Democratic Process Saudi Style

The Saudi government prohibits all democratic freedoms including political parties, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, civil society, equality for women, equality for religious minorities and religious freedom. The autocratic regime considers these empowering values antithesis to God’s will. However, the Saudi government, the ruling family, spares no effort in utilizing and manipulating the democratic process in other countries to ensure control, or at least measurable influence, over the outcomes of their elections.

Whether in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, the US or Yemen, the Saudi ruling family spends millions of dollars to create political, religious and economic schisms in elections abroad. The monarchy supports the weaker players not for the sake of fair democratic elections, rather to play one group against another to ensure promotion and protection of its interests regardless of the winner.

 www.linktv.org/mosaic/mir/MIR20090612/saudi-arabia-a-player-in-middle-east-elections