On Monday, Secretary of State John Kerry met with Saudi King Abdullah to deal with increasing tensions with the Kingdom. What I thought was the most interesting moment came when a female reporter asked Kerry about the continued bar on women driving in the Kingdom. We just discussed how a Kuwaiti woman was arrested for driving her father to a hospital during a diabetic seizure. Kerry’s response was remarkably muted on an issue of human rights.
The question is a tense one since Saudi Arabia does many of the things that we condemn in Iran in denying freedom of religion, equality of religion, democratic rights, free press, and free speech. The Kingdom flogs citizens and beheads those found guilty of certain crimes. It has been accused of torture and exporting extreme religious views. Yet, the visit is to convey that it remains our closest Arab ally.
After first joking with male reporters that they did not ask the question, Kerry said:
“It’s no secret that in the United States of America we embrace equality for everybody . . . [but] it’s up to Saudi Arabia to make its own decisions about its own social structure.”
I realize that this was a diplomatic trip to stroke the Saudis and repair damage over problems related to Iran and Syria. Moreover, I think that our position is clear. However, the response was immediately noted by civil libertarians as coming off as remarkably relativistic and restrained. Yet these responses are clearly scripted on diplomatic trips. Women’s rights is not a question of “social structure.” That is how the Saudis view it. It is their religion and social structure that is cited for the medieval treatment of women. Equality is a human right that by definition transcends “social structures” and national preferences. Otherwise, racial and religious discrimination would be simply a matter of cultural tastes.
Not surprisingly, the Saudis appear pleased by the American fawning over what Prince Saudi al-Faisal described as “a true relationship between friends is based on sincerity, candor and frankness.” Of course, it is a shame that more woman could not see it . . . they couldn’t get a ride.
Mike Spindell 1, November 6, 2013 at 11:46 am
“… the permanent Corporate/Military/Intelligence Complex …”
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“Oil is the lifeblood of America’s economy” – Department of Energy
“Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.” -Napoleon Bonaparte
“What’s Driving Mr. Kerry?” – JT
Maybe that half of the richest people in the world come from two families, and most of the richest people come from the U.S.
Gives new meaning to “we are the richest nation” when half of the U.S. has no assets, are poverty bound, and half of all U.S. workers earn less than $27k per annum.
Kerry has to keep the Saudi’s happy with not being in that crowd –even though “our oil under their sands” made them a bit rich too.
I have been to Saudi and spoke with many woman about this issue, For those that I spoke with, the denial of driving was way down on the list of things to fix. They also were quick to ask just how equal are we in this country where women still earn less for the same job. They pointed out that perhaps we could make sure we have full equality in our own country before we go spouting what constitutes equality in someone else’s country.
Rich men speak with forked tongue. Politicians speak with forked tongue. Royals speak with forked tongue.
Democracy is forked. .
Meanwhile, the Syrian diplomacy over chemical weapons is doing quite well.
Money and oil are the root of all that is evil in the Middle East. Kerry needs to be polite to his “guests”, but he can and should still be candid and honest about their medieval policies.
“[but] it’s up to Afghanistan/Iran/Iraq/Syria/Libya/etc. to make its own decisions about its own social structure.”
What would we expect from an American Secretary of State in dealing with our country’s primary ally in the Mid East? I been explaining for years that Israel is neither truthfully considered America’s “closest ally” in the Mid East at the highest levels of our opaque foreign policy establishment, nor does this country act in Israel’s interest. Arab/Israeli strife in the ME is beneficial to the Saudi’s and since the Eisenhower years America has been acting as a Saudi client state. This started with the Dulles Brothers, who with Prescott Bush (sire of the Bush crime family) helped finance Hitler’s rise to power.
This group were all involved in the oil business and they helped shape American foreign policy. In the early 60’s with the USSR competing with us for the control of the ME, Israel was used as a surrogate for the US in the cold War struggle. The Saudi’s of course wanted no truck with the USSR. The Nixon and then Ford Administrations were also in the thrall of Big Oil and therefore the Saudi’s. The permissiveness with which the OPEC Cartel was greeted indicates that. It was surprising how little protest to OPEC’s formation came from the US government. Jimmy Carter to had ties to the Saudis. The Reagan Administration was also a Saudi Client and their two top Cabinet Members Schulz and Weinberger were connected to the Bechtel Corporation which was involved with the Saudi’s. GHW Bush and the whole family are Saudi Allies. Bill Clinton had oil ties and then came GW Bush. One would have thought that Obama would be different, but apparently as Kerry shows it’s the same old story.
Money talks and Saudi money has corrupted and controlled our political system and they are quite happy with the lack of ME peace. They are an absolute Monarchy, with lots of smarts and fabulous cash flow. They want their citizens not to look at the oppression within, but to concentrate on the phony war with Israel.
