Apparently, this is a common move in diplomacy. When you can’t force a country to change its ways you try to shame it. It’d be very bad publicity if the country heading the human rights council panel beheads a teenager for writing a poem criticizing some asshole sheikh. And, believe it or not the Saudis do care about publicity.
At least that’s the theory.
Saudi Arabia is my most hated country in the world (I bet you thought it was Israel!). Have you read about this Saudi prince in Beverly Hills who sexually assaulted multiple women?
There was this other story in India last week where a diplomat raped his Nepali maids, but of course he had diplomatic immunity, so nothing happened about it. In fact, there were claims that when the police came to investigate, the diplomat’s security people beat up the police.
“Saudi Arabia is my most hated country in the world (I bet you thought it was Israel!).”
Actually, I projected and thought it was Russia. ๐ Jokes aside, a US foreign policy I could understand and get behind would consist of marginalizing and shaming horrible, inhuman regimes like that of Saudi Arabia and not collaborating with them in any way until they start becoming more civilized.
I’m with you on this. I believe this change would come within our lifetimes. Did you know US imports more oil from Canada than it does from Saudi Arabia?
Just need more research breakthroughs in alternative fuels and Saudi Arabia will be done.
Saudi Arabia and Russia, both. Fuel dependency is the only reason why anybody is putting up with their shit. They will fade to insignificance once the dependence is broken.
“Fuel dependency is the only reason why anybody is putting up with their shit. ”
At least one can understand this reason. I’m unable to understand the unfettered support given to Israel, who also needs to be shamed for its actions.
Funny story. So, we’re going to get married next year or the year after. My girlfriend doesn’t like precious metals and hates the idea of diamonds. So, she got a cool vintage-looking ring online on Etsy.com, from a jewelry maker in Israel of all places.
I just had to laugh. I can’t even manage to implement BDS in my own home!!
Again a subject we agree on. Also, Iran. Iran, unless it makes reforms, will be a neutered regime if we make the importance of oil less significant.
The problem, as I have discussed before is the democrats / liberals by and large focus on climate change, vs leveraging this powerful message of “america energy independence” and “destroying america’s enemies”. Conservatives love to hate on russia and most of the middle east. Play towards that, and you can get policies that hasten our shift from oil.
That, and it should be less on “puishing” oil, and instead spending a crap town of money on R&D (federal level, to colleges, AND to private industry) to rapidly increase solar panel efficiecny, battery technology (the real big win in my opinion), self-driving car technology (which will drastically increase ridership density – ie average car has 2.5-3 people in it vs. 1.3 currently) and working on appropriate policy for more national power lines to take power from the cheap / sunny south and west to broader, populated areas.
I know you will hate this suggestion, and i know he is unlikely to do it, but if trump took up this message it would be most powerful because he can claim “good for economcy” and “make rest of world weaker than the us”.
Sadly i don’t think trump reads this blog or will call me.. but in case I am happy to over this message to help save the world ๐
Why don’t you petition T. Boone Pickens to run for President? He’s a billionaire with an ego at least as big as Trump’s, and Pickens is a highly vocal, passionate advocate for clean energy like wind power. ๐
Well, Thomas Boone Pickens chooses to use “T. Boone Pickens” as his legal business name — and as a name style in American English, it does sound very affected.
Unfortunately, the U.N. isn’t trying to shame anybody with its committee appointments. For decades, the U.N. has routinely put countries like Syria, Libya, Cuba, and South Africa on committees with titles like “World Women’s Rights,” “Safety from Evil for Children,” etc.
Some of the appointments are a result of a scheduled rotation system, and others are the result of elections in the General Assembly.
The only country that the U.N. really hates is Israel, which is the frequent target of one-sided resolutions condemning that small, democratic country for taking reasonable, limited action to defend itself against vicious terrorists who are determined to destroy it. Fortunately, the U.S. has veto power in the U.N., and can block more egregious anti-Israel resolutions.
South Africa was much more reviled by the UN than Israel ever was. While Israel was still being supported by many governments as a “progressive socialist” regime the UN was busy imposing sanctions agains and even calling for an invasion of South Africa. Under white rule South Africa was never appointed to any committees dealing with human rights. Israel was treated with kid gloves by the UN GA really until 1967. In 1948 most Arab and African states did not have membership in the organization. It is still coddled by the UN SC which has never approved any sanctions against Israel in contrast to the mandatory total economic and cultural boycotts imposed against South Africa during the apartheid South Africa.
South Africa was reviled by the U.N. while it was under white colonist control. Since the end of apartheid and the transition to black majority government, the U.N. hasn’t directed any anger at South Africa whatsoever.
Since 1967 Israel has been repeatedly condemned by the UN GA in very one-sided resolutions that totally ignore the on-going terrorist activity from the Palestinians that require Israel to take defensive military action.
The only reason the UN SC has never approved any sanctions against Israel is that the U.S. will do the just thing and veto them.
I don’t like these forced analogies. These are two entirely different countries with a history that is not even remotely similar. Comparing them is not even like comparing apples and oranges. It’s more akin to comparing a star and a novel.
I’m not making any comparison between South Africa and Israel, merely responding to another commenter’s statements about how those countries have been historically treated by the U.N.
Apparently, this is a common move in diplomacy. When you can’t force a country to change its ways you try to shame it. It’d be very bad publicity if the country heading the human rights council panel beheads a teenager for writing a poem criticizing some asshole sheikh. And, believe it or not the Saudis do care about publicity.
