. . Saudi Arabia to Hold First Election

[ConcernedCanuk]

. . Saudi Arabia to Hold First Election

Mon October 13, 2003 01:19 PM ET

The announcement by the cabinet followed growing demands by reformists on de facto ruler Crown Prince Abdullah to allow wider political participation, elections and freedom of expression in the conservative Muslim kingdom.

In taking this action, Saudi Arabia has joined a growing trend toward experiments in democracy in other Gulf Arab countries. The decision also coincided with the opening of the first human rights conference in Riyadh.

/snip/

Foreign and domestic pressure has been mounting on Saudi Arabia, birthplace of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, to speed up democratic reform and crack down on the country's powerful religious establishment to quash rising Muslim militancy.

Saudi analyst Dawoud al-Shiryan said the decision underlined the seriousness of theSaudi government to reform.

"It was expected that the government would have started with small reforms such as administrative, bureaucratic and some economic, but to start with political reforms came as a surprise to many," he
said.




Not sure quite what to think on this one

- but I HOPE it goes as stated

[realFedUp]

1. All the Saudi family eligible?

:eyes:

[foo_bar]

3. but of course

Seriously, you'll know it's a democracy when the fundamentalists win a plurality and celebrate by dissolving democracy. Just like here!

Maybe democratic government is unfeasible when >90% believe in a bearded god and <10% can read French. Of course, when >90% can read French and <10% believe in beardy god, birth rates drop until the nearest beardy-god-people become the new majority. With the exception of China.

[AntiCoup2K4]

2. Any Bin Ladens on the ballot?

And does Diebold have a Saudi branch office yet?

[Philosophy]

8. The Saudi's already have experience in this

http://www.thoughtcrimes.org/mt/archives/000974.html

[Zero Gravitas]

4. What? Sa is not a Democracy?

But they are our Allies, and we only support Democratic countries with great Human Rights records. We oppose countries that don't respect the rights of their citizens, right? I mean we invaded Iraq to Free the Iraqi People, the ungrateful bastards and for no other reason. We wouldn't suppport an undemocratic monarchy any more than we would support a country run by an Evil Despot Who Gasses His Own People, right?

This must be more lies psread by the Liberal Media to try and undermine Our Great President.

[Aristus]

5. Vote!

For the Al-Sau'ud of your choice! But VOTE!

[GregW]

6. Sounds like that old joke ...

"There's going to be a general election in Greece, and we all know which general will be elected."

[Hegemony Cricket]

7. Saudi Human Rights Keynote...

"Okay everybody settle down."



"Now, I have in front of me three human heads. Can you guess which one was killed inhumanely?"



"That's right, none of them. All three were killed by an actual Human. And that's our new Saudi Slogan: People Killing People, The Natural Way . Hope you enjoy the conference!"