Darwin it’s been a long 200 years – Cenk Uygur

This is a great start for Saudi Arabia. Better late than never!

As a State Dept Arabist and Political Officer in Saudi Arabia, I served as translator a couple of times between the US Ambassador and then Crown Prince Abdullah.    Abdullah’s mother was from the Shammar tribe whose territory extends to northern Syria and his wife at the time was Lebanese, so his kind nature and liberal tendencies are reinforced by a lot of knowledge about other Arab societies.    I just wonder, knowing the Saudi patriarchal traditionalists’ hold on Saudi society plus the male-dominated Muslim religion, just how long and how far this is going to persist.

As a State Dept Arabist and Political Officer in Saudi Arabia, I served as translator a couple of times between the US Ambassador and then Crown Prince Abdullah.    Abdullah’s mother was from the Shammar tribe whose territory extends to northern Syria and his wife at the time was Lebanese, so his kind nature and liberal tendencies are reinforced by a lot of knowledge about other Arab societies.    I just wonder, knowing the Saudi patriarchal traditionalists’ hold on Saudi society plus the male-dominated Muslim religion, just how long and how far this is going to persist.

I think the older Saudi royals really want progress for their nation. They’re just being really careful.

Why is it that the Middle East countries and countries in Africa treat women so horribly?

Why is it that the Middle East countries and countries in Africa treat women so horribly?

Six years ago King Abdullah said to Barbara Walters that women would drive in Saudi Arabia. Hasn’t happened. The 88 year old monarch is an admired figure in Saudi Arabia but as one of wealthiest men in the world he’s not about to change anything in a country which has given his family everything. 

New Gingrich, David Vitter, John Ensign, Bill O’Reilly

Great Americans all!

And I raise you Wilson, FDR, JFK, RFK, TMK, LBJ, Clinton, etc!

If anyone actually believes that Islam will treat women as other than slaves is grossly mistaken.  Any woman that does acheive an office will, no doubt, be killed.  You can’t change a 7th century mindset with a decree, not with the inbreeding that’s been going on in the Arab world for all those centuries.

Of course, Israeli Arabs and all women have had the right to vote since the state was established.

Philanderers and sexual deviants all.

Crown Prince Abdullah has to deal with extremist Wahabists and spoiled rotten young and middle aged Saudi princes. Can’t be easy. Best of luck to Prince Abdullah.

I believe he is King now. Seriously, Allah save the King! He’s vital for the stability of that region.

The entire Levant is a mess. At this point I am disgusted with just about all sides and factions in the region. I find it depressing.

Hope springs eternal.

They can choose to vote for an Islamist, or an Islamist.

When it comes to iconoclatic Wahabists, the Saudi royal family has had no problem with making a “pact with the devil”. Perhaps this change is indicative of some sort of serious shift away from radical Wahabism.

wow, women cannot vote or drive?!?  WTF?  Why, because they have different anatomy than men?  How is that even possible in 2011?

This is what happens when you let religious fundamentalists run a country.  God fearing people.  Ring a bell for anyone here in the US.  Everyone rushing to be devout Christians and follow the teachings of the bible – this is what you get folks.  Half of a population unable to even vote, or drive a car for heaven’s sake.

wow, women cannot vote or drive?!?  WTF?  Why, because they have different anatomy than men?  How is that even possible in 2011?

This is what happens when you let religious fundamentalists run a country.  God fearing people.  Ring a bell for anyone here in the US.  Everyone rushing to be devout Christians and follow the teachings of the bible – this is what you get folks.  Half of a population unable to even vote, or drive a car for heaven’s sake.

My bad.

I wish the best for the people in this region of the world. They are human beings like the rest of us.

Islam is complicated. So is the Middle East. To bad Americans many times paint the region in one broad stroke.

A couple of years ago I watched a  reasonably fair and unbiased documentary on the Grand Mosque Seizure at Mecca in 1979. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Mosque_Seizure It helped me understand a little more about some of the schisms and factions in Saudi Arabia and a reason why the Saudi royal family is sometimes so reluctant to embrace democracy and equality. Perhaps now the time is coming.

Complex country with complex issues dating back thousands of years.

look at that troll face.

How simplistic of an analogy.  The left has no problem with Christians if they think, feel, act, and vote the way most of the left wants them to.

I do have a few problems with one Christian, Barack Obama, so many problems in fact, that I want him out of office because of his policies (not his reliegion). 

“[D]onow,” have you noticed how more and more of the American population does not support Obama?  Of course, it must be because more and more of America is becoming more and more racist?  (There, I played the race card for you!)

