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| U.S. Mulls Citing Saudi Arabia for Intolerance |
| 2003-01-18 |
| In a move likely to foment tension with Riyadh, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has recommended that Secretary of State Colin Powell name Saudi Arabia a "country of particular concern," opening the possibility of diplomatic or economic sanctions, reported a leading American newspaper Saturday, January 18. Oh, did they notice? The Washington Post quoted John Hanford, the U.S. ambassador for religious freedom, as saying that adding Saudi Arabia to the list of "particular concern" was "something that we're going to have to consider very seriously." It quoted Rep. Tom Lantos as claiming that the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act requires the move. Adopting the same viewpoint, Rep. Frank R. Wolf alleged the kingdom "clearly ought to be named." Last month, Senator John McCain sponsored the same position by urging Powell to declare the kingdom a "major violator of religious freedom," said the newspaper. If we're going to make faces at other countries for their internal practices — and doing so is a relatively recent phenomenon — then the Soddies should be at the very top of the religious freedom list. Off the top of my head, I can't think of another country in the world where people are flat out forbidden to belong to another religion. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #5 September works for me, just hoping we stop with the "Islam Is Peace®" crap and start publicly questioning our real relationship with Saudi soon after the fall of Baghdad. In the meantime - Kuwait and other countries facilitating the push should be rewarded |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-01-18 17:28:14 |
| #4 At the same time, folks, we have a full plate right now. We have to deal with Iraq, and those pesky NKors keep demanding that we pay attention to them. Add the time it will take to comb through the Iraqi archives and track all the leads, finish all al-Qaeda, and start a smack-down of Hezbollah, and I would just as soon hold off on the Soddis. Until, oh, say, September. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2003-01-18 16:51:31 |
| #3 American spin-consumers are buying Bush's oilpatch rhetoric about Islam being one of the "faiths of Abraham." This is what Muslims think of inter-faith, and I am not selling snakeoil: www.al-sunnah.com/unity_of_religions.htm |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-01-18 15:17:52 |
| #2 Sanctions should happen but probably won't. This is the Sods after all. But after we finish off Iraq, I wouldn't be surprised if we get a lot more surly toward the Saudi entity. |
| Posted by: Christopher Johnson 2003-01-18 13:33:05 |
| #1 It's reflection of the weakness of a religion to forbid worshipping other religions. If the appeal to other than the eye-rolling drooling nuts were so absolute they wouldn't enforce the ban. Soddy needs to be called on it - repeatedly and often - and made to defend their weakness. If the Muslim men had any pride and self-confidence they wouldn't have to treat their women like possessions either |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-01-18 13:18:45 |