Asharq Alawsat runs an abbreviated – abbreviated, it seems, for length – version of a speech Tony Blair delivered in Milan earlier this week. Blair, former British Prime Minister, is now head of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, talks about how freedom of religion is just as basic to democracy as freedom of speech. He notes that religious freedom does not diminish any religion. In fact, he says, it offers new opportunities for faith to thrive. As democracy promotes pluralism, it also demands pluralism. I think it’s a good speech.
Protection of religious freedom should be a priority
for all democracies
Tony BlairThere will be no peace in our world without an understanding of the place of religion within it. The past decade has seen many convenient myths which disguised the importance of religion, stripped away. Many thought: as society progressed, religion would decline. It hasn’t happened.
Then there are those that insisted that as the Arab Revolution knocked over long established regimes and created movements for democracy, so those societies’ religiosity would take second place to the new politics. It hasn’t happened. Religion is fundamental to those societies and if anything, in the foreseeable future, will become more so. And do we seriously think the issue of Jerusalem can be resolved without at least some discussion of its religious significance to all three Abrahamic faiths?
The virus of terror based on a perversion of the proper faith of Islam, shows no signs of abating. But it is not only the acts of terror that should alarm us. It is the extremism that promotes persecution of religious minorities too. The challenge is that much greater where human dignity is not respected and freedom of religion denied. This results in a general oppression of people of faith. It means we must support Muslims in Gujarat, India; non-Orthodox Christians in Moldova; Bahai’s in Iran; Ahmadis in Pakistan; all Christians in North Africa; Hindus in Sri Lanka; Shi’a in several Sunni majority countries, and other places.
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You can find the full text, as prepared for delivery, at this link.
Saudi Gazette reports that piracy on the region’s seas is becoming more and more serious. A regional meeting of the Gulf Petro-Chemical & Chemical Association found that 20% of its members had been victims of piracy while more than half believed that incidents would increase unless direct action was taken. Pirates, they claim, are becoming more aggressive and are operating over wider expanses. The economic impact reaches far beyond the individual ships being seized by pirates, affecting costs up and down the supply chain.
GPCA seeks more measures to stem attacks of pirates
JEDDAH – The Gulf Petro-Chemical & Chemical Association (GPCA) expressed alarm on the mounting maritime piracy.
At its recent Supply Chain Conference in Abu Dhabi, a survey was conducted where over 83 percent of the participants consider piracy a real and tangible threat to their organizations that result in increased costs, customer service issues, environmental risk and crew safety challenges.
Twenty percent responded that they have been direct victims of an attack and 53 percent believe that attacks will continue to grow over time without increased intervention.
Noting that piracy is a major risk to core industrial economies of the region, Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General of GPCA, said “pirates are now using hijacked vessels as motherships for their attacks and crews have been held as hostages on these motherships, making cases increasingly more difficult resolve.”
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Who are the ’1%’? Arab News reports that an economic intelligence firm based in Singapore finds that Saudi Arabia has its share, or perhaps more. According to a report from Wealth-X, 27% of the region’s richest people are Saudi. This compares to 33% of the global super-rich who are North American. That’s quite an accomplishment for the Saudis given the relative sizes of both populations and economies. Other Middle Eastern countries fare pretty well, too, including – to my surprise – countries like Syria and Iraq. Just how people in those countries, torn by near-civil war levels of violence and considerable poverty manage to host so many of the ‘ultra-rich’, I’ll leave as an exercise for the interested reader…
Kingdom hosts largest Mideast market for ‘super-rich’ people
ARAB NEWSJEDDAH: Saudi Arabia hosts the largest market of ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNW) in the Middle East, representing 1,225 people holding a collective wealth of $227 billion, according to a global wealth intelligence report released Thursday.
Saudi Arabia ranks first among Middle East countries in World Ultra Wealth Report 2011, housing some 27 percent of the region’s super-rich segment.
The report from Wealth-X, the global intelligence, prospecting and wealth diligence company, offers an analysis of individuals with a net worth of at least $30 million.
It also forecast that the Kingdom’s sophisticated financial sector would lead to more wealth creation opportunities.
Wealth-X highlighted the construction of King Abdullah Financial District of Riyadh, estimated to cost around $32 billion, as a key development and suggested that professionals targeting the UHNW segment should consider these areas as possible locations for new offices.
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Asharq Alawsat runs a Reuters piece saying that Russian oil production is hitting its peak and that it will be overtaken by Saudi oil production within a few years. Russia still tops the world’s production of natural gas, but it petroleum production has reached its maximum given the level of both deposits and investment in production technology.
