Saudi Arabia Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Canada

[Marina Schwarz + 1,576]

The Saudi Arabian government cut diplomatic ties with Canada on Sunday after the North American country urged the kingdom to release recently arrested human rights activists.

Kudos to Canada for having the courage to call them out on this. What happens next will be interesting.

[John Foote + 1,135]

Heck of a lot of Canadians work in Saudi. I feel for them. 

MBS, even by Saudi standards, cracks the dissent whip.

[Marina Schwarz + 1,576]

So, Canada's standing by its words, Saudi are calling back students on scholarships in Canada and the national carrier is suspending flights to Canada. I cannot help but marvel at this utter lack of rationality. Here's a good take from the WSJ.

“Expelling an ambassador over criticism of human-rights issues is the worst thing you can do,” a Gulf-based diplomat said. “It confirms prejudices about Saudi Arabia that exist among businessmen in Europe, for instance, while helping investors from countries where business comes first and that aren’t too concerned about human rights issues.”

“Branding Saudi Arabia as an attractive destination for investment and trade is one of the underlying assumptions of Saudi Vision 2030,” said Thomas Juneau, an assistant professor and Middle East expert at the University of Ottawa. “Impulsive foreign-policy decisions like this have the exact opposite effect.”

Interestingly enough, Canada is far from being alone in questioning KSA's human rights record. So have the UN, the EU, and... the U.S. MBS sure can pick his fights.

[Guillaume Albasini + 851]

KSA showing is support for the US against Trump's ennemy... Canada.

[Marina Schwarz + 1,576]

Standing together as brothers...

[Rodent + 1,424]

9 hours ago, Marina Schwarz said:

So, Canada's standing by its words, Saudi are calling back students on scholarships in Canada and the national carrier is suspending flights to Canada. I cannot help but marvel at this utter lack of rationality. Here's a good take from the WSJ.

“Expelling an ambassador over criticism of human-rights issues is the worst thing you can do,” a Gulf-based diplomat said. “It confirms prejudices about Saudi Arabia that exist among businessmen in Europe, for instance, while helping investors from countries where business comes first and that aren’t too concerned about human rights issues.”

“Branding Saudi Arabia as an attractive destination for investment and trade is one of the underlying assumptions of Saudi Vision 2030,” said Thomas Juneau, an assistant professor and Middle East expert at the University of Ottawa. “Impulsive foreign-policy decisions like this have the exact opposite effect.”

Interestingly enough, Canada is far from being alone in questioning KSA's human rights record. So have the UN, the EU, and... the U.S. MBS sure can pick his fights.

I don't question ksa's human rights record. I am confident in my assessment that Saudi's human rights record is a big FAIL.

[Tomasz + 1,608]

Could anyone explain me  how SA human right record or foreign policy is decidely  better than Iranian? 

Because for me Iran is also an authoritarian state but at least did not  secretly sponsor jihad all over the world in last 20 years. 

Edited August 7, 2018 by Tomasz

[Guillaume Albasini + 851]

4 hours ago, Tomasz said:

Could anyone explain me  how SA human right record or foreign policy is decidely  better than Iranian? 

Because for me Iran is also an authoritarian state but at least did not  secretly sponsor jihad all over the world in last 20 years. 

The large saudi donations to Washington conservative think tanks is an easy way to increase the pro-KSA bias in US foreigh policy.

[Marina Schwarz + 1,576]

These arms need trading, @Tomasz, they can't just sit there. Also, the oil needs trading, too, of course. Every country employs double standards in its treatment of various high concepts. As one of my favourite book quotes ever says "Ours are freedom fighters, yours are terrorists."

[Tomasz + 1,608]

I dont know a lot about army of SA. But they have rather foreigners in army or very weak native soldiers. We clearly  see this in Yemen.

 My father who was a pilot once told me that he was shocked that syrian military pilots in 80-ies - elite of every army sometimes were even illiterate. So no one shuld be suprised why they had no chance with israelian pilots that are best in the world.

Edited August 8, 2018 by Tomasz

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

Heh heh ...

Why are the Saudis doing this (aside from responding to Ottawa’s criticism of the arrest of a female activist)?

One Twitter wit noted - "to secure funding for the Tesla LBO?" [Leveraged Buy Out]

 

(In case lurkers are wondering what the heck..., there are rumors that Saudi Arabia was going to fund a potential Tesla LBO.)

 

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

On 8/7/2018 at 4:34 PM, Guillaume Albasini said:

KSA showing is support for the US against Trump's ennemy... Canada.

ROTFLMAO!  That's great!  Guillaume, you should be on stage!  LOL!

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

6 minutes ago, Tom Kirkman said:

Heh heh ...

Why are the Saudis doing this (aside from responding to Ottawa’s criticism of the arrest of a female activist)?

One Twitter wit noted - "to secure funding for the Tesla LBO?"

Good link, good laugh.  If it weren't so crazy. 

[Marina Schwarz + 1,576]

Okay, this is officially the funniest rumor this year. I love it!

[Marina Schwarz + 1,576]

Also this: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-09/by-bashing-canada-saudi-prince-is-weaponizing-his-oil-wealth

“It’s a message not only to Canada,” said Haizam Amirah-Fernández, an analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute, a Madrid-based think tank. “The warning is: If such things happen, Saudi Arabia will impose an economic price.”

Tremble in your boots you miserable importers. We won't touch oil, tho.

[Guillaume Albasini + 851]

The Bloomberg article has a good sum up for the change in saudi foreign policy:

"The kingdom used to pursue a behind-the-scenes foreign policy, deploying its oil wealth as a carrot. Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is ready to wield it like a stick."

[Marina Schwarz + 1,576]

More fun! Here’s the fake news Saudi Arabia is playing about Canada:

"The Saudi outlet has suggested that Canada is the worst country in the world for women, that it has the highest suicide rate and that it treats its Indigenous people the way Myanmar treats the Rohingya – a Muslim minority massacred and driven out of Myanmar en masse last year."

Okay, this is embarrassing. Why don't they hire someone to teach them how to do disinformation? But not Elon The Funding Secured. Any account manager in a marketing company would do. (I like and respect the job of account managers in marketing companies.)