Bush Delays Action Against Saudi Arabia(for restricting religious freedom)

[sabra]

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1173564

Bush Delays Action Against Saudi Arabia
Bush Administration Postpones Punishing Saudi Arabia for Restricting Religious Freedom


WASHINGTON Sep 30, 2005 — The Bush administration has postponed punishing Saudi Arabia for restricting religious freedom, giving the U.S. ally six more months to show it has made progress in its treatment of religious minorities.

One year ago, the State Department declared that religious freedom was absent in the Arab kingdom. Under U.S. law, the Bush administration could have imposed sanctions such as trade restrictions as it has done with some other countries.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice notified Congress last week that she had authorized a 180-day waiver of action against Saudi Arabia "in order to allow additional time for the continuation of discussions leading to progress on important religious freedom issues."

Rice raised the issue last week in a meeting in Washington with the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, and stressed the importance of continuing to work on this issue, State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper said.

[louis-t]

1. How's stupid face gonna punish Saudi Arabia?

Slap their hands and call them poo-poo heads? Maybe he will refuse to play kissee-face or hold hands with the Prince.

[Ezlivin]

2. Maybe he'll make them take and keep Karen Hughes

Frankly, she'd look good in a burka....

[Tight_rope]

3. Yeah...I bet he did. We need their oil....what a fucknut!...n/t

[phantom power]

4. Until the day we're energy independent, we're OPEC's bitch.

I'd love to see a Democratic candidate run on that little fact. Make the GOP explain to the electorate why they insist on making us continue to lick OPEC's boots.

[Tempest]

5. Just days after Hughes was in Saudi Arabia

This is just too funny.

[damntexdem]

6. Hey, Dubya, you don't have many more of those 6-month reprieves left:

better use them wisely.

[Erika]

7. The House of Saud & W are co-planet corporatist kings

Prostitution rings, child slave labor, lack of religious freedom are "overlooked" and compliance time frames extended.

The Houses of Saud and Bush are far closer than the relationship W has with the American voter.

[daleo]

8. Let freedom reign!

But not in Saudi Arabia - G.W. Bush.

[Guaranteed]

9. So, in other words, it's not their support for Al Qaeda,

but that they won't allow religious missionaries into their country that really chaps ole Chimpy's hide.

[struggle4progress]

10. I cain't hardly wait to hear George's Fundie pals spin this un. eom