Nagla Wafa, 39, an Egyptian wedding planner and designer, had a simple business dispute with a partner over a cashed check and a joint business venture. The partner says that she cashed a check and reneged on opening a restaurant. It is the type of thing that is standard fare for courts around the world. However, this is Saudi Arabia and the partner was a princess in the Royal family. Wafa was arrested without charge and held for months. She was then belated charged with fraud and sentenced to 500 lashes and five years in prison in a case that has drawn rightful condemnation in Egypt. She is shown here with her two sons.
When the family finally went public, the Saudi government reportedly cut off all contact with Wafa in prison.
The case is an appalling violation of basic due process guarantees and makes a mockery of the Saudi legal system. It is also highly ironic given the continual claims against Saudi royals of not paying their bills abroad (here). This is not the first time that draconian punishment has been meted out in a case involving a Saudi princess.
Source: LA Times
Jill,
You are so right (in one way). When do we get a woman democrat President to show us that even woman can do wrong?
Secondly, SA is getting anxious as heck over Iran. Letting them beef up with high tech weapons is a win-win.
Obama stimulates the wallets of the rich, and gives SA the nerve to stand pat for a while longer.
Just a thought.
Woosty,
You are precious. Whee, that was so good.
http://vastleft.blogspot.com/2012/08/an-open-letter-to-john-cusack.html Cusack has not conclusively stated that he will not vote for Obama.
rafflaw,
I think it will be a disaster to vote again for Obama. JT and Cusack aren’t just talking about Congress they are talking about the president and most importantly, they are talking about we the people. I think that worrying so much about voting for a certain party is putting our ability to make change in the wrong direction–the one where we have the least chance to do anything.
It should be clear that we’ve had continuity of govt. between Bush and Obama. There is a recent interview with Obama where he tells us that he plans to make all sorts of compromises with Republicans after his election. This is as important not to ignore as his FISA vote. Don’t let your mind be limited in thinking there are two and only two choices. That’s what we’re told. We are told many lies.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/08/27-5
Swarthmore,
The exchange between Prof. Turley and Cusack was interesting and enlightening, but not voting would be worse than voting for the “wrong” person, in my opinion. Obama has done some bad things in the due process areas as highlighted in the Turley/Cusack discussion, but does anyone believe that a Romney vote or a vote for an independent who has no chance of winning is an effective protest vote or that Romney will improve civil liberties? Prof. Turley and Cusack are correct that we have to redo Congress, but IMO we must also protect the middle class and the poor. That won’t happen if Romney is elected. Does anyone really believe that a vote for Rocky Anderson will improve out civil liberties problems when he loses by 80 to 90 percentage points?
Jill,
Thanks for linking the Turley/Cusack discussion.
There is absolutely no race baiting in this interview so I don’t know why you bring that up. And yes, Cusack answered that question in the interview. However, that isn’t the main importance of this discussion.
What they are talking about is a way out. The answer lies in soul force, the desire for justice, the courage to confront injustice. We must understand what we are facing and face it together.
Certainly another example of foreigners being better off to seek business/employment in another nation given the horrors especially in domestic workers.
A co-worker of my wife talked about moving to SA for a well paying nursing job there. I thought she had lost her mind. Fortunately she did not go there in the end.
It would certainly be nice on a more global scale to end our importation of oil products from SA and then break off all trade and diplomatic relations with them, while supporting an opposition party that wants to break free of this monarchy and work for equality.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/romney-camp-bets-welfare-attack Romney’s race baiting is yet another reason to vote for Obama. We can’t let that be the reason he wins. McCain refused to do it. Movie director, Cusack, certainly makes some valid points in his criticism of Obama. He has been tweeting a lot about it but has he actually said that he won’t vote for Obama again? I really don’t know. Since he lives in the Chicago area, it probably does not matter.
Wootsy,
You’re right and wrong. Things are changing all the time. We can try to make the change be of value to the world. If we don’t try, others will make the change in the way they see fit. And so far, their way is the way of mass destruction. Here’s JT’s interview. Please check it out.
http://shannynmoore.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/john-cusack-jonathan-turley-on-obamas-constitution/
Just in case you think I am making a plea for voting Mitt, let me make certain you know that is a terrible idea. He is a lackey’s lackey. His policies are horrific and they will not resolve the problems we face.
We have one hope of making things better and it is us. If we will cultivate intellectual and ethical honesty we have a chance. If we will cultivate the willingness to reach out to others whom the govt.’s “strategic hate management” has taught us to despise. We have a chance. We only have to take it.
same sh*ite, different niqab……..
Justice Holmes,
I agree but there is a much larger reality at stake. It does not matter if US powers are Republican or Democratic. Arms sales tripled in 2011, with a large percentage of those sales going to S.A. Bush is not in office in 2011, Obama is.
What should offend all of us as citizens is that this nation is dealing death all over the world. US powers arm every side to every conflict and they start many of those conflicts. Why do so few of us say anything about this?
It should be obvious that US powers are not interested in the well being of women or anyone else but a few number of people who are making a fortune off terrible conflict and destruction. Where is the outrage? Where is the soul force, the only thing we have available to counter this horrific act of selling death?
Soul force is weak in our nation because people have allowed their intellect and ethics to be shunted aside in favor of party loyalty. This must end. Too much is at stake, including each person’s own integrity as well as the death of so many.
Here is a link to an interview between JT and John Cusak. It points out a way to get back our soul force.
http://shannynmoore.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/john-cusack-jonathan-turley-on-obamas-constitution/
Jill,
“Are some women more equal than others? Does this mean US powers don’t really care that much about women after all?”
Apparently so; to both.
“The failure to honestly acknowledge and grapple with these gaping intellectual and ethical inconsistencies must change, right now.”
Indeed it does.
The fact that we support, protect and defend these people should outrage all Americans but it doesn’t because our multinational corporations who use our tax dollars to wage wars are in bed with them. You don’t have to look any further than the Bushs and their close ties with the Saudis. They get away with….
Here’s a question. So when are we going to bomb and regime change this backward nation who hates women? So far we’ve helped women in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Egypt and we’re desperately wanting to help those in Iran. Shouldn’t we be helping women everywhere? Maybe we should get in there and get cracking?
Strangely enough “US arms sales tripled in 2011” with Saudi Arabia purchasing arms from the USG at “record levels”. Are some women more equal than others? Does this mean US powers don’t really care that much about women after all?
I’m in a questioning mode. When a right wing gun nut buys up a bunch of weapons how come Democrats understand that isn’t a good thing but when a Democratic president sells “…nearly 78% of the global arms market” that’s just fine? It doesn’t mean anything, right? Gun nut buying guns=bad news. Govt. selling a total of “85.3 billion” in weapons around the world with “…Russia as a distant second, with 4.8 billion in deals…”=what? A savvy business strategy?
The failure to honestly acknowledge and grapple with these gaping intellectual and ethical inconsistencies must change, right now.
When she is released from prison she should board a Saudi airplane with a box cutter and reek what the Saudi Kingdom sows.
The old saying dance like and Egyptian with the financing on the heels of 911 has new meaning…..
I offer as a simple defense that it was the “princess” who reneged on paying an advance on the next round of expenses in the affair, and Wada took what she could and dropped out.
Dealing with those with absolute power does not even help
even when there are functioning courts.
Witness Obama’s right to kill American citizens.
May I recommend doing no business deals with Michelle.
Tru dat rafflaw.
The oil barons are into the bully religion no matter what country they curse.
Is there any wonder that most of the 9/11 attackers were Saudis? This kind of plutocratic/religious government is an insult to humanity.