Saudi princess is 'ready to drive a car' (lifting her country's ban)

[katty]

more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1139703/Saudi-princess-speaks-support-lifting-countrys-ban-women-drivers.html

Saudi princess speaks out in support of lifting the country's ban on women drivers
By Mail Foreign Service

Last updated at 1:24 PM on 09th February 2009
The wife of one of Saudi Arabia’s richest men says she is ready to get behind the wheel as soon as the ban on women drivers is lifted.
Princess Amira al-Taweel, who is married to global tycoon Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, told the Saudi daily Al-Watan that she already drives when she travels abroad.
'Certainly I'm ready to drive a car,' said Amira, whose husband is a nephew of Saudi King Abdallah and is ranked as the world's 13th-richest person by Forbes magazine.

[Chulanowa]

1. Saudi Arabia's got a hell of a long way to go

Either they can figure out this "liberal democracy" thing while the al-Sauds are still running the show, or we can end up with a lot of angry people spearheaded by a fundamentalist movement overthrowing the Saudi government and making Somalia 2.0.

[Diclotican]

5. Chulanowa

Chulanowa

Either they can figure out this "liberal democracy" thing while the al-Sauds are still running the show, or we can end up with a lot of angry people spearheaded by a fundamentalist movement overthrowing the Saudi government and making Somalia 2.0.

Or more to the point. IRAN x 10.... If you think the Islamic Republic of Iran is bad... Then think about a extreme Saudi-Arabia as at least 10 times worse... I would far more go head on in negotiation with the Iranian goverment over the nuclear reactor they are building, than to do the same with the saudi-arabian.... I just don't trust the saudi-arabian the same way I trust iranian (and yes, I have had/have some good iranian friends too) Even that the Government of Iran is far from perfect, and have a agenda we might not like to mutch..

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english not my native language

[Chulanowa]

6. No, I don't think a fallen Saudi Arabia would look much like Iran

Even during the revolution, Iran had a civil society and government. I don't think Saudi Arabia will be able to maintain that, if the house of Saud collapses. They've made the government, the military, and all civil institutions totally dependent on themselves, and if they're removed, it goes to hell. The place would quickly fall into tribal and sectarian conflicts, with the Saudi Police turning into an armed junta controlling Riyadh, Mecca, and Medina, sort of like the situation in Afghanistan, where Kabul is the only place "under control."

We'd have to call the country "Sheikh and Bake"

[Diclotican]

7. Chulanowa

Chulanowa

True, Iran did have some form of civil society and government, regardless of the revolution, and they still have the same principles about governance in Iran today..

Saudi-Arabia on the other hand, is a country who have been made by force, and where the most brutal tribal leader was made king of the area in the 1800s, when the british was in charge in the Middle East.. And if you ever read some saudi-arabian history, you would be shocked to se what the house of Saud have been doing to control and to make power in the whole of the area... And as you point out, the military, all the civil institutions are depended of them, and if they was to be removed you would have no one to take charge in the chaos.. And Chaos it will be if the house of Saud was been trowing out - by popular uprising, or if the king and the crown prince was killed before successors was given to the people.. For the time being it look stable out, but you newer know what boil under the surface in that country.. Many european who have been there for a long time, are now to afraid to have children and wife in the country, because so many saudi-arabian have been more and more unfriendly against westerners and some european have must be protected by he saudi-arabian police on the way home from where they was - because a luch mob wanted to do something with them... For the time being, the Kingdom seen to be in some flux, even that for the most part the government (the house of saud) is in power and have control over the whole affair.. But if saudi-arabian was to fall apart, a scenario as you point out here, tribal and sectarian conflict, and where the Saudi-Arabian police would be turned into a armed junta who control Riyadh, Mecca, Media and some other parts of the country - maybe also the oil and gas who make up the most of the revenues the country have today.. Then you might have some problems, Saudi-Arabia are foremost an tribal country, where Saud managed to push itself to the top of the pyramid. And where the rest of the country are controlling by how important your tribal are compared to the house of Saud. In most ways, S.A have not changed a lot since the 1800s, where tribal leaders was coming together to choose who was to be the big chief in town, and after the brits get friendly with the saudis, it was more or less a slam dunk case..

What that would mean for the rest of the world - if Saudi-Arabia was to broke down into tribal fighting and where factions of religious and political colour should beginning fighting them selfs we do not know. But I really doubt it would be easy for everyone of us, to se Saudi-Arabia goes down the drain.. Because it would be a ripple effect true the whole middle east, and maybe the whole world....

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[bunkerbuster1]

2. While I'm always happy to hear good news--aren't there like 500 princes in SA?

I'm sure this is a very wealthy and powerful person, but I doubt she or hubby call many shots.

[hvn_nbr_2]

3. There's one prince for every two Al Qaida #2's. nt

[4lbs]

4. Yes. Every son and nephew of King Fahd is considered a prince.

King Fahd has 35 brothers (!).

Now, take in to account all their wives, and all the male children that multiple wives of 36 brothers can have.