PS, when refereing to the Bible, the word shold be capitalized.  I’m sure you would do the same for the Koran.  I also find it somewhat funny that you would use the term, “for heaven’s sake.”

i don’t think they want to progress their nation. i think they’re trying to avoid killing their own people in riots

again

yes. saudi royal family have to deal with far right wing religious extremists. not unlike here in america :)

stonepark3 lies in the name of “Free speech”

he wants everyone to “trust him” while providing zero proof

who is stonepark3, ? Is he a terrorist?

whoislloydc@gmail.com

stonepark3 is too much of a coward that clinton’s deal was hillary’s fault.

if the wife ain’t gonna help her out her man going under the desk, he’ll find someone who will.

stonepark3 is too much of a coward that clinton’s deal was hillary’s fault.

if the wife ain’t gonna help her out her man going under the desk, he’ll find someone who will.

now israeli’s are chanting for social justice  via government intervention. i guess jews want to be commies.

now israeli’s are chanting for social justice  via government intervention. i guess jews want to be commies.

lets lock up all the radical conservative christians jews and muslims.

(as opposed to everyday conservative christians jews and muslims)

As soon as they can leave the house and not have to dress like a super-villain. C’mon, who’s going to vote for The Shadow?

Yes I’m sure they’re dying to have gay discos, gov’t funded sex changes, flash-mobs, mass immigration while all the above riot their way to welfare.

As an American, I’m coming to enjoy our cultural suicide pact. You just have to accept the inevitable and rip out your eyes and ears and then peace comes.

They are human beings but not like the rest of us. For example I don’t need some culture on the other side of the world to keep me off a donkey.

Yes, wandering around a featureless desert with goats and camels with one generation much like the one before it is a complex set of interactions, like living in giant cube would be.

Wow, it’s amazing how much admiration Republicans have for religious fanatics overseas.  God, it’s awful that the Saudis aren’t putting women and gays in their place like they used to, huh?

You’re comparing Weiner sending a picture of his erection to some young woman to the Saudis denying women the right to drive cars?

Sorry, the views conservatives have of women and homosexuals much more closely resemble that of Islamic fundamentalists than liberals.

No, it shouldn’t.  The bible is a fairly juvenile and stupid book.

I don’t think they should allow this to happen….they should send all their women over here to the U.S. That way they can have an all male world like many of those countries in that region seem to appreciate. In the mean time….hi ladies :D

they’ve also had universal healthcare. SOCIALISTS!!!11!!!

Today women voting…tomorrow women can leave the country without a man….next day Jews are allowed to come to Saudi Arabia…..Another day Islam won’t be the state religion…..And then one day Muslims won’t force people to turn to Islam then…

Gotta love how Saudi Arabia is considered one of the “ALLIES” that America is supposed to stand by and protect.

Bullshit, as long as they have oil, Saudi Arabia could do whatever the hell they want and we will stand by them.

The donkey, which was unaccompanied, was seized after approaching
Ex-Control Afgoye, a checkpoint controlled by government forces in
Mogadishu’s southwestern tip, Ibrahim Omar Adam, a spokesperson for
Somalia’s National Security Agency (NSA) told reporters.                   http://bit.ly/ohxoU3

Indeed, that and the right to be elected to the Knesset, that’s the carrot part. The stick part consists of a soft stick consisting of cluster bombs, white phosphorous, collective punishment in an inhumane blockade and animal-like trapping of a million people and your various and sundry war atrocities against non-Israeli Palestinians… that and your typical run of the mill Jewish discrimination and racism against Israeli Palestinians

But hey, Israeli-Palestinian women can vote

All these are possible as only a minority, albeit a powerful and vocal one, in Saudi would be at odds with such changes… but the jews going to Saudi part is perhaps the one that aint going to happen. The Arab street sentiment about Israel is frighteningly frightening. And understandably so. Images coming from Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories do not bode well for Israel in the minds and hearts of Arabs. These are images that are universally censored and not permitted for media broadcast here in the states but are widely broadcast and distributed in Arab and Israeli media outlets

Fact: Right to vote? Do they really vote on policy there?

Actually, history has shown the opposite happening in Christian countries and in generations where Christianity was far more institutional than it is now.

Whether they believe the contents of the BIble or not, that it’s simplistic, “stupid”, or without literary merit has never been the view of the vast majority of scholars.

Whether they believe the contents of the BIble or not, that it’s simplistic, “stupid”, or without literary merit has never been the view of the vast majority of scholars.

I think it’s an indication of some concern about the “Arab Summer”.

And, you know nothing about the rules of writing when using standard English. 

I guess, in your post, you’re only illustrating an example of being “juvenile and stupid.”