Comments on: The Opening of the Saudi Mind http://xrdarabia.org/2009/07/06/the-opening-of-the-saudi-mind/ Informed comment and commentary about Saudi Arabia, reform, and its relations with the US Fri, 25 May 2012 21:12:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: John Burgess http://xrdarabia.org/2009/07/06/the-opening-of-the-saudi-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-21848 John Burgess Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:01:53 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=8040#comment-21848 What's missing? Perhaps some <em>bonne volonté</em>? Saudi nationals are getting involved in the discussions. In print media, but on radio and TV call in shows, Saudis are debating. The government's efforts to push dialogue in as many fora as it can identify means that the 'one voice' is losing its control. There is more room for discussion, even within the government. <a href="http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090707/FOREIGN/707069833/1002">Younger princes</a> are feeling free enough to voice their own opinions and opposition. Promoting dialogue gives the needed space to push back the power of individual decision makers---actually, never that strong a force in the KSA---and brings more voices and more points of view into the decision-making. What’s missing? Perhaps some bonne volonté? Saudi nationals are getting involved in the discussions. In print media, but on radio and TV call in shows, Saudis are debating. The government’s efforts to push dialogue in as many fora as it can identify means that the ‘one voice’ is losing its control. There is more room for discussion, even within the government. Younger princes are feeling free enough to voice their own opinions and opposition.

Promoting dialogue gives the needed space to push back the power of individual decision makers—actually, never that strong a force in the KSA—and brings more voices and more points of view into the decision-making.

]]> By: Solomon2 http://xrdarabia.org/2009/07/06/the-opening-of-the-saudi-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-21835 Solomon2 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:35:47 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=8040#comment-21835 As noted five years ago, the dialogue process was seen as necessary "due to the prevalence of a unilateral intellectual status for a long period of time which resulted in the occurrence of a huge social disunion." <a href="http://www.alshayeb.org/?act=news&sec=3&id=44&exp=0">link</a> which could pull apart the state. In Western countries matters of national import are discussed in the legislatures, but Saudi Arabia, being drenched in oil money, inverts the usual rule and follows "no representation without taxation". The whole thing about creating a "national culture of dialogue" thus seems to be a uniquely Saudi initiative. Yet how can the lack of debate in the Arab press beyond the intellectual elite indicate anything other than the failure, or at least ineffectiveness, of it all? The official process seems hemmed in by so many strictures - like the emphasis on Islam rather than <a href="http://www.robertsrules.org/">Robert's Rules of Order</a> - that I would guess the process is self-limiting. Furthermore, what use is it? As Minister of Islamic Affairs Saleh Al-Asheikh put it, “the world is not driven by dialogue alone, but also by the determination of decision makers.” So nothing the "little people" of Saudi Arabia say will make a dime of difference, will it? What am I missing? As noted five years ago, the dialogue process was seen as necessary “due to the prevalence of a unilateral intellectual status for a long period of time which resulted in the occurrence of a huge social disunion.” link which could pull apart the state. In Western countries matters of national import are discussed in the legislatures, but Saudi Arabia, being drenched in oil money, inverts the usual rule and follows “no representation without taxation”. The whole thing about creating a “national culture of dialogue” thus seems to be a uniquely Saudi initiative.

Yet how can the lack of debate in the Arab press beyond the intellectual elite indicate anything other than the failure, or at least ineffectiveness, of it all? The official process seems hemmed in by so many strictures – like the emphasis on Islam rather than Robert’s Rules of Order – that I would guess the process is self-limiting.

Furthermore, what use is it? As Minister of Islamic Affairs Saleh Al-Asheikh put it, “the world is not driven by dialogue alone, but also by the determination of decision makers.” So nothing the “little people” of Saudi Arabia say will make a dime of difference, will it?

What am I missing?

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