Saudi Arabia to overtake Russia as top oil producer-IEA
MOSCOW,(Reuters) – Saudi Arabia will overtake Russia as the world’s largest crude oil producer in about 2015 as output at new Russian fields fails to offset fast decline at mature deposits, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday.
In its World Energy Outlook the IEA also said Russia would eventually start to supply natural gas to China, becoming a major source of the fuel despite gas export monopoly Gazprom’s failure so far to secure a supply deal after five years of talks.
Russia overtook Saudi Arabia as the top producer of oil when the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries cut crude output during the economic crisis in 2009.
But while Russia’s output will plateau at 10.5 million barrels per day, Saudi Arabia’s will rise to match Russia’s in roughly 2015, and hit 14 million bpd by 2035.
Until the end of last year, OPEC members agreed a series of targets for their own production in an effort to stabilise the world oil market. However, these production limits have largely been abandoned this year since Libyan output was interrupted.
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Mamoun Fandy, Director of the Middle East Program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, offers a bleak assessment of ‘Arab Spring’ in this Asharq Alawsat opinion piece. He notes that while much of the talk is about toppling tyrants, the fact is that Arab societies are saturated with tyrants, from the fathers at home all the way up to the heads of state. The tyranny exists not as a person, but as a network that fills all the nooks and crannies of society. He doesn’t think ‘Arab Spring’ is a revolution so much as just a shift in which tribes and which particular tyrannies now get their day on the stage.
The Future of Tyranny!
Mamoun FandyMany people both in our region and outside it talk about the future of democracy after the “Arab Spring”, despite the fact that what is important for our region is the future and fate of tyranny, rather than the future of democracy.
For us, democracy is an illusion, but tyranny is part of our character. Thus, talking about the future of tyranny is more effective, in the sense of whether tyranny is advancing or receding, in what way, and in what field.
The talk about the future of tyranny, its manifestations, branches, and the extent of its longevity in various forms has not started yet in earnest. This is because our region is still submerged in the euphoria of the revolution and in the stories of the “Arab Spring” that have dazzled the foreigners, and hence the Arabs welcomed them as if they were the truth. This is because for many reasons, some of which we know and others we do not understand, our minds work according to the principle: what the West says about us is the truth, and what we see and do in our own countries is the illusion.
The talk of the Arabs predominantly falls either into the intellectual storm that changes with the turn of the popular tide, or along the lines of sentiments imported from other countries. In the same way, the Arabs at the end of the 1980s and 1990s used to talk about modernization and structure, issues which the Arabs had little insight into. This is because modernism in culture comes as a result of a developed society, and it is inconceivable to talk about this in a pre-modernized society. Nevertheless, the Arabs love glorifying such sentiments even if they do not understand the basic terminology.
The important point in all of this, despite my enthusiasm for change in post-revolutionary Egypt and my presence at the heart of it, is my theory that the “Arab Spring” will not represent a break from tyranny, but rather it will be an extension of it with different characteristics. Tyranny, just like a virus, can go through a mutation process and change to resist its vaccine. We are facing a state of tyranny mutation, rather than democratic change, and there are many reasons for this.
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Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV notes a case currently before the US Supreme Court that centers on the issue of just who in the US government is responsible for crafting US foreign policy.
The case involves an American citizen born in Jerusalem. As its regulations require, the State Department issued him a passport noting his place of birth as Jerusalem. The citizen (or his parents, anyway) wanted the passport to say ‘Israel’ rather than ‘Jerusalem’. They are supported in their quest by a 2002 law created by Congress and signed by then-President Bush as part of an omnibus bill, that said the births should be recorded as ‘Israel’. In signing the bill, Pres Bush wrote a separate ‘signing statement’ saying that this particular issue was deemed by the Executive (that is, the Presidency) to exceed Congress’s constitutional reach. Setting US foreign policy and recognizing sovereign states is solely within the powers of the President, not Congress.
Therefore, the government’s argument goes, to acknowledge Jerusalem as part of Israel – as the 2002 law does – is interfering with the President’s power as it usurps his ability to make foreign policy. US foreign policy states that the status of Jerusalem is something that is to be negotiated by Israelis and Palestinians, not resolved by unilateral congressional diktat. This issue, like the Congressional acts that insist that the US Embassy to Israel be moved to Jerusalem, are seen to be tendentious interference by the separate-but-equal Executive branch of the US government.
Justices wary of bid by American born in Jerusalem
MARK SHERMAN | Associated PressThe Supreme Court on Monday waded warily into Middle Eastern politics and a dispute between Congress and the president in the case of a 9-year-old Jerusalem-born American who wants his passport to say he was born in Israel.
