As at now, Saudi Arabia might be the only ally the UK has in the Middle East. The UK and other Western nations want ISIS defeated but since they aren't willing to send either arms or soldiers to battle the savages an ally is needed who can arm those fighting ISIS or even get directly involved when necessity demands [and Saudi Arabia happens to be that ally]. If the UK had to choose between Iran and Saudi Arabia who would they choose? That's why the UK won't jeopardize it's relationship with Saudi Arabia.
I think the back scrarhing between the two countries is mutual, and while if Cameron does get involved in this case, I don't think it will have much of a baring on the friendship between the two countries. Probably even less so now that Russia and the US are getting more and more involved again with the middle east.
The hypocrisy of the Saudi Arabians is galling. When the upper crust party and drink all night long they turn a blind to all that. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...urn-blind-eye-karl-andree-saudi-a6699406.html So apparently it's foreigners and the Saudis who aren't all that rich who must obey the [sharia] laws?
The best advice would be to avoid Saudi Arabia altogether. If you do have to travel there, don't stay long enough to get in trouble. However, with all the money to be made in the Kingdom, it might be tempting for some to move there.
My brother worked for 3 months in Dubai as an IT technician in Burj Khalifa. He told me that if you had the right amount of money, you were able to buy whatever you needed: from crystal meth to guns and stolen gold bars. It's easy to make money there on the black market, but only if you are well connected. Otherwise, the mobs there, who "work" with the police forces, will make you go to prison as easy/fast as you'd say ABC. He will never go there again and me neither, although the flights are extremely cheap here.
One rule for some, another for the others. If there was ever a time to use the saying "money talks", it's when talking about Saudi Arabia it seems.
I think some here on the far left who complain about how mistreated certain special interests are here and how we should be more "tolerant" and "accomodating" of radical islams here in the US should spend some time in Saudi and other ME countries.
The Saudi's are not even being reasonable. I mean in the interest of compromise can't 10 lashes do it? That man must have been a total idiot for bringing in the alcohol, but whatever, as I have said before possessing alcohol should not be a death sentence. For once, the US is keeping their nose out of it though, so that is a step in the right direction as far as I am concerned.
Sadly he knew the law and broke it. He wasn't a dumb uninformed teenager or youth who didn't know any better but an expat adult who knew the consequences. The problem is that people do get away with these things all the time and chance it. Here, he got caught out and it really isn't worth the risk. I have a friend who works in Saudi and everything is strictly governed. Drinking in western hotels is the only place you can legally do it, as far as I know so while people live as expats there (for tax reasons) you give up your freedoms. You can't have everything. Maybe they can reduce the lashings on medical grounds, but homemade wine shows intent too and that he must have been doing if for a while.
