posted
The Bush family must buy this guy his news coverage.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - .
In the seven months since Saudi Arabia's new monarch { Dictator}, King Abdullah, took the throne, there have been small but striking signs that he is leading his country toward more openness.
"He wants to turn this nation from a one-way country in which conservatives have the upper hand into a two-way state where both liberals and Islamists can express themselves," Saudi analyst Dawood al-Shirian said.
The all-black abayas have splashes of bold, glittery color. The book fair opened its doors to once-banned books. And stuffy government-run TV stations have started to play music, forbidden for decades.
No one expects Abdullah's ride to be smooth, though. He needs to keep the reform momentum going despite reported differences within the royal family over the pace and direction of change.
In addition, he must worry about militants still active in Saudi Arabia. The Feb. 24 attack in which suicide bombers tried, but failed, to get past the perimeter of the world's largest oil processing facility was a reminder of the harm radicals could still inflict.
Islamists are expected to create trouble because of the perceived dilution of their power as more voices are allowed to be heard.
The March book fair is an example. For the first time, female writers met their fans, shoppers bought formerly banned books dealing with communism, sex and other delicate topics, and families went together during newly designated family days. In previous years, the 14-day fair was a male-only event, with a few half-days set aside for women.
"King Abdullah sent a powerful message during the book fair that indicated that everyone, and not only the religious establishment, will be involved in decision-making," al-Shirian said.
But the event was marred by the aggressive, organized presence of religious extremists who previously had monopolized such occasions. They ordered two female authors to cover their faces as they signed books for their fans. They demanded that salesmen refrain from discussing books with female shoppers or smiling at them. And they got so raucous during a panel featuring the country's reformist information minister that the discussion on censorship was cut short.
Abdullah became king in August after the death of his half brother, King Fahd. Although he had been de facto ruler since 1995, when Fahd suffered an incapacitating stroke, Abdullah was always seen as an acting leader {{{{{Dictator }}}}}}
{{{{{Dictator, Bushes bud, in the white house on 911, 15 of the 911 terrorists from his country,, alqaida funded directly by his family,25 pages from 911 report about his country hiden from public, OK back to the story}}}}}}
his authority undermined by other centers of power.
Now, however, the 82-year-old {{{{ Dictator }}}} king is the country's undisputed leader and one of its most popular. {{{{ Who writes this ****?}}}}
"He's a people's man," said Sarah, a 21-year-old university student whose face broke into a smile when she heard the king's name.
The country is already feeling the effects of the lighter atmosphere Abdullah has brought.
Along with the music new to government-run TV, female journalists now can interview men, appearing on the same set despite the country's strict gender-segregation rules. Female experts are no longer limited to discussing social issues on TV and can now engage in political debates.
Newspapers and officials discuss items that were taboo before, prominent among them the issue of women driving. Saudi Arabia is believed to be the only country in the world where women are banned from driving.
Abdullah is also encouraging dialogue among various sectors of society. A few months ago, a public discussion among representatives of minority groups was televised live, allowing Saudis to hear little-heard views including those of Shiites, who are considered heretics by the harsh Wahhabi stream of Islam the country follows.
And on the streets of Riyadh, the red, purple and yellow of blooming desert flowers are now found on black abayas, the cloaks women have to wear in public.
A few months ago, most of the cloaks in Riyadh were unadorned, conforming to the strict guidelines laid out by the religious establishment. Now, however, images of peacocks, crowns or a woman's children are embroidered on the cloaks. New abaya fashions include the "butterfly" style, with stripes of color from wrist to elbow.
Abdullah set the tone for his rule when — in his first act as king — he freed three intellectuals and two teachers jailed for their reformist views. He then gave Saudis their first raise in 22
{{{ What a guy }}}}
years and issued a decree banning the kissing of his hand and addressing of him as "majesty." He also allowed women to run and vote in their first elections, the chamber of commerce polls.
The king also is believed to be keeping tabs on how the government is spending large sums, and trying to cut spending by the extended members of the royal family,
{{{{{{{ One palace cost moe than a billion dollars.. But he has better pr than Sadam}}}}}
part of his focus on improving the economy and lowering unemployment.
{{{{ possesion af a bible is a death sentance}}}}} Bush the good christians close friend.
We actualy launched the attack on Iraq from this far worse totalitarian country.
Posts: 203 | From: Renton, WA | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
My girlfriend got a dictator this morning. he he he. But, seriously, he is a better option than the bedouin religious police. The royal family in that country is the only thing keeping it together. My family has worked and lived in Saudi Arabia for more than 30 years.
-------------------- If it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Posts: 1529 | From: Tacoma WA | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Correct me if I'm wrong here, But Wasn't he running the country since the 90's before the King died?
Posts: 541 | From: Virginia | Registered: Nov 2005
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Yeah, King Fahd had been ill for some time. The monarchs are actually the good guys for the most part in Saudi Arabia. The extremists mainly come from the Tribes out in the desert, which is where the government gets their pool of "religious police" from. These guys enforce the law of islam to the tee. The King and his family have to have these guys around to keep the muslim fanatics that infest the country happy. When my sister worked as a nurse over there she was on her way home from a party at the US Embassy in Riyadh. The religious police chased her and her two friends back to the hospital they worked at. Had it not been for the guy driving the car they would have gotten my sister and her friend but he was able to buy time for them allowing them to make it in to the hospital where it was safe. He turned up three days later in a bloody pile outside the hospital. He almost died from the 3 days of beatings he took at the hands of the "religious police"
-------------------- If it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Posts: 1529 | From: Tacoma WA | Registered: Apr 2005
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