Stavros
08-12-2018, 07:22 AM
Is Canada being hung out to dry by its so-called friends and allies?
The non-reaction of the USA and the UK to Saudi Arabia's outrageous behaviour appears to endorse it. It seems to me that Saudi Arabia is taking its cue from playground bully US, and taking the view that it too can threaten countries that are dependent on Saudi billions for jobs in their 'defence' industries, though that word now seems bizarre when the reality is that Saudi Arabia is using the weapons purchased to attack, mostly innocent civilians and their children. And attack with impunity because after all, you don't mess with Saudi Arabia, the GHQ of international terrorism, the main source of the 9/11 hijackers, whose family and friends are free to enter and leave the USA as often as they choose to, because they paid the President who knows how many millions of $$$ to get that arms deal signed.
Who would you rather have as a friend, Saudi Arabia, or Canada? Like, I needed to ask? But don't tell me, tell it to the President and our Prime Minister.
The spat appeared to have been sparked last week when Canada’s foreign ministry expressed its concern (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/06/saudi-arabia-expels-canadian-ambassador-for-urging-release-of-activists) over the arrest of Saudi civil society and women’s rights activists, in a tweet that echoed concerns previously voiced by the United Nations. (https://twitter.com/davidakaye/status/1026885618184253440)
Saudi Arabia swiftly shot back, expelling Canada’s ambassador and suspending new trade and investment with Ottawa, (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/06/saudi-arabia-expels-canadian-ambassador-for-urging-release-of-activists) making plans to remove thousands of Saudi students and medical patients from Canada, and suspending the state airline’s flights to and from Canada, among other actions.
Speaking to reporters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister urged Canada to “fix its big mistake” (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/08/saudi-arabia-canada-latest-egypt-russia) and warned that the kingdom was considering additional measures against Canada.
Analysts and regional officials said the spat had little to do with Canada (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/07/saudi-arabia-canada-spat-analysis), instead characterising Riyadh’s actions as a broader signal to western governments that any criticism of its domestic policies is unacceptable.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/11/canada-saudi-arabia-support-us
The non-reaction of the USA and the UK to Saudi Arabia's outrageous behaviour appears to endorse it. It seems to me that Saudi Arabia is taking its cue from playground bully US, and taking the view that it too can threaten countries that are dependent on Saudi billions for jobs in their 'defence' industries, though that word now seems bizarre when the reality is that Saudi Arabia is using the weapons purchased to attack, mostly innocent civilians and their children. And attack with impunity because after all, you don't mess with Saudi Arabia, the GHQ of international terrorism, the main source of the 9/11 hijackers, whose family and friends are free to enter and leave the USA as often as they choose to, because they paid the President who knows how many millions of $$$ to get that arms deal signed.
Who would you rather have as a friend, Saudi Arabia, or Canada? Like, I needed to ask? But don't tell me, tell it to the President and our Prime Minister.
The spat appeared to have been sparked last week when Canada’s foreign ministry expressed its concern (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/06/saudi-arabia-expels-canadian-ambassador-for-urging-release-of-activists) over the arrest of Saudi civil society and women’s rights activists, in a tweet that echoed concerns previously voiced by the United Nations. (https://twitter.com/davidakaye/status/1026885618184253440)
Saudi Arabia swiftly shot back, expelling Canada’s ambassador and suspending new trade and investment with Ottawa, (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/06/saudi-arabia-expels-canadian-ambassador-for-urging-release-of-activists) making plans to remove thousands of Saudi students and medical patients from Canada, and suspending the state airline’s flights to and from Canada, among other actions.
Speaking to reporters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister urged Canada to “fix its big mistake” (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/08/saudi-arabia-canada-latest-egypt-russia) and warned that the kingdom was considering additional measures against Canada.
Analysts and regional officials said the spat had little to do with Canada (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/07/saudi-arabia-canada-spat-analysis), instead characterising Riyadh’s actions as a broader signal to western governments that any criticism of its domestic policies is unacceptable.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/11/canada-saudi-arabia-support-us