At least that’s the theory.
Saudi Arabia is my most hated country in the world (I bet you thought it was Israel!). Have you read about this Saudi prince in Beverly Hills who sexually assaulted multiple women?
http://gawker.com/three-more-women-accuse-saudi-prince-arrested-this-week-1733162626
There was this other story in India last week where a diplomat raped his Nepali maids, but of course he had diplomatic immunity, so nothing happened about it. In fact, there were claims that when the police came to investigate, the diplomat’s security people beat up the police.
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http://jalopnik.com/laferrari-asshat-who-terrorized-a-beverly-hills-neighbo-1730757102
Scum.
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“Saudi Arabia is my most hated country in the world (I bet you thought it was Israel!).”
LikeLike
I’m with you on this. I believe this change would come within our lifetimes. Did you know US imports more oil from Canada than it does from Saudi Arabia?
Just need more research breakthroughs in alternative fuels and Saudi Arabia will be done.
LikeLike
Saudi Arabia and Russia, both. Fuel dependency is the only reason why anybody is putting up with their shit. They will fade to insignificance once the dependence is broken.
LikeLike
“Fuel dependency is the only reason why anybody is putting up with their shit. ”
At least one can understand this reason. I’m unable to understand the unfettered support given to Israel, who also needs to be shamed for its actions.
Funny story. So, we’re going to get married next year or the year after. My girlfriend doesn’t like precious metals and hates the idea of diamonds. So, she got a cool vintage-looking ring online on Etsy.com, from a jewelry maker in Israel of all places.
I just had to laugh. I can’t even manage to implement BDS in my own home!!
LikeLike
Again a subject we agree on. Also, Iran. Iran, unless it makes reforms, will be a neutered regime if we make the importance of oil less significant.
The problem, as I have discussed before is the democrats / liberals by and large focus on climate change, vs leveraging this powerful message of “america energy independence” and “destroying america’s enemies”. Conservatives love to hate on russia and most of the middle east. Play towards that, and you can get policies that hasten our shift from oil.
That, and it should be less on “puishing” oil, and instead spending a crap town of money on R&D (federal level, to colleges, AND to private industry) to rapidly increase solar panel efficiecny, battery technology (the real big win in my opinion), self-driving car technology (which will drastically increase ridership density – ie average car has 2.5-3 people in it vs. 1.3 currently) and working on appropriate policy for more national power lines to take power from the cheap / sunny south and west to broader, populated areas.
I know you will hate this suggestion, and i know he is unlikely to do it, but if trump took up this message it would be most powerful because he can claim “good for economcy” and “make rest of world weaker than the us”.
Sadly i don’t think trump reads this blog or will call me.. but in case I am happy to over this message to help save the world ๐
LikeLike
Why don’t you petition T. Boone Pickens to run for President? He’s a billionaire with an ego at least as big as Trump’s, and Pickens is a highly vocal, passionate advocate for clean energy like wind power. ๐
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Nobody with such an unfortunate name can get elected. ๐
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Well, Thomas Boone Pickens chooses to use “T. Boone Pickens” as his legal business name — and as a name style in American English, it does sound very affected.
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Hmmm. My “most hated country” is unequivocally North Korea. It is horrifying in more ways than I care to enumerate.
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Unfortunately, the U.N. isn’t trying to shame anybody with its committee appointments. For decades, the U.N. has routinely put countries like Syria, Libya, Cuba, and South Africa on committees with titles like “World Women’s Rights,” “Safety from Evil for Children,” etc.
Some of the appointments are a result of a scheduled rotation system, and others are the result of elections in the General Assembly.
The only country that the U.N. really hates is Israel, which is the frequent target of one-sided resolutions condemning that small, democratic country for taking reasonable, limited action to defend itself against vicious terrorists who are determined to destroy it. Fortunately, the U.S. has veto power in the U.N., and can block more egregious anti-Israel resolutions.
LikeLike
South Africa was much more reviled by the UN than Israel ever was. While Israel was still being supported by many governments as a “progressive socialist” regime the UN was busy imposing sanctions agains and even calling for an invasion of South Africa. Under white rule South Africa was never appointed to any committees dealing with human rights. Israel was treated with kid gloves by the UN GA really until 1967. In 1948 most Arab and African states did not have membership in the organization. It is still coddled by the UN SC which has never approved any sanctions against Israel in contrast to the mandatory total economic and cultural boycotts imposed against South Africa during the apartheid South Africa.
LikeLike
South Africa was reviled by the U.N. while it was under white colonist control. Since the end of apartheid and the transition to black majority government, the U.N. hasn’t directed any anger at South Africa whatsoever.
Since 1967 Israel has been repeatedly condemned by the UN GA in very one-sided resolutions that totally ignore the on-going terrorist activity from the Palestinians that require Israel to take defensive military action.
The only reason the UN SC has never approved any sanctions against Israel is that the U.S. will do the just thing and veto them.
LikeLike
I don’t like these forced analogies. These are two entirely different countries with a history that is not even remotely similar. Comparing them is not even like comparing apples and oranges. It’s more akin to comparing a star and a novel.
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I’m not making any comparison between South Africa and Israel, merely responding to another commenter’s statements about how those countries have been historically treated by the U.N.
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Sorry, I was addressing Otto. WordPress sometimes organizes comments in a weird way.
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