Funny:
Meanwhile, discriminatory policies remain in place, such as those that keep the princes and their families separate from the rest of the population, and especially from the immigrants, who keep the economy running, not to mention the discrimination against women.

Evidence of that was experienced by Bonino herself when she visited Saudi Arabia as part of a delegation sent by the European Parliament's commission of foreign affairs.

When they were received by the chair of the Saudi parliament, Salih bin Abdullah bin Humaid, the women deputies were "denied the honor of a handshake or eye-to-eye contact", said Bonino, while explanations that Islam considers women to be different from men were addressed to the male deputy guests.





Realistically, this was incredibly rude -- of poor, innocent Emma Bonino. I’m sure she applied and attended the delegation with full knowledge of Islamic practices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The rudeness I imply is that she went anyway, forcing the royal family to treat her the way they did, and then to complain that they were consistent with political/custom reports on the nation.

I wonder if she smokes... If so, she may need the U.S. to mail her a pack of cigarettes, complete with surgeon general warning label.

Saudi Arabia is important to the United States, as it accounts for 25 percent of the world's oil reserves and 10 percent of global oil production.

On its own, a stupid comparison:

July 22, 1998: Net Petroleum Imports as a Percentage of Products Supplied, 1973-2020.
Image Credit: U.S. Department of energy.

July 22, 1998: Persian Gulf Share of World Oil Production and Exports, 1975-2020.
Image Credit: U.S. Department of energy.

We are large on the list, but it needs to be understood that the U.S. is somewhat large nation compared against all of Europe, and what needs to be compounded with this is not that the U.S. is really “the world”, or “the globe”, but that, while the U.S. takes in only a fraction (just under a quarter) of petroleum from the Persian Gulf region, it in no way takes in the entire quoted 10% that Saudi Arabia produces. European, African, North & South American, and Asian Allies of the U.S. (including uncomplaining Main European Importer Spain) make up for much of it, and it’s kind of hard to stomp on a foot when there are so many innocent toes exposed that just happen to be there.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/DI03Ak01.html

One of the solutions to all the world’s problems might be to have the loudest complainers run everything. I think the world would be a much more peaceful place -- once they’ve finally killed everyone.

Reality remains that, regardless of local mores, the Saudi family continues to act like royal pains -- just as they were bred to be. And this:

Several Spanish media outlets reported that a British agency has provided a large group of women to accompany the Saudi men during their vacations in Spain, on two conditions: the women must be young and blonde, and must be replaced every 15 days.



Although prostitution is legal in Spain, procuring is punishable by law. Nevertheless, no authority or organization has moved against the British agency, even though the contract was made public.”





...remains unimportant. They’re hiring prostitutes? Sorry, but the complaint should be aired when the custom continues without the hiring of prostitutes.

The point for your anger would be better focused here:

Emma Bonino, an Italian member of the European Parliament, said the royal family has more than $600 billion in funds abroad, and is "more interested in investing them on the international markets than at home".



Saudi Arabia ranked 71st out of 173 nations on the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) latest Human Development Index, which measures factors like life expectancy, school enrollment and distribution of wealth. Ahead of Saudi Arabia are nations like Thailand, Venezuela, Colombia and Slovenia.

Per capita income in Saudi Arabia plunged from $35,000 to $7,000 in just 20 years, while the country's gross national product grew just 1 percent a year on average during the same period. At the same time, its 3.8 percent demographic growth rate is one of the highest in the world.





Do I agree with the Saudi family’s political outlook toward their own -- peasant population? Of course not.

Does sound like an interesting party, though,
Dan (wonder how I could get invited...)