Saudi Elections Announced!

[Stapel]

Why is there so much cynism? This a major step forward!

Saudi Arabia, so far, has been an absolute monarchy. The Saud family is not just a regular royal family. It is not that SA has a king! The king has SA! The royal family simply owns the country.

Until now, there has been zero democracy. Turning a country into a democracy in one day is just a ridiculous idea. It is a long process and needs various stuff around. A 'Free Press' is the most important one. Last decade, independent newspapers have been established. Though they are not completely free yet, it is major step into the rigth direction.

Having elections is another major step. It may not be enough, but in itself it is a great step!

Just imagine the position Ahmad is in. He has never been able to vote until now. But he does know that in other countries it is as normal as getting out of bed in the morning.

I would be excited about it!

 

[Sh3kel]

Originally posted by Richard III
Well, for one thing, VC, suggesting that the government Mohammed "set up" in Arabia and the Kingdom of Sa'udi Arabia are the same thing, is, well, historically ignorant.

Another comment; my first reaction was that it sounds alot like what happened to Primo De Rivera in Spain in - when was it, 1930? 1931? Allowing municipal elections to appease the people led to campaigning, which led to legal organizing by opposition parties, which led to heightened political activity....

And down went Primo De Rivera in a fairly peaceful coup.

And then Franco showed up, a civil war started which lasted for a few years and left a very large ammount of people dead and spain under the iron boot of facism until the 1970s.

Yes, indeed a wise course of action.

 

[Sh3kel]

Originally posted by aaminion00


AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.. EHEHEHEHEHEHEH... AHAHAHAHAHA... shut the **** up

I said hopefully. Are you saying that you'd rather have a monarchy than a democracy in Arabia?

How ironic that 3 or 4 posts beneath your bull**** is an intellectual explanation by RIII of why this is a small step towards democracy.

I'm sorry, but it is my experience in dealing with Arab culture that one-party elections are called democracy. Kinda like the people's democracy in the time of the soviet union.

 

[Stapel]

Originally posted by Sh3kel
I'm sorry, but it is my experience in dealing with Arab culture that one-party elections are called democracy. Kinda like the people's democracy in the time of the soviet union.

It is just one step into the right direction. SA is reforming a bit. You seem to qualify any steps as nothing but actions to mislead the western media. I think that is a bit short-sighted.

 

[Kinniken]

Originally posted by Sh3kel

heheheh... hehhehehehehehehe..... HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE..... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHH

Oh man, Arabia a democracy? I haven't laughed that hard since the Iraqi elections!

Just wait for the next Iraqi elections... That could be fun! If you have a very dark sense of humor, that is

 

[Sh3kel]

Originally posted by Stapel


It is just one step into the right direction. SA is reforming a bit. You seem to qualify any steps as nothing but actions to mislead the western media. I think that is a bit short-sighted.

I hope you're right and it is a step in the right direction, however I sincerely doubt that living here in the past 8 years.

 

[The Yankee]

I wonder if these new representatives will be able to work independently of the royal government or just be subordinates with more legitimacy.

 

[Nad]

You can insert cliche after cliche here...Rome wasn't built in a day, etc...but it is undeniably a good step, in the long process of establishing a democratic society.

 

[Richard III]

Originally posted by PantheraTigris2

Actually, you're thinking of Alfonso XIII - and yes, it was 1931.
Miguel Primo de Rivera had already died at the beginning of 1930 from diabetes - a year before he (Alfonso) agreed to democratic elections in 1931. But yeah - the people voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Republicans, and Alfonso was forced into exile, in order to avoid massive riots throughout the country.

Yes, thanks. I always skimmed over that part in the histories, once I'd got the general gist that municipal elections tend to lead to bigger ones.

Thanks for the correction. I will remember it better next time

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Any democratic reforms will only hasten the downfall of the royal family, not delay it. The pressure has been building for decades, you cant release it a little at a time. The smallest opening will unleash a flood.

 

[Thadlerian]

A small step, perhaps, but a step in the right direction

 

[JoeM]

Originally posted by Dumb pothead
Any democratic reforms will only hasten the downfall of the royal family, not delay it. The pressure has been building for decades, you cant release it a little at a time. The smallest opening will unleash a flood.

I'm not sure. Perhaps things would've been different if we (Britain) hadn't warred for it.

(I know we put the buggers back afterwards)

 

[Bozo Erectus]

I want the Saudi royal family to be removed from power. Its a corrupt, decadent regime that doesnt represent its people. The West, in propping them up, only creates more enemies for itself.

 

[The Yankee]

Each great journey begins with a small step.

Hopefully, the people will get the taste of democracy and will bring about popular reform. I would hate to see this window, however small it may be, get slammed shut through any number of ways.

 

[Sims2789]

does this mean that they vote for Mayor/County Supervisor but not Govorner/President? women better be allowed to vote, otherwise it isn't a real election. the USA officially became a real Federal Republic in 1920, but really did when poll taxes were repealled.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

From http://www.arabicnews.com/

Saudi Arabia's first municipal elections in one year
Saudi Arabia, Politics, 10/14/2003

Saudi Arabia has announced it will organize municipal elections within one year, a step which was described by observers as the first tangible political reform act in the Kingdom.

In its yesterday's session chaired by the King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, the Saudi Cabinet yesterday approved the expansion of citizen's participation in running local affairs and this is to be through revitalizing municipal councils, on the ground that half members of each municipal council to be directly elected by citizens.

The Cabinet also called for sides concerned to complete organizational measures for these elections within a period not to exceed one year.

 

[Stapel]

Originally posted by Dumb pothead
I want the Saudi royal family to be removed from power. Its a corrupt, decadent regime that doesnt represent its people. The West, in propping them up, only creates more enemies for itself.

Well, you have nothing to say about it, I guess. In the end, it is for the Saudi Arabians themselves to decide to live in a constitutional monarchy, or in a republic.

The most logical way is that the royal family will stay, but will hand over its power in bits and pieces to a parliament and democratic government.

 

[Stapel]

Originally posted by sims2789
does this mean that they vote for Mayor/County Supervisor but not Govorner/President? women better be allowed to vote, otherwise it isn't a real election. the USA officially became a real Federal Republic in 1920, but really did when poll taxes were repealled.

Women going to vote is another step. On this moment it is a step too far.
Don't get me wrong. Of course women should vote too, but in a way it might not be important, if men and women don't vote too different.

We should realise, that today, not one single Arabian country is truly democratic. Morocco comes closest and made an important step this week! Women can vote too at the next elections!

The fact that this dicision was made by the king, sais enough....

 

[Jorge]

Originally posted by Dumb pothead
I want the Saudi royal family to be removed from power. Its a corrupt, decadent regime that doesnt represent its people. The West, in propping them up, only creates more enemies for itself.

For the west is much easier to deal with a single corrupt person than with a democratic country where the majority of people are religious fanatics (and hence most of them anti-west). Just think about it.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Originally posted by Stapel
Well, you have nothing to say about it, I guess. In the end, it is for the Saudi Arabians themselves to decide to live in a constitutional monarchy, or in a republic.

I agree 100%. All Im saying is that we should be on the side of the people and not on the side of their oppressors.

Originally posted by Jorge
For the west is much easier to deal with a single corrupt person than with a democratic country where the majority of people are religious fanatics (and hence most of them anti-west). Just think about it.

The religous fanatics wouldnt hate us so much if we stopped supporting the Saudi royal (robber baron) family.