Category Archives: Saudi Arabia

Iran, Middle East Nuclear, nuclear Iran, Saudi Arabia, Terrorism, US Foreign Policy

Casus Belli or “The Plot Thickens”: Slim Pickens Riding the Bomb over Iran………

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      BFF

“If Iran was indeed willing to attack a Saudi Ambassador and close confidante of the Saudi King on US soil and countenance the death of 100-150 Americans, then the US has reached a point where it must take action. The President’s National Security Council and intelligence teams led by Thomas Donilon must construct a response that is “more than reactive.” This is time for a significant strategic response to the Iran challenge in the Middle East and globally — and if the US does not take action, then the Saudis will most likely retaliate in ways that will escalate the stakes and tensions with Iran throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denies any government involvement in this plot — and there no doubt will be much more that surfaces in coming days. But Iran has officially denied any complicity in this plot and has accused the US of fabricating these claims…….”

No, I don’t think the US government has fabricated the story, not at the highest levels. There was some kind of a plot, but it probably was DOA (as in dead on arrival). It was a plot hatched between some idiotic Iranians and some federal agents. Or maybe it was a plot hatched between some rather clever Iranians and some US federal agents. The Iranians may have had relations to elements in the Tehran regime, or they may have had ties to some Iranian groups outside Iran, like the Mujahideen Khalq. The mullahs are not that stupid, they have never done anything like this before, not on US soil. And they have nothing whatsoever to gain by it, au contraire. And all the open ‘simple’ talk about “it matters not if 100 or 150 Americans are killed in the restaurant” sounds worse than Hollywood-ish: it sounds like a children’s horror story. Almost idiotic. The Iranian regime is brutal, but it ain’t stupid or suicidal.

What is interesting is the outcry for ‘revenge’ right away in the media and on the web. All the closer latent hawks see their glory days returning. No doubt if the Iranian regime was behind it, there should be repercussions. As I told some hasty academic tweeters earlier: shouldn’t there be a waiting period before Slim Pickens rides the bomb (over Iran)?
(Re- Slim Pickens: if you haven’t seen Dr. Strangelove, find a copy and see it).
Cheers
mhg


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Britain, Corruption, cyber war, Finance, Saudi Arabia

Another Huge Saudi-British Bribery Scandal, Missing Tony Blair……….

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      BFF

“The British government is facing a potentially explosive decision over whether or not to block a criminal investigation into a new bribery scandal involving a two billion pounds contract to provide communications and cyber warfare capabilities to Saudi Arabia. Dominic Grieve, the attorney-general, will have to decide whether to intervene in an inquiry concerning the payment of millions of pounds in alleged bribes from a British defence firm to the Saudi royal family, according to The Sunday Times. He is to consider whether the investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into a two billion pounds contract to provide communications and cyberwarfare capability to Saudi Arabia is in the public interest. According to the report, Grieve has been briefed on the case after officials at the SFO traced secret payments from the defence firm into a bank account in Switzerland controlled by a member of the Saudi royal family……… The case echoes the political scandal that hit Tony Blair’s government when he pulled the plug on a criminal inquiry into alleged bribes by BAE Systems, the British arms firm, to the Saudis. Then the SFO was investigating allegations that millions of pounds had been paid to a Saudi prince to help BAE clinch a 40 billion pounds contract to sell jets to the kingdom. Downing Street killed off the investigation after the Saudis threatened to ditch the contract…………..”

If there is one thing I have learned about European governments, including the British, it is that they will fold in the face ‘financial’ threats by rich Arab despots, be they a Colonel in Libya or a tribal absolute dynasty in Riyadh. It is the money, stupid.
Tony (the poodle) Blair killed the earlier SFO investigation into BAE Systems’ bribes of US$ 2 billion to Saudi Prince Bandar Bin Sultan al-Saud. At that time, The Economist headlined with a mocking “Bribe, Brittania, Bribe…..”. Of course the Saudi people paid that money which was added to the cost of the contract. Blair was also instrumental in the release of al-Megrahi of the Lockerbie bombing. Regardless of the merits of the case against him, he was released for financial reasons, something Tony Blair seems to be good at these days. Tony Blair worked for JP Morgan at the time, which had Libyan deals.
 
Now a similar Saudi case is in the hands of the SFO (British Serious Frauds Office). That was predictable: the thousands of Saudi leeches princes have boundless greed, and they actually believe that they own the Arabian Peninsula, its petroleum, its people, it camels, and everything else on it. Even its Holy places like Mecca which they are turning into a Las Vegas style money machine. I am betting the British government will also kill this investigation, one way or another.

(You will never read or hear about this scandal in Saudi media. You will never read or hear about it in Gulf GCC media either).

