Subject:
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thumb cuffs, oil & nukes Re: State department report on Saudi Arabia's Human Rights record"
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Thu, 3 Apr 2003 12:28:58 GMT
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Viewed:
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294 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2002/18288.htm
>
> The US is not papering over that SA is run by a bunch of thugs. Whether more
> will be done about it remains to be seen.
See also:
http://www.fas.org/asmp/profiles/saudi_arabia.htm#political
==+==
Saudi Arabia is America’s top customer. Since 1990, the U.S. government,
through the Pentagon’s arms export program, has arranged for the delivery of
more than $39.6 billion in foreign military sales to Saudi Arabia
[later]
The United States has also sold small weapons and security equipment most
likely to be used in the commission of human rights abuses. The Pentagon
delivered $23 million worth of guns and ammunition to Saudi Arabia during
1996-98, and the State Department authorized export of another $4.8 million of
guns, grenade launchers, police riot control equipment, ammunition, and
ammunition raw materials and manufacturing equipment during the same time
period. The U.S. Department of Commerce has authorized the transfer of
electro-shock batons, and police equipment possibly including thumb cuffs, leg
irons, shackles, and handcuffs.
[later]
The Saudi inclination to buy security may have included attempts to acquire
nuclear weapons, according to a Saudi defector. Mohammed Khilewi, first
secretary at the Saudi mission to the United Nations until July 1994, said that
the Saudis have sought a bomb since 1975.
[later]
While the Saudi government may not be directly supporting terrorist groups, it
has not been very cooperative in arresting wanted terrorists. In April 1995,
the Saudi government prevented U.S. officers from arresting Imad Mughniyah for
his reputed roles in the 1983 car-bombing that killed 241 U.S. troops in
Lebanon and for a 1985 TWA hijacking in which one American died.
[earlier]
Oil rich Saudi Arabia is a cash-paying customer. It receives no U.S. military
assistance to finance these purchases, although it does demand that about 35
percent of all major contracts be "offset"-that is, economic benefits equaling
35 percent of the arms contract value must be steered back to the Saudi economy.
==+==
The wonder of oil!
Scott A
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