© Agence France-PresseKing Abdullah.
One of the most significant geopolitical events of 2013 was the failed push for war in Syria by the Obama Administration. It didn't merely fail as a result of a war weary public (although that played a key role), it also failed due to the fact our clownish "leaders" were attempting to offer military support to rebels with a large al-Qaeda element.
So the pathetic "sell" by the U.S. establishment was to push the nation into a conflict allied with the very terrorist group against which we are fighting the "war on terror," and have given up so many of our civil liberties to wage. Ridiculous, yet they tried anyway. That is how stupid they think the public is.
What that failed attempt at war mongering demonstrated to anyone paying attention is that our foreign policy is a complete joke and total sham. We publicly claim to support "democracy" and "freedom" around the world, yet in reality support some of the most oppressive regimes out there.
No relationship highlights this hypocrisy as clearly as our extremely close alliance with the Saudi regime, one of the last "absolute monarchies" on the planet. Not only that, but increasing evidence points to its direct involvement in the 9/11 attacks. But it gets worse. A lot worse. The regime has just passed a series of Medieval laws to crack down on all dissent. In a nutshell: Dissent = Terrorism.
From the New York Times:
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Saudi Arabia put into effect a sweeping new counterterrorism law Sunday that human rights activists say allows the kingdom to prosecute as a terrorist anyone who demands reform, exposes corruption or otherwise engages in dissent.Good to see a regime finally be honest about what a "terrorist" is.
The law states that any act that "undermines" the state or society, including calls for regime change in Saudi Arabia, can be tried as an act of terrorism. It also grants security services broad powers to raid homes and track phone calls and Internet activity.
Saudi Arabia is one of the world's last absolute monarchies. All decisions are centered in the hands of 89-year-old King Abdullah. There is no parliament. There is little written law, and judges - implementing the country's strict Wahhabi interpretation of Islam - have broad leeway to impose verdicts and sentences.
Activists said that simply exposing corruption could be seen as a violation of the law. Some also warned that Saudi women who get behind the wheel of a car in violation of the ban on female drivers could be tried under the new anti-terror law.
Other worrying aspects, activists said, include an article that says police can raid homes and offices on suspicion of anti-government activity without prior approval from a judge or even a superior. Suspects can also be held incommunicado for 90 days, and lawyers are not required to be present during the initial interrogation.
"They characterize you as a terrorist because you ask the kingdom to do something it does not want to do" he added.
Personally, I doubt the Saudi regime will survive the next five years and I think they know this. It won't be pretty either. If I had to guess, the catalyst might be a drop in oil prices, which will make payoffs much more difficult. When people have nothing, you know...they have nothing to lose.
Full article here.
In Liberty,
Michael Krieger
It's sad when we begin to see overt signs that a country's leaders are psychopaths and that their one big legacy will be to turn whatever country they are leading into a 'shitty little country' or even simply completely destroy it.
I wonder if the 'boss man' there has any conception that he is doing exactly what the US (and potentially other countries) want.