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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Dear pot, signed, Kettle

It's not like I support Guantanamo either as a legal construct or as a reality, but I do find a bitter irony that the Saudi government is criticizing the US over the recent suicides in Guantanamo, claiming that torture drove the men to it. I don't know enough detail to judge the validity of that claim, but take just a minute and let this sink in.

The Saudis are criticizing us on Human Rights.

posted by mikevotes at 2:45 PM

5 Comments:

  • I don't think getting pissed off with the Saudis should infer support for the illegal Cuban base.
    I suspect Saudi Arabia is one of those issues which will be coming back to bite the US on the bum.
    Their alliance and wavering is more about protecting the regime's cash than any other issue.

    By Blogger Cartledge, at 3:07 PM  

  • Yeah, and reading the article, their accusations seem to be largely playing to their domestic politics. But still, Saudi has conducted public beheadings, torture, disappearances, the whole bit, and Guantanamo is bad enough that they're criticizing us.

    Also, with a day gone, and the taping bubble passed, let me say hurrah to the Aussies. That was an unbelieveable victory. I was jumping up and down shouting. It was phenomenal. Unfortunately the US coverage cut out before the inevitable Waltzing Matilda. I would've loved to have seen that. (I'm a big trinations fan as well.) Congrats. In that group, just one more draw might get you through.

    Mike

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 3:12 PM  

  • Mike, thanks, I'll bask in the reflected glory. Yes, it seems we need just one more point to go though.
    I still wish it were cricket, my preferred game.

    Now those Saudis: As I understand it, part of the imperative for the Iraq push was related to the Saudis signalling that US bases were out, so far as their territory.
    And posted this yesterday: Saudi Arabia beheaded a man for murder Monday, the kingdom's second execution this year, the Interior Ministry said.Real charmers.

    By Blogger Cartledge, at 8:00 PM  

  • Yeah, the Saudis had issued a bit of a sdoft deadline for US troops to get out of Saudi. It was one of the monarchies arrangements with Bin Laden so he wouldn't try to topple the regime.

    And, this administration thought Iraq would be easy, a "cakewalk." So, why not, eh?

    Mike

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 9:02 PM  

  • On a side note, this story is doinmg the rounds of the Brit papers:
    Britain's highest court has ruled that four men who were imprisoned and allegedly tortured in Saudi Arabia do not have the right to sue their foreign captors.

    By Blogger Cartledge, at 11:10 AM  

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