What Do You Do With a Problem Like Saudi Arabia?

[dulcinea]

'tis no secret to anybody who follows the news regularly that our "ally" Saudi Arabia is the kind of friend of whom 'tis truly said: with a friend like this, I don't need enemies. What could be done to make SA a true ally upon which the West can truly rely, instead of an antagonist that constantly undermines the West with dishonest oil politics and exportation of its particularly intolerant breed of Islam? There's always the risk of yet another Islamic "republic", yet 'tis painfully obvious that the present perilous situation cannot be endured or allowed for much longer.

[Brendan]

Having a good long look at the royal family and cronies, and making them act responsibly, might be a place to start. Prince Bandar was the only person allowed in the air on 9/11. But the connections with oil money go deep, and I would guess they have a wealth of information that important, connected folk don't want brought to the light of day. They also fund the Wahhabis and international madrasas to ameliorate the criticism of their wealth of abuse of power (and Western alliances).

The people of Saudi Arabia have an average income less than that of subsaharan Africans (lots of welfare, to just get them through) while their royalty purchase solid silver Audis. If poverty and disempowerment fuel Arab resentment, Arab princes should carry some of the blame, IMHO.

[MegaKitsune]

Nuke. Them. All.

[RebLem]

The place to start is this--next time an American woman married to a Saudi shows up at the US Embassy in Riyadh begging for succor, don't turn a deaf ear to her pleas and turn her back to the tender mercies of the Saudis. Also tell them we want all her children and safe passage out of the country for the family. Give her the same succor as we gave Cardinal Mindszenty in Hungary if the Saudis won't cooperate.

We also need to change our citizenship laws to declare that any child born anywhere in the world with one parent who is a US citizen is automatically considered a native born US citizen. Part of the reason many of these woman return to their husbands "voluntarily" is that the US government tells them we will not support their desire to have their children come with them because the kiddies aren't citizens.

And, if we need to learn to do without Saudi oil because of this, we should make the necessary sacrifices. If the oil company executives scream bloody murder that we should sacrifice our citizens' lives and freedom on the altar of oil, kick them in the nuts.

[jbuck919]

solid silver Audis

Solid silver is too flimsy for a car body; solid gold would be too heavy.

I've read all three posts so far here and I'm not exactly sure what issue is being addressed (other than we all wish we didn't have to have any relationship with Saudi Arabia at all).

[living_stradivarius]

Nuke. Them. All.

I have to represent Saudi Arabia in a UN simulation for one of my classes. How fun.

[Brendan]

solid silver Audis

Solid silver is too flimsy for a car body; solid gold would be too heavy.

I've read all three posts so far here and I'm not exactly sure what issue is being addressed (other than we all wish we didn't have to have any relationship with Saudi Arabia at all).

I'll try and find the URL if I can be bothered, or you could Google it. An Arab rich-boy really did have an Audi made from solid silver.

Edit: I should always check Snopes before saying such things. It isn't silver, just very nicely polished: http://www.snopes.com/photos/automobiles/silveraudi.asp. The main point regarding the waste of royalty and their cronies remains intact.

[Barry]

There is an article in the current Foreign Affairs which goes into the extent to which Pakistan and their military are helping and giving a safe haven to the Taliban. The Pakistanis have been helpful in dealing with Al Quaeda, but not the Taliban.
So there are two regimes we need to find a way to pressure into better behavior while being careful about destabilizing them unless we're confident that what will follow them will be an improvement.

[jbuck919]

solid silver Audis

Solid silver is too flimsy for a car body; solid gold would be too heavy.

I've read all three posts so far here and I'm not exactly sure what issue is being addressed (other than we all wish we didn't have to have any relationship with Saudi Arabia at all).

I'll try and find the URL if I can be bothered, or you could Google it. An Arab rich-boy really did have an Audi made from solid silver.

Edit: I should always check Snopes before saying such things. It isn't silver, just very nicely polished: http://www.snopes.com/photos/automobiles/silveraudi.asp. The main point regarding the waste of royalty and their cronies remains intact.

I hope you realize I was just giving you a gentle kidding before making my main non-point.

[Brendan]

Indeed, but it reminded me that I hadn't checked Snopes, just accepted the eMail title that it was solid silver. If I say something innaccurate, I like to correct it - whether the alert is through kidding or more colourful communication.