I live in Saudi Arabia. AMA!

[Shmithecat]

I still hear so many daft claims about certain aspects of living in KSA. Happy to confirm or deny what you've been told!

If you support (by working there you are supporting the regime)..

In your opinion. Not everyone will always value your opinion as much as you do.

Is it possible to use hyperbole when discussing people having the soles of their feet whipped until they confess to a crime they didn't commit and are then publicly beheaded - at 16?

If it were, then I’m pretty sure you’d manage it, Windows!

It is perfectly possible to discuss horrifying things without drawing false and deliberately provocative analogies to try to shame people who don’t immediately agree with you. And I would argue that you are more likely to come to an understanding or shared point of view with someone when you don’t do the latter.

Your comment about Koran yielding fanatics is quite offensive really. Do you have a low opinion on Muslims in general?

Are you referring to this @Stairway?

Both! Contrary to what you read, not all Saudis are Qur'an wielding fanatics. They're kind, generous, courteous and smart.

If you support (by working there you are supporting the regime) a country that allows torture, persecution and violent death you want the discussion to be carried out with no emotion in a 'sensible' non dramatic manner.

Gets further, generally. especially with the people who can actually do something about it, ie the politically influential and the actual rulers.

This needs to be discussed in a visceral manner

It's a complete turnoff. Vilifying people, assuming you know what they think as so many have on this thread, and high emotionalism rarely achieves anything good except alienating the people who presumably you're trying to persuade.

Pragmatic and well planned discussion with honesty and respect gets a lot further.

It's a complete turnoff

Yes it is very unpleasant. Talking about the torture of children is very nasty and a lot of people will find it distressing. As they should.

I'm going to convince non of the KSA apologists on this thread about anything. However, lurkers need to be made aware of the depths of depravity carried out by the regime.

Making the discussion a little chat about whether you can buy fresh milk is all to the benefit of the apologists. Mentioning the public beheading and torture of 16 year olds should make you feel ill.

The reality is death, blood and misery no matter how much of a 'turnoff' that is.

The ‘pros’ in the original post - well come and live on Scotland then! We don’t have the cons listed. We don’t have the sun but then you won’t rosk skin cancer either.

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD if there's a job paying enough, we'd surely consider it..

tbh , my day isn't complete unless I've seen a 16yo being beheaded in the early morning.

Smithecat2 what do you mean by Koran wielding fanatics? I get what you are trying to imply which is meant to be a positive thing. However many people of the Muslim faith have deeply religious beliefs and are still kind generous and smart.

@stairway, I can't decide whether you're being deliberately obtuse or taking my post innocently out of context...

And yes, I know that many people of the Muslim faith (including the many muslims I have come to know over the last 6 years, and members of my own family that are also Muslim) are kind and generous and smart. I've acknowledged that previously. What's your point,

tbh , my day isn't complete unless I've seen a 16yo being beheaded in the early morning

Hahahahahaha

Unfortunately, that's not funny for the parents and family of Abdulkarim al-Hawaj he was 21 when he was beheaded in front of a crowd of people.

Apparently, they often drug the victims before they take them out in front of the crowd to kill them. Even the guards can't face the horror of the victims fear and distress. Although, they did display the severed head and body in public by tying them to a pole

I'm sorry if this is upsetting you and it is a "complete turnoff" I imagine this poor boys family must find it a bit of a 'turnoff' as well.

Sorrry about the hyperbole - or did I just give the facts?

No, just to let you know, you didnt give the facts ;)

Lost me at 'bloody' prayer shutting down everything...

Fuck me @Windowsareforcheaters, I can’t decide whether you are wilfully obtuse or you really are that dense.

Assuming that you are including me in your ‘KSA apologist’ comment, but could you indicate anywhere at all where I have been an apologist for the Saudi regime and their actions? I don’t see where anyone else has been, either - I think this is just another example of your deliberate distraction tactics to take away from your lack of substance.

I think there's more emotion and an agenda than any real reasoning going on

I think this is just another example of your deliberate distraction tactics to take away from your lack of substance.

Lack of substance? Suggesting the KSA is a vile regime:

https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/saudi-arabia/

https://www.hrw.org/middle-east/n-africa/saudi-arabia

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/07/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-human-rights-abuses.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HumanrightssinSaudiiArabia

www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/04/commission-asks-punish-saudi-arabia-shia-executions-190427054817729.html

I apologise for my lack of substance. I provide AI, HRW, NY Times, Wiki and Aljazeera, there is a mention of a U.N. condemnation in there also other Arab countries condemning the KSA.

Ignore me if you will but these bodies all respected and all influential seem to suggest the KSA has an appalling record on HR.

No hyperbole. Just facts. I assume this is not a 'turnoff'.

Why won’t you answer my questions, Windows?

Why are you wilfully obtuse in your selective responses, Windows?

@Ruleof4
Lost me at 'bloody' prayer shutting down everything...

But you still posted, so I didn't totally lose you.

Why won’t you answer my questions, Windows?

Which question? Please indicate which post in this thread you asked a question.

This thread and the other, @Windowsareforcheaters - you know perfectly well what questions you’re dodging.

Capital or corporal punishment is primitive and barbaric in my view and it does make a difference if it's carried out in public, the method also makes a difference to the message that is sent

To just shrug and say 'death is death... well that's a very self-serving responses isnt it, as it's saying that you don't mind because it acts as a good deterrent

And as for the response to the question 'have you been to chop chop Square'
not my sort of thing??

We're not talking about what ice-cream flavour you like are we