Cheers
mhg


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Arab Counterrevoltion, Arab Revolutions, Egypt, Religion, Salafi, Saudi Arabia

Al-Azhar and the Salafis: a Relic of the Mubarak Days and the Evangelical Al, Abdel Wahab………

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      BFF

The semi-official Saudi daily Asharq Alawsat reports that Ahmad al-Tayeb, the Shaikh of al-Azhar and a former functionary of Mubarak’s ruling party, has met with the Saudi Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in Cairo. The newspaper headlines that the two have reached an agreement to stand firm in the face of any attempts to “touch (or is it fondle) Sunni  societies”, a blatant sectarian statement if there ever was one. They did not specify who or what was threatening to touch “Sunni societies”, no reference was made to Hip-Hop, Rap, or Angry Bird. I know the Saudi muftis frown upon Barbie and Sponge Bob. An official invitation for Egypt to join the GCC will not be far now, unless the Egyptian ‘uprising’ becomes a true ‘revolution’ that sweeps away military rule.

Mr. al-Tayeb was appointed by former dictator Hosni Mubarak from among his ruling party functionaries, whereby he promptly dropped the civilian suit for a cleric’s robe (not thobe). The Saudi Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs is yet another Al Al Shaikh, this time Abdulaziz Al Al Shaikh. Readers of my blog know by now that there are many Al Al Shaikh in top Saudi government positions, including ministers, the chief Mufti, and the chief justice. My readers also know by now that all the Al Al Shaikhs are descendants of Imam Mohammad Bin Abdulwahhab, after whom the Wahhabi sect was named. The Imam Abdulwahhab was a close ally of the Al Saud from way back in the days before the early Old West. The two clans have intermarried over generations (but it is usually a one-way traffic if you know what I mean).
 
The Salafi Imam Abdulwahhab is not to be confused with the late great Egyptian musician and singer Mohammed Abdel Wahab who was never a Salafi or a fundamentalist. Not even an Evangelical nor one of the Hasidim.
Cheers
mhg


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Egypt, Human Right, Saudi Arabia

Egyptian Prisoners, Saudi Prisoners, Saudi Lawlessness…………..

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      BFF

“Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday announced that Saudi Arabia had decided to free a number of Egyptian prisoners currently languishing in Saudi jails within the next few days. “There are only a handful of Egyptian prisoners in Saudi Arabia, divided into two groups,” said Ahmed Rageb, assistant foreign minister for consular and immigration affairs. “The first are those who received jail sentences for crimes committed. We can’t do anything about these, because they’re being treated according to Saudi law.” “Those in the second group, however, will be released before the end of October, in line with an agreement we reached with Saudi ambassador to Cairo Ahmed Al-Qattan,” added Rageb……..”

The first group of Egyptian “had received prison sentences and are treated according to ‘Saudi’ law‘” (they are lucky they were not beheaded). Then the “second” group, that will be released soon, was held for what? There is no explanation of why and for how long they have been held. Are they held according to Saudi lawlessness? I know many Saudi citizens are also being held according to the country’s lawlessness (no charges, no trials, no lawyers). Some of the Saudis have been held for months, some for years. The Egyptians may be more fortunate than many of the Saudis: they have a government that looks after their interests if they are arrested without charges. The Saudis have no one to look after their interests if they are arrested without charges (the U.S.  State Department wouldn’t dare).
Khaled al- Jehany has been held since March without a trace, without charges, others have been held for years. Saudi law is what the king and the princes decide since the courts are peopled by tame palace judges and clergy.
Wahhabi faux-liberals in Gulf media tend to overlook these ‘nuances’ of human rights in the region. But they probably have no choice.

Cheers
mhg


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Gulf states, Religion, Salafi, Saudi Arabia, U.S. Politics, WTF

American Schism: Salafis vs. Shi’as vs. Mormons vs……..

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      BFF


American media raised a storm last week when an Evangelical religious pastor supporter of the Texas Governor called the Mormon (sect) of Mitt Romney a “cult”. Initially, having been conditioned back on my Gulf to certain derogatory remarks, I was surprised at the media storm. In recent years on my Gulf people often call each others’ sects and faiths things that are worse than a mere “cult”. This has been especially the case since growth of the imported Salafi Wahhabi cult. It has exasperated sectarian divisions into open hostility.
This pastor must have been reading the website of the sectarian Saudi Alarabiya network, or maybe he has been watching the extremely sectarian-baiting television and other media of the Bahrain government. At least he did not call Mr. Romney a terrorist plotter and an agent of a foreign regime (not the Saudi regime). And he does not need to import foreign mercenaries and import officially-approved American weapons, all with Saudi money, to shoot at Mr. Romney.

Cheers
mhg


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Bahrain, GCC, Kuwait, Persian-American Gulf, Salafi, Saudi Arabia, WTF

Kuwait Protests? about Saudi Protests, Bahrain Protests, Salafi Uprising………….

