Dear Code Pink,
There are two sides to any topic and unless both sides are heard, most probably the audience would end up making the wrong conclusion. I am sure its not your intention to mislead your audience.
Unfortunately, this chat didn't involve a pro-regime PHD degree holder Saudi women, of which many exist in Saudi Arabia. I wish the panel also had involved a happily married Western mother in Saudi Arabia, as I am sure there are many of them as well. Please don't cancel the other side by arranging such one-sided discussions. We need idealistic and smart dialogues. To balance the discussion, I humbly offer the following clarifications:
Unfortunately, when country's national security is threatened, extreme and undesirable but justified measures are often adopted. This is true in any country and not just in Saudi Arabia. In United States, random detention of people and torturing them without the right to a trial in Guantanamo and anti-Trump cancel culture practiced now are two examples of such extreme measures justified by some for the sake of National Security.
As you know and as we speak, Trump supporters are being referred to as internal terrorists, while Trump side call such supporters patriots. This happens everywhere and not just in United States or Saudi Arabia, so it can't be right when the Western world does it and wrong when others do it!
As we speak, France is closing many Mosques because of their ties with foreign regimes. Hijab ban in most of the democratic European countries is another embarrassing example, where women are not free to choose what they want to wear and are forced to take off their scarfs, just as radical such as ISIS or the Iranian regime force women to wear Hijab.
Those who impose such Anti Hijab laws claim to do so in order to protect their Judeo-Christian values from foreign cultures. If so, why can't Saudi Arabia protect its culture from foreign Western cultures? Again, it can't be right when the Western world does it and wrong when others do it!
It's not a secret any more, thanks to Hillary Clinton and Obama's latest books, that since 2004 United States (the NATO in general) has been organizing and arranging movements to remap and partition the middle east (Jorge Bush's foreign secretary Condeliza Rice called it the new middle east) and part of the plan is to cut Saudi Arabia into four independent countries, spreading chaos to reinforce the Iranian and Turkish influence as done in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and Libya. Ironically, this pro freedom new middle eastern plan has so far resulted in the war-torn Iraq, Lebanon, Labia and Yemen (millions of casualties, injuries and refugees).
Is this the promised new middle east? Do women have better life now in such countries compared to before?
That's why, Saudi Arabia has been suspiciously dealing with so called Activists who have foreign ties with Pro-New Middle East team (United States, NATO, Israeli, Iran, Turkey and Qatar). This team has so far brought chaos to many countries under the slogans of human rights, freedom and democracy. That's why Saudi Arabia fights some of the criticism-phobic Activists and not all, as there are many people and state-controlled TV channels that politely and Constructively criticize MBS's aggressive reforms.
Dr. Hala, for example, has been accused of collaborating with RAND, an organization founded by the Pentagon. Some have even accused her of presenting RAND's material during your show! No doubt, Saudis are not tolerant towards such suspicious affiliations to foreign political bodies that has its own political agendas (such as the Pentagon) and has brought chaos and instability to the region.
So, just like Dr. Hala discredited the Saudi reforms by referring to them as political reforms, Saudis officials also discredit all Activists who have foreign ties by accusing them of being politically squint who are being politically used by foreign governments for their evil foreign agendas. This applies to Dr. Hala and some of the Saudi Shiites (not the majority).
Your guests mentioned that Saudi Arabia has been oppressing it's Eastern Shiite community, but the reality is that Saudi Arabia has been targeting pro-Iranian Shiites who have given up their well and get orders from a foreign country (Iran). Just as some immigrants in the west are affiliated with ISIS and terrorize the Western countries from time to time; or as many sleeping Iranian agents in the west who have assassinated tens of Iranian dissidents and are ready to do harm to the west once the supreme leader in Iran issues the order. Below is a clip for the Iraqi Shiite politician advising such Shiite traitors in the Arabian Gulf countries to take account of the Iraqi Shiite sufferings because of the Iranian backed militias and urges them to stop believing the Iran propaganda. Mr. Faeq Al Shaikh calls upon such deceived Saudi Shiites to obey their governments and stop thinking of regime change.
https://youtu.be/T6G_LdLv00A
Foreign intervention is dealt with seriously by all countries, specifically by the Western countries or the free world. As you know, Donald trump was accused and almost impeached for his ties with Russia, which at the end proved to be a political tool used by the democratic party to overthrow a democratically elected president (Trump).
