Saudi Arabia 2030

[Ben No.3]

For the German ones amongst us:

http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/merkel-kommentar-103.htm

 

Summary: Chancellor Angela Merkel recently visited Saudi Arabia, a country, just to remind you, which is a theocratic monarchy with complete disrespect for any form of human rights. Now here is an article from a German news outlet trying to justify it anyway. They do this by pointing to an ambitious reform program.

 

Saudi Arabia is currently undergoing strong changes. This is, as mentioned, due to their big reform program, "Vision 2030", which is essentially one big effort to make the Saudi economy away from its dependency on oil (right now, oil trade makes up 47% of GDP, they want to reach 11% by 2030).

 

http://vision2030.gov.sa/en

 

That's the government website up there.

 

The reforms are necessary. 2/3 of the country's people are under 30, and youth unemployment is already at 30%. The ambitiousness of the plan also requires for the country to see much more women taking on jobs than right now. Wether this can shift the social situation is to be seen.

 

 

Especially considering all of the discussion surrounding Islam and in light of this reform program, I think it is worth discussing Saudi Arabia. Now, especially since Saudi Arabia commits some of the worst human rights abuses, it is important that we stay reasonable. We must condemn such practices, but we should also attempt at keeping the discussion above means of black and white and judge these new policies within context.

[HoonDing]

[Gfted1]

Note to self: burqa are NOT sexy, even twerking.

[HoonDing]

There are no burqas inside the harem.

[Gfted1]

There are no burqas inside the harem.

Is it like this?

 

 

[rjshae]

Oi'l be right back...

[majestic]

 

There are no burqas inside the harem.

Is it like this?

 

 

 

 

Hm, that reminds me of an ol' Axe commercial. Let's see if I can find it...

 

Ah, there we go.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAb86iJSuig

[Valsuelm]

Very possibly the best episode that Frontline has ever done:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECL5l1v9sQY