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Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by Cyph0n on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @02:33PM (#20167810)
Weapons sanctions are guaranteed way to hit the Gulf monarchies hard. They are extremely dependent on US tech as far as I know.
Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by maxxxxx on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @02:49PM (#20167965)
The russians would be very happy to help probably.
Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by ergothus on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @03:22PM (#20168304)
True. And? While I understand the need for a level of competitive relationships, would it be so terrible to put the burden of selling arms to gross human rights violators on other countries?

Of course, it COULD be bad. Real bad. Hand-waving away such concerns is irresponsible. Having a major oil source friendly to an often hostile nation could have real, even deadly drawbacks.

But so too does always turning a blind eye. If we had gotten into this relationship and worked to reduce the threat (such as investing in other energy sources) we'd be in a better position, we could be at a point to change the relationship at reduced risk. We didn't, and we need to face the concrete realities we're supporting out of fear of hypotheticals.

Because now we may be safer, but we're supporting what we proclaim to be against. When we wield moral superiority, it's undercut. When we tell our children to be patriotic, we know the legacy we're leaving them.

Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by noir_lord on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @03:14PM (#20168245)
No probably about it.

Since the start of the cold war middle eastern states have balanced/played off against each other between the US (and the west) and Russia (previously USSR) when it comes to weapons and lots of other things.

I mean the Egyptians had soviet supplied fighters flown by actual soviet pilots fighting against the Isreali's in American and French supplied air craft.[1]

The US sold Israel better fighters, the soviets sold their potential enemies better SAM's.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Rimon_20

Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by Cyph0n on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @03:10PM (#20168211)
Definitely, but the migration and retraining costs are non-trivial, not to mention that US tech is far superior in general.
Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by justaaron on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @03:40PM (#20168486)
There are also plenty of thieves in the world. Must we all become one "in order to remain competitive"?
Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by darkpuma on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @06:46PM (#20170128)
Would the Yemeni rather fight Saudis armed with American weapons, or Saudis armed with Russian weapons?
Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by sampo on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @02:43PM (#20167907)
You just need to estimate to level of sanctions so that the monarchy will still be able to stay in power, without risking an Islamic revolution.
Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by lostlogin on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @02:53PM (#20168032)
What would an Islamist revolution risk for those that aren’t rulers in SA? Other Islamists regimes have done less harm than SA.
Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by justforyou on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @03:05PM (#20168163)
What's the net benefit of continuing to support the monarchy which exported wahhabism to the rest of the middle east?
Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by beagle3 on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @02:51PM (#20168002)
You forgot the /s

Or Are you not aware that the monarchy is already Islamic, of the kind least tolerant towards personal freedoms?

Re:Saudi Arabia tracks runaway women by cellphone IMEI by lostlogin on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @02:50PM (#20167982)
The decision to let the arms keep flowing and to let SA to get away with a particularly vicious murder appeared to be made on camera by Trump during the Khashoggi saga. The episode was very depressing to watch. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/10/trumps-not-gonna-let...