Taking Lessons from the French

The Website of the Saudi Embassy in London Explains Human Rights to the West in an especially snotty diatribe:

“Many people around the world look at the West's human rights protestations and say: 'Too little! Too late!' They share Gandhi's sentiments. When asked about Western civilization he said: 'It would be a good idea.'"

”Saudi Arabia does not see fit to accept the latest version of the West's version of human rights. Saudi Arabia has its own vision… (The concept of human rights) came, in effect, as a response to the atrocities committed in the West. The West produced Nazism and Marxism and the ensuing deaths of millions and millions of innocent human beings.”

Of course, the Saudis would like a similar opportunity.

The Saudi government has long maintained power with a curious mix of fundamentalist Islam and western socialism. The money for the generous state revenues comes from oil. But the invasion of Iraq has put them on the defensive. Iraq will soon be pumping lots of oil, and that oil will sold free of OPEC’s constraints. Iraq will drive down the global price.

That means less money for the Saudi government to pay off its people. The ignorance of the Saudis is striking. They lecture the West on human rights, but are blind to the real threat: the pressure for reform that is coming (and will increasingly come from) their own people.

Crown Prince Abdullah is a dinosaur, and there has just been huge meteor impact to the North.


- posted by total @ 6/27/2003 08:16:00 AM .