Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, CDHR, Washington DC

July 3, 2017

Shaking the Palace, Qatar Crises and the West and Terrorism

CDHR’s Analysis and Commentaries

Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman: A Chance to Shine

CDHR Commentary: Propelling Mohammed Bin Salman into a position of assured succession to the Saudi throne has been in the making since his father, King Salman, inherited the throne in January 2015. Some people are questioning what prompted the King to advance his son up the line of succession now.  

It is difficult to evaluate with certainty the chain of events that led to King Salman’s June 21, 2017 decree to promote his son to Crown Prince. Those intimately familiar with the mindset of the ruling princes, their primary objective and how they operate can safely speculate about what may have transpired within the high-walled royal court and interpret what went on during the Allegiance Commission’s bartering and rituals of mandatory public support for the Crown Prince. Read more: www.cdhr.info

Settling Scores with Qatar in the Guise of Defeating Terrorism

CDHR Analysis: The same autocratic Arab and African regimes that the Saudis recruited and led to commit what the UN defined as war crimes in Yemen are now plotting against the Emir of Qatar, Tamim, who by comparison is more progressive and enlightened than the monocracies that are blockading his country. Their intent is to overthrow the Emir and subjugate Qatar’ s small population.

Bolstered by the Trump Administration, the three major players in the Saudi-led coalition (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Egypt) thus intend to control Qatar’s domestic and foreign policies, in the guise of starving terrorism and stabilizing the Middle East.

It’s incredibly ludicrous that the Saudi regime and its like-minded cohorts are blockading Qatar, allegedly to defeat terrorist villains, while conscripting war criminals like the President of the Sudan, Omar Hasan Al-Bashir, to inflict death and destruction on the poverty-stricken Yemeni people. Read more: www.cdh r.info

Islamic Terrorism and the West  

CDHR Commentary: Despite the  unprecedented frequency of terrorists’ bloody attacks in Europe and the raging, devastating wars in Iraq and Syria to “wipe out ISIS,” its affiliates and their infrastructure, the root causes of extremism and terrorism remain not only unaddressed but emboldened. Western governments seem to be increasing their commitments to support and protect the regimes which provide ideological and financial support and incentives for extremism all over the world, including in the heart of Europe. For example, when President Trump visited Saudi Arabia in May, he not only failed to mention the Saudis’ role in financing extremism and terrorism which he ferociously condemned in the past, but he was accused of endorsing the Saudi regime to lead the war on terrorism. In return, the Saudis bought $100 billion worth of military hardware from the US and promised to invest another $250 billion in the US economy.  For full analysis: www.cdhr.info

“A Sign of Hope From Mr. Tillerson” and Ms. Ivanka Trump

CDHR Commentary: This is a hopeful sign albeit minuscule. In his first speech to the staff of the State Department, Secretary Tillerson told his audience that conditioning US objectives on adherence to human rights will not advance US interest and national security. During the Trumps’ visit to Saudi Arabia in May, Ivanka Trump was awarded $100 million by the governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), ostensibly to help her advance women’s rights. In return, she praised the Saudi oligarchy for advancing women’s rights.

It’s hard to believe that Ms. Trump and Mr. Tillerson did not know that human trafficking is legal in Saudi Arabia and in the UAE, as demonstrated by forced child marriages (for hefty dowries in many cases) and abundantly documented sexual abuses of millions of mostly Asian poverty-stricken migrant maids.

America should remain the beacon of hope for the oppressed, abused and voiceless women and men. Ivanka Trump has an unprecedented chance to make a difference in the lives of millions of trafficked women, including children worldwide, especially in countries where the US has close ties and profitable businesses.

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