Defense Secretary Robert Gates to Saudis: don't worry, we still support your tyranny

[Rage for Order]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/nation/s_731046.html

Defense Secretary Robert Gates tried to smooth the worst rift in years with Arab ally and oil producer Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, reassuring the Saudi king that the United States remains a steady friend despite support for pro-democracy revolutions in the Middle East.

In a sign of the depth of the Obama administration's concern about the political earthquake that has shaken the region, including the island of Bahrain off Saudi Arabia's Persian Gulf coast, this was Gates' third trip to the area in the past month. He has echoed Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's cautioning of authoritarian Arab governments on the risks of moving too slowly in response to peaceful protests for political freedom.

Saudi Arabia views the threat of a nuclear strike from Iran as a far larger issue than the drive for political freedoms in Egypt and elsewhere.

Although Gates said he and Saudi King Abdullah did not discuss the decision to send Saudi troops into Bahrain last month, the contest for influence in that majority-Shiite country was an important subtext to Gates' visit. The U.S. is selling Saudi Arabia military hardware to upgrade the kingdom's defenses against Iranian missiles.


More at the link


I'm sure the Saudi royal family found it reassuring that they won't have to worry about the US supporting any unrest in their country by pesky demonstrators who might demand more freedoms.

[cliffordu]

1. The spice must flow.

If you drive a car this is your fault.

[Rage for Order]

3. What about people who use items that contain plastic?

Is it their fault too?

:shrug:

[cliffordu]

4. Yep.

We are SOOOOOOO fucking strung out on everything from fertilizers to plastics made of petroleum that we can complain all we want, but, really, it's just so much theater.

Oil runs our lives. Period. This - OUR - world cannot live without it.

Claiming moral superiority because we disagree with the crimes committed on our behalf for this oil is just........well.......

[Rage for Order]

6. Oil-producing country does not equal dictatorship

Canada, US, Venezuela, Norway, Mexico are just a few that come to mind immediately. Also of note, the US is not the sole beneficiary of oil from Saudi Arabia. Every other country in the world that uses petroleum products uses Saudi oil. Should we feel more guilty than people who drive cars or use ziploc bags in China, Russia, France, Germany, or Belgium?

[Hugabear]

8. I think the US is scared to death of democracy in Saudia Arabia

If Saudis and Bahrainis were allowed to take part in a true democracy, the results might not be quite so friendly towards the US. Can't say that I would blame them either.

[Rage for Order]

9. Without a doubt

The Saudi royal family used Wahhabi-ism to shape public opinion and behavior to their benefit, allowing them to rob the country blind while the people were praying to Mecca 5 times a day. Now they have to maintain control by any means necessary for fear of their Frankenstein getting loose. The West wants stability at any cost, and the most expedient way is by supporting the status quo. It's quite the conundrum.

[cliffordu]

11. I never said anything about feeling guilty, just the hypocrisy of

yelling about war for oil and buying plastic bags and filling the car up every time you need to go to Wallmart or wherever you go for shits and giggles.

WAR FOR OIL IS WHO WE ARE.

I prefer to have as few illusions as possible. Keeps me cynical and sharp.

[leftstreet]

7. You can get things without force...they're called trade agreements

Imagine justifying a full military occupation of Ecuador for cheap bags of frozen broccoli, by saying people are addicted to broccoli

:shrug:

[cliffordu]

10. I'm addicted to broccoli.

But trade agreements don't cover what we've been doing for the last 100 years in the middle east to keep the flow of oil uninterrupted.

It's how we roll.

[gateley]

2. Ha! God I'd love it if he really did say that! nt

[Hugabear]

5. Saudi Arabia knows that they have us right where they want us

1. They know that we need their oil
2. They keep playing up the Iran boogeyman

Both are things that drive US policy