Comments on: Saudis Overdosed on ‘Vitamin W’ http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/16/saudis-overdosed-on-vitamin-w/ Informed comment and commentary about Saudi Arabia, reform, and its relations with the US Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:41:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: true sayer http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/16/saudis-overdosed-on-vitamin-w/comment-page-1/#comment-26752 true sayer Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:20:49 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/16/saudis-overdosed-on-vitamin-w/#comment-26752 well, as you all know the same problems avaliable in all countries especially in western world like europe and usa etc..those who only accuse saudi of such! well they are a true liers! wasta is every where....and it takes different forms! so do not be foolish people..... well, as you all know the same problems avaliable in all countries especially in western world like europe and usa etc..those who only accuse saudi of such! well they are a true liers! wasta is every where….and it takes different forms! so do not be foolish people…..

]]> By: Business http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/16/saudis-overdosed-on-vitamin-w/comment-page-1/#comment-4119 Business Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:02:41 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/16/saudis-overdosed-on-vitamin-w/#comment-4119 "mediation" is a very euphemistic way to put. Just as in the states a hundred years ago corruption wreaked havoc, so today in Saudi. I would say that a growing number of Saudi's, especially in the private sector, have a love/hate relationship with "wasta." It seems that many people feel that yes, it is not good or that even it is destroying the country but they have to take advantage of it in order to stay in business. There is wasta everywhere in the world, but in Saudi it is endemic, and there is no check against it. There are no such thing as equal opportunity laws, etc. I can't see any significant structural change in this generation. The leadership, hangers-on, and many common people benefit too much to let go of this system. Because of the wasta system the people who would benefit most by its disappearance have very little power in working on their own behalf. I've seen enough ambitious students, young businessmen, etc., give up and settle for dead end jobs, or be on unemployment, because they have no other choice. At the least, what a waste. It would take a principled person(s) at the top of the power structure in order to make change that truly benefited the common people of the land. I'll let the leaders of the country be judged by their actions on this one. “mediation” is a very euphemistic way to put. Just as in the states a hundred years ago corruption wreaked havoc, so today in Saudi. I would say that a growing number of Saudi’s, especially in the private sector, have a love/hate relationship with “wasta.” It seems that many people feel that yes, it is not good or that even it is destroying the country but they have to take advantage of it in order to stay in business.

There is wasta everywhere in the world, but in Saudi it is endemic, and there is no check against it. There are no such thing as equal opportunity laws, etc.

I can’t see any significant structural change in this generation. The leadership, hangers-on, and many common people benefit too much to let go of this system. Because of the wasta system the people who would benefit most by its disappearance have very little power in working on their own behalf.

I’ve seen enough ambitious students, young businessmen, etc., give up and settle for dead end jobs, or be on unemployment, because they have no other choice. At the least, what a waste.

It would take a principled person(s) at the top of the power structure in order to make change that truly benefited the common people of the land.

I’ll let the leaders of the country be judged by their actions on this one.

]]> By: Wasta see is wasta get « Likelihood of Success http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/16/saudis-overdosed-on-vitamin-w/comment-page-1/#comment-4112 Wasta see is wasta get « Likelihood of Success Mon, 17 Sep 2007 02:46:07 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/16/saudis-overdosed-on-vitamin-w/#comment-4112 [...] and, thank God, their military arms — so almost uniformly incompetent and corrupt?  Well, John Burgess doesn’t quite put the question that way (he wouldn’t), but he explains that the problem [...] [...] and, thank God, their military arms — so almost uniformly incompetent and corrupt?  Well, John Burgess doesn’t quite put the question that way (he wouldn’t), but he explains that the problem [...]

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