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scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Amnesty is taking another shot at KSA and its policy on taking care of the troublemakers and jihadists.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090722/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_saudi_human_rights

My sympathies are entirely with the administration.

Cleopatra · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:50 am Post subject:

The Grauniad's Comment is Free have got in their two halalas worth:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/jul/22/saudi-arabia-human-rights

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

There's another Comment is Free article by Jason Burke, author of a couple of excellent books on Al-Qaeeda.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/22/saudi-arabia-deradicalisation?showallcomments=true

Bebsi · Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 958

I bet many of the peope who will nod their heads and say 'hear, hear' to the Amnesty report will, in the same conversation if not the same sentence or breath, moan about how KSA is not doing enough about terrorism in the first place!

Wink

johnslat · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:57 pm Post subject:

Well, it took them a while, but the Royals finally figured out that their hands, which were doing much of the feeding (i.e. funding) were being bitten. The 2003 compound bombings made that rather clear.
Since then, they've been quite zealous about terrorism, now that they realize they're the targets.
Non-altruistic self-interest - the most reliable motivator.
Regards,
John

Cleopatra · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 2:15 pm Post subject:

I think it would be a lot easier to be uncritical of KSA's current 'anti-terror' efforts, had the regime not so actively enouraged extremism for decades, not only in KSA but throughout the Islamic world. Also, not unlike several other nations one can think of, they are using the 'terror threat' as a catch-all excuse to crack down on dissent of all kinds.

Green Acres · Joined: 06 May 2009 Posts: 260

Thanks for all the links. From the Guardian:

"Non-violent critics of the government have been caught in the net, along with lawyers and human rights defenders."

This doesn't look good. I would be concerned about the reaction.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Green Acres · Joined: 06 May 2009 Posts: 260

I really appreciated to links and put my 2 cents in. Sorry I can't be more funny. I don't want to get too into it, but I think the movie "the Kingdom" does a nice job in putting some of the politics in the spotlight. When governments clamp down and become more repressive towards their citizens, then there is usually a reaction to this. What is it Lao Tzu said about the tighter one grips the more slip through...something like that.

I'm not fearful for anyone in particular. I would go there and work, but I would also be cautious and careful. I think everyone already knows that. There are plenty of good people everywhere, and as many of the articles seem to indicate, the mood in the capitol has changed, though they are going against the grain of actions they had set in motion decades ago.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I don't believe that for the average Saudi or the average expat teacher, much of anything has changed as regards this topic.

VS