UK government response to King Abdullah's death

[Earl Aelfheah]

I cannot believe that all government buildings and Buckingham Palace are flying flags at half mast (in addition to David Cameron and Prince Charles flying out to Saudi) in order to show solidarity with a vicious dictatorship. Does anyone feel differently? What the hell is going on?

[ernesto]

Compare and contrast

one is a statement about the death of an elected leader of an Oil producing nation

one is a statement about the death of an unelected leader of an Oil producing nation

[KidKruger]

Money talks innit.

[ernesto]

anyway , back to the OP

cant really slag charlie boy for what he is doing - he is part of a scum rapist family like the entire house of Saud

[Earl Aelfheah]

If only they were as keen to show solidarity with Raif Badawi.

[DulwichFox]

Saudi Arabia is Brutal regime where Men women and children are flogged on a daily basis.

Hangings, Beheadings and Beatings (Lashing)..

Even Stoning to death but more rarer these days.. since 2007.

Yet GB and many other countries have given Saudi Arabia

their blessing and continue to trade with them..

What price Oil. ?

Much info available on Google but far too disturbing to post here.

DulwichFox

[Earl Aelfheah]

It makes absolutely sick to see our representatives cuddling up to Saudi Arabia in this way.

[KidKruger]

Seriously what did you expect - the PM / Queen saying they're glad he's dead ?!

We need their oil and a few whipped asses just don't have the same profile.

So our leaders will grovel / try to avoid upset.

[Earl Aelfheah]

'A few whipped asses'... Really?

[KidKruger]

In the eyes of our 'leaders', yes, I really believe that's their viewpoint.

You did see the public statements they made - right ?

Otherwise how would you explain their pandering ?

[Vick]

Their pandering is because of oil. I don't think that they under estimate the brutality of the regime, and that makes it all the worse.

[DulwichFox]

Well they took out Saddam and Gadafi so why not this mob ?

[ernesto]

I'll lend you a copy of house of bush/ house of saud that will make it clear blud

[Blah Blah]

It's not about oil as such, it's about arms sales. We are one of the world's biggest producers and sellers of arms (in the top four no less) and Saudi is our biggest customer. This homage to the king's death is about business, and business doesn't care about human rights.

[Otta]

I don't know enough about it to really comment, but someone on the radio was suggesting that the human rights atrocities are more to do with the religious leaders that the royal family.

Like I say, I don't know too much about it, but it was another viewpoint.

[BrandNewGuy]

FWIW I wrote elsewhere:

Are we junkies who hate the pusher but love the drug?

Of course King Abdullah was a ghastly and inhumane leader of a corrupt and vicious dynasty, but I wonder if our fawning politicians and royals (and those of dozens of other countries) are, in fact, a lightning rod for our own hypocrisy.

Our civilisation could not exist without copious quantities of cheap fossil fuels, not just for transportation, heating and power, but for large-scale agriculture, plastics, fabrics and a multitude of uses for which there are no viable alternatives ? at least not ones which would keep us in the comfort to which we've become accustomed. And, of course, Saudi Arabia is and has been for some time the world's no. 1 oil producer and will be for decades to come.

Not only that, but the UK's massive arms sales to Saudi Arabia means tens of thousands of hi-tech ? and ordinary ? jobs in the UK. So the blatant corruption associated with these deals is seen by politicians, however cynically, as smoothing the way to ensure that these jobs and skills are safe. The UK arms industry is responsible for some 22% of world 'defence' exports, employing some 300,000 people here and constituting more than 10% of our manufacturing industry.

Yes, it's horrible, but if we have a hopeless addiction to oil, it's not much use complaining that our 'pusher' is a violent and evil crook. And if we rid ourselves of our oil addiction (never mind our reliance on arms sales), we will make ourselves poorer. Are we prepared to accept that?

[Burbage]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Well they took out Saddam and Gadafi so why not

> this mob ?

In short, because this lot have more money. If we started taking out people merely because they were murderous, slave-trafficking scum, half the developments in London would still be on the drawing board, and the City would have to find an honest way to make a living.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Good post BNG and of course there is some truth to this. There is a degree of necessary compromise and Real Politik, but we are talking about trade with the Saudis, not charity from them.. Both parties get something from these contracts, we don't need to fawn, as if we owe them something. World 'leaders' could actually come together and demand change far more forcefully. The behaviour this week has been cowardly and shameful.

[david_carnell]

The fear from the West, though, is that should they criticise or undermine the Saud regime, any internal uprising would destabilise the oil markets.

The West's nightmare scenario is a anti-Western theocracy taking over in Saudi. Remember that bin-Laden was a relative of the Saudi royal family who renounced them for allowing US forces into Saudi as part of Gulf War I.

A Saudi Arabia that doesn't sell oil at cheap rates or buy western arms is a terrifying prospect for those concerned.

[jctg]

As my Dad says, and goes on and on about it, it's ALL about the oil. But that's hardly surprising is it?

[JohnL]

Isn't the US heading towards self sufficiency ?

Maybe they'll lose interest in the Middle East in future.

[ernesto]

Sa still produce at less than $5 a barrel or whateves - cheapest around- they can wing low oil prices until everyone else has dropped out. Indigenous US oil production is its death throes, not much left, hard to get. expensive to get out - hence the move towards shale and biomass based alternates. UK is stuffed and Thatch spunked the proceeds when it was affordable ( little bit of politics there) , now its nowhere near competitive

truth is, there isnt anyone who can compete on reserve or extraction price with the wahhabi wankers and they know it

[BrandNewGuy]

JohnL Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Isn't the US heading towards self sufficiency ?

No.

> Maybe they'll lose interest in the Middle East in

> future.

Fat chance.

[Parkdrive]

Given the UK's reliance on their oil and revenue generated by the sale of arms, I'm not in the least surprised by the governments kiss arse approach to the death of this despot. It's called greasing the wheels

[El Pibe]

old school ties too (in both senses)