Foreign intervention is a serious issue everywhere and not only in Saudi Arabia and political games are threats played everywhere to achieve hidden agendas. Saudi Arabia government has established an informed opinion that most of the activities and dissidents are being politically used by foreign countries for hidden agendas and not for their declared pro human rights and pro freedom slogans.
Just look at Iraq 17 years after Saddam and how daily Shiite’s protester voices keeps rising apologizing to Saddam and demanding the pro-Iranian regime change, the same regime that was brought to power by United States and Britain. Iraqi Shiite admit that life was much better under Saddam as Iranian people admit that life was much better before their 1979 revolution that brought Khomeini to power. Iraqis and the Iranian Activists were both fooled by Western (NATO) pro freedom propaganda. Both of these nations, except the Iranian backed militias responsible for death of peaceful protestors, regret their revolutions for reforms.
Furthermore, democracy is failing in the west and the latest questionable and destabilizing election results in United States is a proof. Constant growth of anti-establishment far right groups in the west is another proof. Rapid growth of the Totalitarian regime of China is another reason. The cancel culture in United States now is another example. So, why should we adopt it? In this regard, the renowned historian Bernard Lewis says:
"There is a tendency nowadays, particularly in the English-speaking world to assume that democracy is the natural and normal condition of humanity, that any departure from it is either a disease to be cured or a crime to be punished for. I don’t share that view. They have to evolve their own form of government."
It's interesting that Dr. Hala referred to the current Saudi Arabia government as "The new regime". So, she recognizes that the new government is quite different. Indeed, it is radically different because of being aggressively pro reforms. Yet, Dr. Hala doesn't seem to be a bit optimistic!! Shouldn't this peaceful regime change be celebrated and supported instead of calling to boycott it? Isn’t it a much better version of a regime when compared to the chaotic regimes in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Lybia and Yemen?
Don't forget that "The King Salman Reforms" presented by Dr. Hala was imposed on the Conservative Saudi culture. Hence, those who enjoyed the reforms (such as women driving cars) must not provocatively celebrate it in a highly conservative society that opposes such reforms. You can't go posting provocative clips on social media showing off your right to driving. That's neither wise nor matured. Such childish people leave no option to the Saudi authorities except to punish them and prevent possible retaliations from the Conservatives. I am sure if the government leaves the decision to the Saudis through voting, "The King Salman reforms" will be revoked by the well of the majority Conservative Saudis. Why can't Dr. Hala quietly enjoy the new reforms without mocking and provoking the greater conservative community of the Saudi Arabia?
Last but not least, regarding the domestic cases and issues raised by Mrs. Bethany related to divorce of foreign women married to Saudi men. Again, such disputes are headaches all over the world and not just in Saudi Arabia. It’s not a rocket science to see how tragic divorce outcomes are in the United States and how complicated such Court cases are. Just recall princess Diana's miserable royal life and be humbler while you are criticizing Saudi Arabia's Crown or culture. Remember O. J. Simpson's miraculous win court cases and recognize that all over the world, and not just in Saudi Arabia, lawyers use and abuse loopholes in laws. Furthermore, and with all due respect, it’s not right to judge a domestic case without hearing the husband's (father) side of the story.
Saudi Arabia like Western Countries constantly need reforms. Saudi Arabia has started its reforms aggressively to expand freedom of choice and should be left alone to continue it at their own pace, while European nations are busy reforming to restrict freedom of choice. In doing so, Saudis need support and recognition instead of reckless criticism. The silly, toxic and criticism-phobic opposition practiced in the Western world, where the opposition finds the seating government always wrong and doomed, is definitely not the answer.
