Views on the Saudi King’s UK visit
As King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia made his first visit to Britain in 20 year, on October 29th, the British government and monarchy gave him a very warm reception, including a personal reception by both the Queen and Prime Minister. However he was greeted by a sea of protestors from the public, whose reasons for being opposed to his visit were sharply different from one another.
November 22nd, 2007 at 11:36 am
The reason why I can’t take the USA’s “war on terror” seriously is because they make allies out of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia…. RIDICULOUS.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
There are various issues here:
a) An economical one & very important
b) A socio political one
c) That of religious discrimination - they know, and ask, so what?
a. Economically, good relations with Saudi are necessary regardless of their political and foreign policies. Their oil + buying power makes the Saudi regime arrogant, but one that the world must deal with. If the oil dries up, the Saudi regime would collapse like a deck of cards, and enter a “new Wahabi Iran” - enough to make the current Iranian regime look moderate!
The “protest” against the Saudi king by the radical Muslims in the UK was
“a theatrical film set”. Mere pre-organised politics, for its these very groups who are recipients of Saudi financial generosity with the Kings “blessings”.
b. Socio-politically, the Saudi regime must rule with an iron fist as otherwise its their own who will kill them “for reasons as prescribed in the Kuran”, will so maintain their killers. Confusing - for the Saudi king too rules these same people who would rather see him off - from the preachings in the same book.
Human rights is nonsense to Islamic states .. something Muslims in non-Islamic countries demand from their democratic host countries, soft touch Britain especially .. but its not something these same Muslims would want to practise in their Islamic lands - a laughable notion, this human rights rubbish - they say.
c. Religious discrimination - the Saudis would “beg to differ”, and say Islamic law is fair, and indeed peaceful too. This is how they treat non-Muslims in Saudi.
If this same reciprocal fairness in tratment of Muslims were to be introduced in the democratic non-Muslim countries, then Muslims there would surely wish to, and would accept to be treated in the same way in their Christain host contries in the West as Islam treats its minorities in their respective home lands, or so implies the Saudi king, perhaps?
A change in UK law will allow such reciprocal treatment of Muslims here, and in the Christian West with the same fairness as is in Saudi. Why interfere with Saudi domestic law - they ask? It really is not anyone elses business!
Saudi implies that Islamic countries would wish to be left alone from unwelcome interference of human rights, and they would perhaps advocate changes to British law to match theirs and achieve fair equilibrium to Sharia in this respect?
I do wonder how such a hypocritical scenario would go down with Muslims who choose to live in the civilised democracies of the world, and yet would support Sharia in their own motherlands, and indeed cleansing of their minorities?
Saudi implies that if USA, UK, Europe & India give their fellow Muslims the rights to demand political equality and freedom to practise oppressive Islam without state control of faith as is the case in Saudi, that does not make it a Saudi problem.
If non-Muslims wish to live in Saudi, then they accept to live under the Saudi law, should not complain, and perhaps neither should the interfering foreign media?
Notwithstanding the political and religious abuse of its minorities by the Saudi regime, the hospitality and welcome given by the Queen to the Saudi King was correct, and as it should be on the human side for any invited guest of the state, or otherwise dont invite them.
November 28th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
It would be nice to find out how much of what common corporations are in bed with Saudi, Malay, and other oppressive regimes so that we could boycott them until the political situation allowed greater freedom for individuals. There’s got to be a list somewhere. Anyone know?
hariaum
April 11th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Sorry to say this but a lot of Hindus go to Saudi despite full knowledge of the above. For most of them it is a matter of survival as they earn much more tahn what they earn in India. For some , like highly qualified Doctors it is a matter of greed and I have no sympathy for them.
Having said that It is the sacred duty of Hindus to contribute to the uplift of poor Hindus back in India