The justices appeared unlikely to rule for Menachem Zivotofsky, whose family sued the government after State Department officials refused to list Israel as his place of birth in his American passport.
Menachem and his parents flew from Israel and were at the high court Monday for the arguments in his case.
The Obama administration says the passport policy is in line with longstanding U.S. foreign policy that says the status of Jerusalem should be resolved in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
But Congress passed a law in 2002 seeking to give Americans born there the right to have Israel listed as their birthplace.
The justices seemed reluctant to question the administration’s position that the law was an improper congressional attempt to speak for the country on foreign policy.
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For those who want to go a bit more deeply into the legal issues here, including how the Supreme Court could dodge the issue by declaring it a ‘political question’, take a look at the analysis at SCOTUSblog. It reports on the arguments made before the Court and offers its assessment of which side seemed to have the argument more persuasive to the Court.
Prince Salman, the newly named Minister of Defense, is not well known outside the Kingdom. His role as Governor of Riyadh has kept him out of the international limelight as his work was seen mostly by those in the Kingdom and then, mostly those in Riyadh.
In his new job, he will have international importance. More, the position puts him more squarely into the equation for a future kingship. His name was always among those who had to be considered, but with this promotion to a more prominent position in government, he has to be taken more seriously.
Asharq Alawsat runs a profile of Pr Salman. He’s certainly no slouch. He’s been in government for better than half a century and he’s accomplished much.
New Saudi Defense Minister Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz
Asharq Al-Awsat
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat – Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud yesterday appointed Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the new Saudi Defense Minister, following the death of Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who held the post for 5 decades. Prince Salman is most well-known as the long-time Governor of Riyadh Region, and under his governorship the Saudi capital has developed from a mid-size oasis town into a major urban metropolis with a population of more than 5 million. Prince Salman is succeeded as Riyadh Region Governor by Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was the 25th son of the founder of modern-day Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz Al Saud. He was born on 5 Shawwal 1354 A.H. [31 December, 1935], in Riyadh, and was brought up – alongside his brothers – in the Governance Palace in Riyadh, where he would accompany his father in meeting with other kings and heads of state. When he was 19, King Abdulaziz issued a royal decree appointing Prince Salman as his representative and the Emir of Riyadh on 11 Rajab 1373 A.H. [17 March, 1954], whilst he was appointed Governor of Riyadh Region at the rank of minister on 25 Shaban 1374 A.H. [19 April, 1955], returning to the Riyadh palace where he was born and grew up, but this time as the governor of the second-largest province in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Abdulateef Al-Mulhim takes a look at Libya and Qaddafi and finds a disease endemic to the region: love of dictators. He notes many symptoms of the illness and the conditions, both local and international, that serve to mask it, to hibernate it, to allow it to become more virulent until either the victim dies or a ‘cure’ is found through popular revolution.
It’s worthwhile to read the entire column.
We create dictators, then…
They always learn how to take off and fly, but forget to learn how to land
ABDULATEEF AL-MULHIMMuammar Qaddafi built the most beautiful mansions. He had a subdivision in Tripoli named Alazizyah. The place had more protection than the Pentagon. He had his sons, relatives and close friends to be his only contact to the world. Qaddafi wanted to be the president of the Arab world. Leader of all the revolutions in the world. King of all African kings. He bragged about being able to stand up to America and confront it on two occasions.
Qaddafi ruled Libya since 1969 and wasted more than $500 billion on the worst weapon system money can buy, donations to terrorist organizations, failed projects and kept part of the oil income in his secret accounts. He humiliated the Libyan people for 42 years. And he engaged his country in conflicts that his own people didn’t understand. He had masses of people come out of their houses, schools and work place to salute the “leader of the revolution.” Qaddafi was allowed to give the longest and most ridicules speech in the history of the United Nations. When Qaddafi overthrew King Idris in September 1969, the population of Libya was about two million. Libya had the sweetest oil and the most strategic location among all OPEC members. Libyan oil tankers could reach many European ports in less than one day. So, Libya could have been the richest country in history. But, Qaddafi, turned out to be ruling the worst managed country. No infrastructure, no good schools and no good human development. So, how can a first lieutenant in an army become the ruler of a country with such resources of raw materials and intelligent people? We saw the Libyan masses go out to greet him. So, are they the ones who made him a dictator?