Writing this I must stress that I am a supporter of Israel but not its’ present government, which I feel is a toady of US oil interests. I believe that Israel’s best bet is to break free of the US and the myth of the US being its close friend. Israel is of course a tiny country, but they have a marvelous tech industry and atomic weapons. No one is going to destroy them an irradiate the entire ME and that gives them leverage. The problem is that real state of ME affairs is hidden from the public by the elite controlling this country, be they Republican of Democrat.
MS While I agree with much of what you say, I cannot let pass the idea that Prescott Bush was in any way a principal in dealings with Nazi Germany. He was in FACT, the employee of Averell Harriman who was his employer at the time. If you wish to blast Bush for his involvement in the banking for Nazi German companies, you cannot ignore the role of his BOSS, Harriman who was a close advisor to FDR and a leader in the Democratic Party. Bush was simply Harriman’s gofer.
“I cannot let pass the idea that Prescott Bush was in any way a principal in dealings with Nazi Germany. He was in FACT, the employee of Averell Harriman who was his employer at the time. If you wish to blast Bush for his involvement in the banking for Nazi German companies, you cannot ignore the role of his BOSS, Harriman who was a close advisor to FDR and a leader in the Democratic Party. Bush was simply Harriman’s gofer.”
Randyjet,
You are absolutely correct about Harriman who later became the Democratic. Liberal Governor of NY State. He had much to do with Democratic Party foreign policy and its attachment to big oil and the Saudis. There is a permanent American Foreign Policy establishment that consider themselves the “wise old men.” Their policy punditry knows no administration since they are always there despite the party in power. They are of course part and parcel of the permanent Corporate/Military/Intelligence Complex. I should have added this to my comment but it was already getting far too long.
Kerry: “Well, nothing really to see here, move along. Let’s sell them another advanced weapons system to smooth over those delicate Saudi sensibilities.”
John Kerry: Decorated War Criminal. Rank: Patrician Enabler.
I hope that this same standard will be applied to all US diplomats and officials who visit the State of the Vatican which denies women any role or vote in the Catholic church. Next time Obama or Kerry goes to the Vatican, I hope that y’all will castigate them for not raising the issue of women’s rights in the Catholic Church. While the Church is not as bad as Saudi Arabia, it is not exactly a democracy either.
Then there are lots of historical examples of previous US officials not pushing for human rights. I guess that the people who object to Kerry’s non-statements would also be outraged at the fact that FDR did not denounce Churchill and the UK for owning much of the world and keeping those foreign people in bondage as colonies. At least FDR made it clear to Churchill in private talks that the US would not give a dime to re-enslave their colonies. I guess that all of you would have preferred FDR make statements blasting British imperialism during WWII too. Then Stalin should have made comments blasting US racial policies, and the imprisonment of Japanese Americans. Of course that would have been impossible because the CPUSA supported that policy of jailing them as well as objecting to the march on Washington, A Philip Randolph threatened during WWII to get more opportunities for black Americans. Then FDR should have demanded of Stalin that he get rid of the KGB and the police state before the US gave him any aid. Glad to see that all of the critics of Kerry know how to do the job better than any stupid diplomat. At least the US is not giving aid and money to that kingdom and in fact we are getting aid from them. The shoe is on the other foot in this case, and we are the recipients of aid, not the other way around.
And you thought Kellogg was the only kinda of flake…..
It would be interesting to hear the truth from time to time:
Your treatment of women is reprehensible.
Your religious autocracy is medieval.
Your laws and punishments are draconian.
Your oil is cheap and readily available.
Your treatment of Palestinians is reprehensible.
Your religious state is medieval.
Your laws and punishments are biased towards jews and against Palestinians.
Your religious representation in our country is such that we dare not get in your way.
We are referring to The Kerry that owns a publickly traded company that owns private prisons right? So… I’m surprised that everyone’s surprised that this great person isn’t for human rights. He jails people for profit… Enough said.
Kerry is a person w/ virtually no friends. Always be wary of those type people.
There is so much bearing of false witness here by Kerry, and the Saudis,
I’m surprised the spaghetti monster doesn’t hurl frozen meatballs at the entire snake oil BS emporium.
The Saudis have gravitated from being a simple Pirate Territory to being an oil producing Pirate Territory and we do not need to give them any support and we should be persona non gratis. If ya know what I mean jelly bean. Oh, and if you need to go near, do no more than fly over, and please flush while overhead. FOAD (Fly Over And Flush) to the toads.
Reblogged this on Brittius.com.
Dealing with despots and dictators has nearly bankrupted our economy and our values. We have a permanent Orwellian police state as a consequence of these relationships.
Why not switch to clean energy and stop funding both sides of our oil wars? What are the American people gaining from it?
The Saudis have a right to make their own decisions BUT we should not be seen supporting them nor should we do their will. We should object to human rights violations and we should not defend these guys. The Saudis are theocrats. The US has become so good at looking the other way we now do it in our own country and see human rights violations as nothing.
Cow towing to the Saudis is wrong. It needs to stop.
Money talks. What’s new? FWIW, I wouldn’t cross the street to vote for him, so he wouldn’t have been my first choice for this position.