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“Meshal al-Zaidi says he was drawn into Kuwait’s protest movement by political ideals, not the economic grievances that helped spur revolts in poorer Arab countries. “My friend drives a Porsche Cayenne, another a Porsche Panamera, you’ll see the best cars at Kuwaiti protests,” said al-Zaidi, a 25-year-old who runs a public relations firm and attends rallies seeking the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammed al-Sabah. “It’s not about money, it’s not about oil, it’s about real democracy.”………” Bloomberg News

No, it is not all about real democracy. It is hardly about democracy. God knows there is plenty of corruption and mismanagement in Kuwait, although not nearly as much as in Saudi Arabia or Bahrain. Hell, they even hired Tony Blair as a consultant: now that can’t reflect any true commitment to honesty and clean management, can it? But then all that is really lowering the bar.
Although some, a few, of the protesters want more freedom and accountability, there are many more among them who have no desire for democracy. Just ask almost anyone who shows up at these small events about Saudi Arabia, and they’ll either praise that country’s regime or get evasive. Unfortunately most of the so-called protesters are either of the local Wahhabi faux-liberals or the Islamists (die-hard Salafis) with a few bored-to-death others thrown in. Some may be part (pawns) of an intense power struggle within the ruling elite.
 
The Wahhabi faux-liberals are already tweeting and ‘column-izing’ against the currents protests in Saudi Arabia, labeling them an “Iranian” plot, just as they do in Bahrain. I don’t think they are stupid, nobody can be that stupid (or can they?). The Salafi Islamists among them have no desire to have any form of enhanced democracy, but they are great opportunists. Some of these Islamists seem to be the loudest, more media-grabbing among the “protesters”. They failed to get rid of the current prime minister through a parliamentary vote since most members voted against them (either out of conviction or for self-interest). That is when they tried the street. Many of these same Salafis have pushed for more restrictions on the freedom of expression in the legislature. They mostly look toward Salafi Wahhabi corrupt Saudi Arabia as the “model”, to the extent of pushing for some form of political ‘consolidation’ presumably under some form of Saudi rule (perhaps a satrapy like Bahrain?).
This local columnist here gives a glimpse into some of the “Saudi” loyalties at work. He is too shy to mention the country’s name directly. He points out that the government is guilty and responsible for past policies that created the current atmosphere of corruption and unrest.
Cheers
mhg


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Arab Counterrevoltion, Arab Revolutions, Libya, Religion, Salafi, Saudi Arabia

Alarabiya: Libya Denies Reopening the Tripoli Synagogue, about the Shari’a and Monarchy…………

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“The current differences among the Libyans would not stand in the way of forming the forthcoming government after fully liberating the country, the head of the National Transitional Council (NTC) told Al Arabiya. Mustapha Abdul Jalil said that Libya is currently passing through a critical phase on all sides, but once a full control on Sirte is achieved, a series of “drastic changes” will follow. In his special interview with Al Arabiya, Jalil said that sharia (Islamic law) will be the main base of legislation in the new Libya. A balanced Islamic religion, away from extremism, will be applied in the country, he added……….” Alarabiya (Saudi)

Alarabiya headlined this in its Arabic edition as “Abdul Jalil denies he permitted reopening the Jewish Synagogue in Tripoli”. And “Abdul Jalil says Libya will not be radical in the future”. It did not say that “Libya will reinstate the monarchy with an imported Saudi prince, possibly Bandar”.
Now why is this semi-official Saudi network stressing the “synagogue” issue in the Arabic version? Could it be because there are no synagogues nor any churches nor any temples in Saudi Arabia and they and their Salafi agents want this to be the form? You betcha.
He also said that they will have the “Shari’a” as the main source of law. This means, if they follow the Saudi model, that certain social mores will apply and that they will disregard Islamic rules about corruption and repression. Sort of like Saudi Arabia (and almost all other Islamic countries but to a lesser extent, with or without the Shari’a).
Cheers
mhg


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Arab Counterrevoltion, Arab Revolutions, Human Right, Saudi Arabia, UAE

Is it Possible to Insult the UAE Potentates?…….

