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26th April 2019, 06:06 AM
#11
Re: Saudi Arabia
There are many countries where poverty, murder of civilians, starvation of citizens takes place.
The West is well aware of this but does very little about it.
Yes it may at times provide some assistance but little more than lip service.
There is a fear amongst many in the west that if they give to much assistance or interfere in the ways of such they may well rise up against the west and become a real problem.
So they allow the sleeping dog to lie still, turn a blind eye to corruption, genocide and many other crimes against humanity.
Why, because these countries area source of revenue for them, revenue soiled with the blood of the citizens of these countries.
But the West does not see it that way, they continue to turn the blind eye.
Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller
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26th April 2019, 08:10 AM
#12
Re: Saudi Arabia
Having lived in the Middle East for a number of years in 70's and worked in Saudi for months 80's the Arab mind is very difficult to understand and whilst the west appears to worship the money mantra of the area it goes deeper than that. Being friendly with said nations allows the west a certain amount of knowledge and therefore keep them as best as possible in their own domain. They are, or appear to be, in a position of strength at the moment with their oil revenues, but it will not always be so.
In the 70's I was offered a job at three times the salary I was getting in Dubai, which wasn't bad, but I turned it down as I would not be allowed to swim in the same pool as my baby twin daughters. The only reason anyone would work in Saudi is monetary, it has nothing else to offer.
I found the Dubai Arab very honourable in business dealings, until he started to be influenced by the Mediterranean Arabs whom he employed as managers
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27th April 2019, 06:17 AM
#13
Re: Saudi Arabia
The problem with Saudi Arabia and many other nations is the religious following they take.
The word of their God is paramount to them, unlike the West where it does not hold such sway.
This results in situations we in the West may find abhorent, child brides as young as 10, sexual mutilation, females treated as nothing more than chattels and there for the male pleasure.
The subjugation of females is their way of making sure the male is forever dominant.
With such dominance they can do as they please, but their time will come when that power will disappear, hopefully for ever.
Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller
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27th April 2019, 02:05 PM
#14
Re: Saudi Arabia
Well start of the slippery slope has begun in Saudi, Women drivers eh!!! what ever next. That sure is one country that was long ago removed from my wish to return list.
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1st May 2019, 07:23 AM
#15
Re: Saudi Arabia
Been to Saudi a dozen times, worked there, was encamped there and have nothing good to say about it. Loathsome place with loathsome people...!
As the Jews say, "God gave them oil, because he gave them nothing else...!"
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1st May 2019, 07:35 AM
#16
Re: Saudi Arabia
Remember once, we were discharging Ro Ro cargo in Dharhan (most of which we did ourselves). A few of us were taking a break in the Officers bar. All the booze was locked away as usual. The 2nd Mate had poured a tin of Fanta into a pint glass. Next thing a Saudia guard had walked past, saw the pint glass and his AK-47 was off his shoulder, cocked and ready to fire, pointing straight at the 2nd Mate. As you can imagine, we all damn near Sh@t ourselves and started yelling at the guard that it was orange/citrus. Took him some time before he finally got the message and he lowered his weapon. Really brought home to me just how little regard some races have for human life. To be possibly shot for drinking orange juice from a Pint glass doesn't bear thinking about.
Went to Saudi a number of times. Always found that the Red Sea side (Jeddah) was fine and a decent run ashore, but the Gulf side was a real pain in the posterior and was really glad when we finished and got underway again.
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1st May 2019, 08:05 AM
#17
Re: Saudi Arabia
The Saudi royals finance the building of mosques all over the world to spread their message.
For the thousands who are working in the country on construction , in hospitals , as servants etc. they are denied the right to practice their religion.
No churches allowed in Saudi.
What a crazy world.
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1st May 2019, 08:11 AM
#18
Re: Saudi Arabia
Boltonistan has a ring of 52 mo sks around it,
When they conquer a place they always ring it with mo sks.
another racket here is, if a building is registered as a religious building they do not pay Council Tax,
whole streets of terraced houses, individual houses, are all registered as places of worship, so No One Pays Council Tax.
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1st May 2019, 11:37 AM
#19
Re: Saudi Arabia
Rastanura, what a kip, sand, camels, and Arabs. Been there many times, one particular time, in the 70's,
on a VLCC about 20 Customs came aboard (they were really the religious police) and went through every cabin looking for alcohol, they didn't find any 'cos we all knew the drill. After they left there was this one guy hanging around the Control Room offering $50 if anyone would sell him a bottle of whiskey,we were wise to that one too - entrapment. What a horrible shower of fks they were.
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1st May 2019, 01:42 PM
#20
Re: Saudi Arabia
First went to the Gulf in 1968, July and August with no air-conditioning unloading, 12 on 12 off relatively heavy machinery ourselves with a crew of laborers that we had acquired offshore Dubai on our way in. We unloaded into barges and never made it ashore in Dubai, Ras Tannura, Doha, Kuwait, Basra or Khoramshar.
I spent 8 years in the 80’s, during the Iran / Iraq war living in Kuwait and Dubai, but with frequent visits to all the other countries on the Arab side and North Africa, including sometimes monthly visits to Saudi. I still keep in touch with a couple of Palestinian and Kuwaiti friends, for whom I have great empathy.
In my opinion, apart from Dubai, the best place was Iraq. I never quite understood how and why we got sideways with Saddam as he was no worse or better than the other psychopaths.
I suppose we thought the business was worth it, but after the $Trillions spent on the various wars, the Saudi led and financed global expansion of “nutters”, I’m glad to see we are beginning to come to our senses. We are however, probably too late.
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