the brutal Saudi Arabian regimes, discredit themselves perpetually in discussing political affairs.
http://www.ndtv.com/topic/saudi-arabia-beheading
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2014/07/saudi.html