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      BFF         

“During the 10 month old Arab Spring, the United Arab Emirates expressed its opposition to the trial of Egyptian former president Hosni Mubarak, sent troops, as part of the “Shield of the Arabian Peninsula,” to oppress the Bahraini uprising, and arrested several activists who demanded reform. The arrests started with blogger Ahmed Mansour who was detained, as rumored, while talking in a Friday prayer about supporting the Arab Spring, the Egyptian revolution, and the third Palestine Intifada, which failed to materialise a few months ago. The other four detainees are Nasser Bin Ghaith, Fahad Al-Sihhi, Hassan Ali Al Khamis, and Ahmed Abdulhaleq Ahmed. All five are accused of publicly “insulting” the country’s president and top officials. ………”

Insulted the president and top officials? It is not like they told these worthy potentates to go and do something to themselves. They put it more politely than that. They just called for political reform and more freedoms, something that royally pissed off the shaikhs of the Al Nahayan clan of Abu Dhabi.
The rulers of Abu Dhabi did not only object to the trial of Mubarak, they objected to his popular overthrow. They were as pissed as the Al-Saud that the Egyptian people wanted him out. The brilliant Saudi king is on record for having famously said early February that the Egyptian protesters were “foreign infiltrators and agents of foreign powers”. They both thought the U.S.A. could and should keep him in power by force if necessary, sort of like they are doing in Bahrain.
Cheers
mhg


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Arab Counterrevoltion, Arab Revolutions, Bahrain, GCC, Saudi Arabia

Arab Spring Finally Reaches Eastern Arabia? Wahhabi Faux-Liberals of the Gulf………..

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“Security forces in eastern Saudi Arabia clashed with armed people provoked by a “foreign country,” the Saudi Press Agency said Tuesday, citing an official source at the Interior Ministry. The incident occurred Monday night in Awamiyya, in the Qatif region of Eastern province, where many Shiites in the predominantly Sunni country live. At least 14 people were wounded. “A group of instigators” congregated in the town’s roundabout and “used motorcycles and Molotov cocktails to undermine security and interfere in national sovereignty,” according to the report…….The ministry said that it “will not tolerate any threat to the security and stability of the homeland and its citizens, and will respond with an iron fist.”………”

“Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday that clashes on Monday night that injured 14 people including 11 policemen in its oil-rich Eastern province, home to a large Shi’ite population, were the work of an unnamed foreign power, usually code for its rival Iran. Saudi Arabia applies the Wahhabi austere version of Sunni Islam, and minority Shi’ites say that, while their situation has improved slightly under reforms launched by King Abdullah, they still face many restrictions and discrimination. The government denies these charges. Shi’ites have long complained of second class status in the absolute monarchy. They also want the release of Shi’ite prisoners, some of whom were arrested during previous protests. Shi’ites, who make up to 15 percent of the 19 million Saudi population, say they are not represented in the cabinet, they struggle to land senior government and security jobs and are viewed as heretics or even agents of Iran by the Saudi authorities and hardline Sunni clerics. …………”


The fear is also vanishing in Saudi Arabia, just as it did in other places from Tunisia through Libya and Egypt and Syria and Yemen and Bahrain. The fear is gone or going away. Now the “Saudis” even have a Facebook page for what they call their “revolution”. Today it is Qatif, but who knows, maybe tomorrow it will be Riyadh and Jeddah in spite of the many who have vanished, like Khalid al-Jehany and Ashmawi and many others. The regime is already claiming that the protesters are “Iranian” agents, a predictable claim for Gulf absolute polygamous monarchs when they are in trouble. This old tune of the despots has lost its charm. Only the so-called self-styled palace liberals, really Wahhabi faux-liberals, in the media of some GCC Gulf states, including my hometown, pretend to believe this nonsense anymore. The despots can fool their people only so many times with the sectarian card that they and the Bahraini rulers have overused.

The solution can be simple: give people back their full God-given rights, the rights they were born with before you usurped them.
Cheers
mhg


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Arab Counterrevoltion, Human Right, Saudi Arabia

One Opinion on Saudi “Elections” of Royal Cheerleaders…………

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“This experiment is not enough, though, because the citizens only elect half of the members of their local parliament. Furthermore, these bodies are not vested with important powers; they are more like advisory councils without any authority. Their benefit consists for the government and the regime in demonstrating to the West that certain democratic reforms are being carried out in Saudi Arabia, too……………Yes, that is exactly what is happening. They already did so during the first elections of this kind in 2005, and ended up profiting from this tactic. Back then they tried to demonstrate to those forces in the West that are exerting increasing pressure: We are organising a political ballot here and we have begun to lead the country away from dictatorship and toward political participation. But the Saudi people’s thirst for more far-reaching participation, for enforceable political rights and elected representative bodies with genuine powers, can likewise no longer be overlooked. The current local elections may have primarily a decorative character……….…”

He says that only half the municipal councils are elected and they are only ‘advisory’. He is the director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (none of which exists) in Saudi Arabia (CDHR).
Like I said, when the princes all have to run for elections in order to become rulers of the various Provinces, when they have to be elected as “princes” then those will be real elections. Not for some toothless, non-binding advisory municipal cheerleading councils (okay, they probably don’t chant “rah rah rah, push ’em back, way back” but it is the same).
Cheers
mhg


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