I am sitting in downtown Saudi Arabiaville sipping a camal’s milk smoothie while visiting the National Museum of Flogging as I report on the succession to the Saudi throne.
With King Abdullah dead, the next in line is his half brother the spry Prince ‘Alex’ Salman, a 79 year old billionaire who is thought have either dementia or Parkinsons. His ascension will continue the march to the 21st century as Saudis happily celebrate another reactionary autocrat grabbing the oil splattered reins of power.
Abdullah left a country where a blogger, Raif Badawi, has been sentenced to 1000 lashes because he wants to tell people what’s on his mind; where woman are not allowed to drive and only represent 5% of the workforce, where mild protestors are banged up for civil rights demos and are tortured and imprsioned without charge; and, where anti terror laws are abused to jail those who don’t agree with the reactionary edicts of the ruling class.
Lash orders
Today President Obama talked of the dead king’s ‘courage’..courage that will probably include allowing £2 billion worth of bribes to British military contractors. And Lapdog Dave Cameron (woof, woof) added how the royal boss was ‘committed’ to peace- go tell that to someone whose arm has been cut off for a minor crime or even Badawi as he faces another session of getting whipped.
My contact within the realms of British journalism added: ‘British businessmen like the flogging- they will sell anything to the Saudi as long as it means big backhanders and lots of gaudy inducements s to sign on the blood-smeared line.’
Phil, a second hand car dealer from the urban hell of York and an expert on Mid East policy added: ‘Yikes, Je suis Abdullah.
@sirhowardelston