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Samar Fatany opens a can of worms with her opinion piece today. She calls for the ‘doors of Ijtihad‘ to be reopened. This puts her in the middle of a theological discourse that has been pretty much settled in Saudi Arabia since at least the time of Abdul Wahhab: Who can interpret the meaning of the Quran and Islam? Starting at about the time the Moguls overran Baghdad – or perhaps a bit earlier, when the Mutazalites lost their influence in that city – Islam took a stark turn to taqlid, ‘imitation’, that is, the rote following and repetition of rules, laws, and their interpretations that had gone before. If something did not have reliable precedent, in either the Quran, Sunnah, or hadith, then it was not acceptable. This is the general thrust of the Saudi religious authorities. To question it on a philosophical/theological level is to directly challenge those authorities.
Fatany is not the first Muslim to ask the question, of course. Many have raised it and have come to different answers. Some insist that the ‘door’ was never closed, but has been open at least a crack. Given the struggles in Saudi Arabia over things like new technology – starting with automobiles, radio, TV, cell phone cameras, and the like – I think it fair to say that the crack has been a very small one. Getting past the resistance to change on even mundane things has taken disproportionate effort, and sometimes lives.
I think she is correct, however. There are too many things changing in the modern world, too quickly, to think that answers will be found in texts that predate most of modern science by a thousand or more years. There must be a role for reason in finding answers to new challenges, not just repetition of what went before.
Ijtihad deserves new consideration
We need to energize the process if we are to find solutions to contemporary problems
Samar FatanyAddressing the 36th annual meeting of the Islamic Development Bank recently, Minister of Finance Ibrahim Al-Assaf urged Muslim countries to adapt to the changing global environment in order to confront the challenges facing the Muslim world today.
Meanwhile, many Muslim scholars, Arab and non-Arab, have stressed the need to revive the process of “ijtihad,” or the interpretation of Islamic law and recognize it as an Islamic science to enable Muslims of the 21st century to preserve their faith and apply the true tenets of Islam to their present-day needs.
However, to confront the new challenges and energize the process of ijtihad, Muslim countries need to conduct Shariah studies, encourage moderate and competent scholars, reform the educational system and upgrade academic Muslim councils. Only then can a more educated interpretation be adopted to effectively serve the needs of the contemporary Muslim society.
It is unfortunate that religious scholars terminated the practice of “ijtihad” 500 years ago and adopted a more conservative and negative stance toward innovation and adaptation. When the door of “ijtihad” was closed, a consensus was established that there would be no more independent reasoning in religious law and that all Muslims should follow the interpretation of the doctrine by the scholars of that era once and for all.
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I jumped the gun on this last week by reporting a rumor as fact. Now, it’s a fact.
Saudi Arabia names new defense minister
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia has named a new defense minister to replace the late crown prince who held the post.
King Abdullah appointed Prince Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud minister of defense and aviation on Saturday. Prince Salman replaces Crown Prince Sultan, who died Oct. 22.
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Arab News runs a piece detailing the shuffle of ministerial appointments and responsibilities occasioned by the death of the former Crown Prince. It’s a lengthy piece, but the biggest change noted was the naming of Prince Sattam as Governor of Riyadh. There are changes in the Crown Prince’s Office, not surprisingly. The Ministry of Defense & Aviation is renamed, ‘Ministry of Defense’. Certain civil aviation matters are removed from the Ministry of Defense and given to the General Authority for Civil Aviation, consolidating all issues in the one ministry.
Prince Salman appointed defense minister
ARAB NEWSRIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Sunday named Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman as the new minister of defense.
The key post had been vacant since the death of Prince Sultan, who was the minister of defense and civil aviation, on Oct. 22.
The new Riyadh governor is Prince Sattam, who had been serving as deputy governor of the province with the rank of minister. Prince Muhammad bin Saad will be the new deputy governor of the province and with the rank of minister, a royal order said.
Prince Salman has been the governor of Riyadh province since 1962. He has, over the past five decades, supervised and encouraged the expansive growth of the city from a mid-sized town into a major urban metropolis.
Prince Salman has also been very active in charitable activities. His philanthropic services include, among others, the presidency of the Prince Salman Center for Disability Research and the presidency of the Prince Fahd bin Salman Charitable Society for the Care of Kidney Patients.
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The annual Haj to Mecca begins today. Saudi media is covering it extensively, almost to the exclusion of any other news. That’s understandable as it is the biggest thing happening in the country and, one could argue, one of the principal reasons for the country’s existence. The government certainly believes that the safe and peaceful accomplishment of the pilgrimage is one of its greatest duties. The King, after all, holds the title of Custodian of the Two Holy Places (Mecca and Madinah).
Frankly, there’s little else of substance being reported. This is a situation that will likely be repeated for the duration of Haj.