9 Comments »

1. Is this the same King Fart who bank rolled the Wahabi Imans who have it turn done so much to move Islam away from a Theology of co-existance towards the fanatism we see practised across the world today? The King is dead, god bell the King,

   Comment by Theknittingcircle — 1 Aug 2005 on 4:10 pm | Link

2. Is this the same King Fart who bank rolled the Wahabi Imans who have it turn done so much to move Islam away from a Theology of co-existance towards the fanatism we see practised across the world today? The King is dead, god bell the King,

   Comment by Theknittingcircle — 1 Aug 2005 on 4:11 pm | Link

3. Is this the same King Fart who bank rolled the Wahabi Imans who have it turn done so much to move Islam away from a Theology of co-existance towards the fanatism we see practised across the world today? The King is dead, god bell the King,

   Comment by Theknittingcircle — 1 Aug 2005 on 4:12 pm | Link

4. Is this the same King Fart who bank rolled the Wahabi Imans who have it turn done so much to move Islam away from a Theology of co-existance towards the fanatism we see practised across the world today? The King is dead, god bell the King,

   Comment by Theknittingcircle — 1 Aug 2005 on 4:13 pm | Link

5. Next, Elton John rewrites some lyrics for the funeral…

   Comment by John Lettice — 1 Aug 2005 on 6:55 pm | Link

6. Love him or hate him, King Fahd’s astute political acumen is going to be a real hard act to follow… the excessive playboy attitude of the Saudi royal family and the lack of real socio-economic reform during his reign is regrettable of course – but against this, he has transformed a tribal culture into a cosmopolitan system during a relatively short period. He kept this vast country stabilised throughout the recent turmoils; and he was a leader the rest of the non-Arab and non-Muslim world could respect and talk to. I hope his successor will continue to develop a much-needed democratic structure; also to build on the start the King made in providing education and healthcare for his people.

   Comment by auntyq — 1 Aug 2005 on 9:20 pm | Link

7. In depth report at:

   http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/02/1438216

   Comment by Julian Todd — 3 Aug 2005 on 1:42 pm | Link

8. Leaving aside for one second the fact that the terms "democracy" and Saudi Arabia are mutually exclusive, I have just one question following on from AuntyQs post. In any country with a monarchy, is it possible also to have democracy? True, we supposedly have one of those in this country but of course no-one in their right minds could call our system true democracy (apart from senior government figures). I doubt the good citizens of Saudi Arabia will shed many tears for King Fahd or his now-departed dreams of Arabian Democracy…

   Comment by PapaLazzzaru — 3 Aug 2005 on 2:29 pm | Link

9. ‘In any country with a monarchy, is it possible also to have democracy?’ There’s no clear answer to that but one might point to Holland = and Sweden or Denmark perhaps – which seem to show a greater understanding of the quandary. I’m not convinced that the two functions are mutually exclusive.

   But the real moral debate is whether Fahd or his family have done as much as they could (or by western standards, should) for the people of Saudi – and other Arab nations. We’re not in a position to judge without imposing our own moral stance(s) on the landscape.

   It will be up to the Saudis to decide – much as it should have been up to the Iraquis to decide their fate, but one cannot help noting that western governments will certainly not allow that to happen without seeking to influence the situation on way or another.

   As we’ve noted before, there’s democracy and democracy……. And in all of this one must recognise why for decades we have fostered relations with these ‘distant countries of which we know little’. Something about our national interest, I guess. Sadly we rely on their riches to maintain our way of life. A weak and dangerous position.

   Comment by Chuck Unsworth — 3 Aug 2005 on 5:05 pm | Link

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