As the massacres in Syria get bigger and more frequent — one today killed 59 in an eastern city — a number of factions the world over have turned against the Assad regime on the matter, with everyone from the Vatican to the Arab League calling for an immediate end to the violence. The latest came today, when the Saudi King demanded “comprehensive reforms” in the Ba’athist country.
Taken at face value the comments seem fairly uncontroversial, a simple rehash of what most other nations are saying now. Saudi Arabia, however, is not just any nation but is a regional power which has acted with upmost cynicism with regard to the Arab Spring revolts.
Having eagerly taken in the first dictator ousted by protests, Zine el-Abidine bin Ali of Tunisia, the Saudi government followed up with an invasion of Bahrain to violently put down pro-democracy rallies there, while taking a very Syrian tack in their own crackdown on protesters in Qatf. Mass arrests and accusations of “sedition” were and are the order of the day for reformists within the Saudi Kingdom, and it eagerly facilitates crackdowns by neighboring regimes.
The difference, then, lies in Syria’s precarious position in Middle East power struggles. The Assad regime is Shi’ite, albeit in a largely Sunni country. This would put it in the same position as the Sunni Bahraini royal family on that mostly Shi’ite island, but Saudi Arabia, which still envisions itself as a “defender of the faith” in sort of a 16th century Holy Roman Empire way, is more than willing to cynically hold a double standard if it means getting one up on the Shi’ites of the region.
Of course backing the protesters is also a recognition of the reality that the protest movement is growing by leaps and bounds despite of, and in many cases because of, the violent crackdowns. The US also jumped on the protester bandwagon a few months in (and reiterated their stance today), as did al-Qaeda’s new leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. Though the Assad regime still exudes confidence about its position, it seems that the knee-jerk moves toward heavy-handed violence reveal a growing fear that the pro-democracy movement is simply growing too big to stop.
King Saud.., if you want reform then start with your own backyard… take your barbarians troops out of Bahrain and stop supporting your illegitimate sons with all kind of terrorist connections in Libya.., you know who they are…, you want reform, stop supporting your masters in deceptions’ from England to US, stop importing all these gibberish statements about Palestinians freedom and stop cooperating with Israel apartheid regime, you want reform.., then start reforming Saudi Arabia and take part in world progress against neo-fascism and its militarism invasions from countries to countries.
Hey Give the man a break.
He is a fast learner – This is just how the American's do it.
Condemn human rights violations BUT create GITMO and DRONE STRIKES on innocent civilians.
Of course the House of Saud is going to eventually condemn the Assad regime- it's all political theater contrived to give the Sunni faction in Saudi Arabia a one-up on the Shi'ites in Syria's ruling faction.
I am Muslim, but I don't presently align myself with any particular sect- and this sort of in-fighting is simply repulsive. With all the troubles we Muslims face in the world, we have to contend with petty maneuverings of politicians as well? If the Muslim nations in the Middle East truly want to throw off Western influence, those in power will have to set aside sectarian differences and cooperate.
I think it was Winston Churchill who said back in the day, "We must hang together, or surely we will all hang separately." Never has this more true for the Muslim world- we've got a lot of internal cleaning up to do, but at the same time we have to stand united if we are to be taken seriously as anything other than 'backward barbarians' and 'hate-filled terrorists'. The Muslim world has got to join the modern world while retaining its heritage and adherence to Islamic teachings. Can we do it?
Benjamin Franklin, at the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the formal start of the "American spring."
Excellent! Thank you for catching that- I should have taken an extra few minutes to look it up before posting.
I'm not sure Muslim nations can trow off Western influence and join the modern world at the same time.
Mr. Ditz’s comment on Saudi Arabia’s withdrawal of its ambassador from Damascus has far more to do with inter-Arab rivalries than any concern for democracy. Way before the appearance of the Baath take over of Syrian politics, Saudi Arabia was involved in a struggle over Syria with Hashemite regimes in Iraq and Jordan. They were also deeply involved in opposing Egypt’s Abdul Nasser and his pan-Arab nationalism that impacted upon Syria.
With the rise of Hafiz Assad, Riyadh and Damascus had a roller-coaster relationship. Heavily influenced by its reliance upon the USA, Saudi Arabia broke only once with its support of Egypt-Syria in the aftermath of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. When Washington approved of Syria’s actions–1975 intervention in Lebanon, first Gulf War–then Saudi Arabia praised Assad. When Washington disapproved of Damascus–alliance with Iran, second Gulf War, Lebanon–then Saudi Arabia took steps (usually with its wealth and religious connections) to oppose Damascus.
With “democracy” postponed in Tunisia and the military still in control in Egypt, Saudi Arabia’s invasion of Bahrain to suppress its citizens represents just how limited the “Arab spring” is. Saudi Arabia relies on its support to radical Islamist elements–not just in Syria but also in Pakistan. The Saud family is just as concerned about maintaining their continued dominance as is the Assad clan. And just like it was used in 1990, the US would come to the rescue of the Saudis if we thought that internal dissidents threatened our access to the oil fields.
The condemnation of Syria is full of hypocrisy. The legitimate push for democratic change in Damascus has been subverted for interests other than proclaimed statements.
So and acccording to King BigNose, "Syria crackdown BAD! However, Bahrain crackdown good." Can't be a having it both ways your Royal Dose of Hypocrisy.
Drizzle drazzle razzle drone…
time 4 this one to
HAVE AN ARAB SPRING ALL HIS OWN!
Jason Ditz,
No matter who sold you on the religious divide between Saudi Arabia and Syria, the divide is between the Asad government and the Saudi government has very little to do with the Sunni-Shi'a divide.
The Ba'thist party, for example, includes both Shi'as and Sunnis.
The rift is along political lines, along political alliances (with the US, for example) and has very little to do with religious affiliations.
The moral authority of the Saudis becomes… rampant.
Even if so-called reform comes, life will be crappy in these countries because they have been breeding like rabbits, without any insight, for centuries and are extremely overcroweded. The West made them by actually giving them money for the oil that WE took out of their ground. We need to cut ourselves off from these people. This is not a win/win situation for us. It is a win/lose situation for us. Stop letting them into our universities to gain technology.
Isn't it technology that brings nations into the modern world? Or is it your position that Middle Eastern and/or third world nations don't deserve technology? If so, on what do you base this?
The problem is not foreign students coming to the US to learn engineering or medicine or what have you- it's their not going back to their home countries to apply that knowledge that is the problem. A single civil engineer or doctor in the US is not a big deal- but the knowledge and skills that one person possesses might mean the difference between life or death for literally thousands of people back home.
The US is the biggest threat along with Israel in the world and have double standards for any other corrupt coutry that does its bidding.
Sure, Hillary probably gave him a script along with a bunch of old weapons as an incentive.
That's rich. Freedom house rates Saudi Arabia as the least free country in the world.
Syria has not yet expelled the American Ambassador, but Saudi Arabia has recalled its Ambassador to Syria. A backward regime, acts backwardly. By recalling its Ambassador from Syria, the Saudi King has already conceded defeat. It is no surprise how America does not even know its closest allies. Well, actually giving them the kind of respect they are due. American Style!
For America, it is a case of losing long held assets, all over again. Unfortunately, the biggest loser in the Syrian affair will be Turkey. It even does not have its generals to save it, anymore.