Saudi’s “Advise” on Terrorism
Politics, State Terror October 29th, 2007While talking about terrorism on BBC Radio 4, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia said “Most countries are not taking this issue too seriously, including, unfortunately, Great Britain”.
Hopefully, the UK will not be taking any advise from the Saudis on internal “security”. Since opposition parties and ciriticism of the government are are illegal in Saudi, how are opponents allowed to change the government? Being backed into a corner, many have turned to overthrow of the government – possibly using force – including Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia and Committee for the Defense of Legitimate Rights. Remember one persons freedom fighter is another persons terrorist. And if the government use force or the threat of force to achieving their goals, are they not terrorists? (That idea terrorism in state and group level moral equivalence, I nicked from Chomsky).
I am just imagine the UK run along these lines with political opponents being kidnapped, tortured, etc. Our response to terrorism is more of a threat than terrorism itself!
Anti Citizen One
(Although not relevant to this topic, I saw this photo of a Muslim only road in Saudi. Rather Odd.)

October 31st, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Mostly in agreement with you.
Technically of course the entire state apparatus whether democratic or despotic (or whatever) is terrorist.
Every state (i’m talking in terms of nations and nationalism) is an expression of one groups metanarrative, enforced by coercion of one form or another.
Torture and oppression (Saudi Arabia), Economic displacement, Elitism, establishment conservatism (UK, US).
The list could go on.
What solution is there?
My own conviction is towards the micronarrative, the autonomy of the self and the individual.
Some call it anarchism, but I have a tendency more towards microsocial self autonomy. Small grups united by common interest working towards the ‘ideal’ society that they truly want, working in ‘federal’ coalition with similar minded microsocieties….
hell this could turn into a post. You get the idea. All state institutions are built on the foundations of coercion in one form or another.