Author: Doug Bandow
The views of the Authors are not necessarily the views of Enigmose
Schadenfreude seems inconsistent with the notion of Christian charity. But could there be a more appropriate and justifiable emotion when watching the Saudi royals deal with austerity? Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will find it harder to buy a bigger yacht, fund additional jihadist groups, and launch additional murderous wars. My tears are about to flow.
Indeed, one of President Donald Trump’s greatest mistakes was to attempt to push up oil prices to save the domestic shale oil industry. The assets won’t disappear, and as the major firms enter the field industry staying power will increase.
More importantly, consumers would benefit from a break as government crashes the economy. Low energy prices would provide a boost as industries begin to reopen.
Most important, though, is depriving hostile regimes of revenue. Iran, Russia, and Venezuela come to mind. So does the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Contrary to Washington’s long bipartisan presumption that the KSA is an ally, it threatens American values and interests.
Indeed, the Kingdom makes an interesting contrast with Iran. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo routinely attacks the Islamic Republic for its terrible human rights violations, which are severe. But he says nothing about the Saudis, who are much worse.
The Kingdom is a true totalitarian tyranny. There are no elections; Crown Prince bin Salman seems as sure as China’s Xi Jinping to rule forever. Just like Xi, MbS, as the Saudi heir is known, uses anti-corruption campaigns to mulct, cow, and destroy his enemies. Nor is there freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia. Like Xi, MbS has tightened internet and media controls, tossed more people into prison, cracked down on activists calling for reform, and kidnapped his critics from abroad.
Reading human rights assessments of the land of the Saudi royals is painful. Freedom House observed that “Saudi Arabia’s absolute monarchy restricts almost all political rights and civil liberties.” The KSA was decidedly not free, collecting just one out of 40 possible points in the category of political rights. Not many countries are lower. The Kingdom seems like a civil libertarian paradise in comparison, gaining six of 60 possible points.
It must be painful for the State Department to issue its 58-page human rights report on Riyadh, which is never mentioned by Pompeo. America’s ally is responsible for the following:
unlawful killings; executions for nonviolent offenses; forced disappearances; torture of prisoners and detainees by government agents; arbitrary arrest and detention; political prisoners; arbitrary interference with privacy; criminalization of libel, censorship, and site blocking; restrictions on freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, and movement; severe restrictions of religious freedom; citizens’ lack of ability and legal means to choose their government through free and fair elections; trafficking in persons; violence and official discrimination against women, although new women’s rights initiatives were implemented; criminalization of consensual same-sex sexual activity; and prohibition of trade unions.
Other than that, everything is great. Unless you get kidnapped and imprisoned. Or visit a consulate and are murdered and chopped up. Not that such conduct seemed to bother anyone in the administration. Read More
FBI mistakenly reveals Saudi diplomat suspected of aiding 9/11 terrorists
Suspected to have helped deliver crucial support to terrorists who carried out the 9-11 attacks
FBI lawyers accidentally revealed the identity of a Saudi diplomat who agents have suspected helped deliver crucial support to the al Qaeda terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, according to a report. Read More
False Narratives of the Liberal Left
Why tell the Truth when a Lie will Do ?
False narratives are spun by the liberal progressive machine with the intent of molding public perceptions to the desired level of sublime ignorance. Sublime being a relative term that is defined as "very beautiful or good, causing strong feelings of admiration or wonder" so although it is 'sublime' to the yarn spinner, in reality it is simply ignorance - 'sublime' Ignorance.
Liberal Progressive ideology, is a religion built on a foundation of false narratives. In some cases the narratives are actually based on shreds and fiber of reality, but such is the nature of this insidious monstrosity of a political ideology that honesty, even small threads of truth easily cause runs and tears in the narrative. Read More