Woke up in a good mood – slept for a respectable eight hours, not the excessive twenty hour respites of the past few days. The weather is typically fantastic, sunny and cool, perhaps too cool for a swim but the pool is heated. My second jab was clearly successful – the excessive exhaustion was a side effect and having a reaction is good as it shows it worked (in non scientific language). So feeling most hopeful about the future as restrictions will be relaxed and travel is possible. But then along came this New York Times Opinion written by Nicholas Kristof entitled President Biden Lets a Saudi Murderer Walk.’. The United States government publicly identified Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia as the murderer of an American resident, and then President Biden choked.Instead of imposing sanctions on M.B.S., Biden appears ready to let the murderer walk. The weak message to other thuggish dictators considering such a murder is: Please don’t do it, but we’ll still work with you if we have to. The message to Saudi Arabia is: Go ahead and elevate M.B.S. to be the country’s next king if you must. All this is a betrayal of my friend Jamal Khashoggi and of his values and ours. But even through the lens of realpolitik it’s a missed opportunity to help Saudi Arabia understand that its own interest lies in finding a new crown prince who isn’t reckless and doesn’t kill and dismember journalists. What should Biden have done? As a matter of consistency he should have imposed the same sanctions on M.B.S., including asset freezes and travel bans, that the United States imposed in 2018 on lower-level figures who carried out the murder of Khashoggi. These sanctions should also apply to the stooges and front companies that M.B.S. has used to accumulate assets around the world.”
The article continued, with support from UN officials: “The key message that should be sent not only to M.B.S., and others in the Saudi Court and government, but also to other would-be killers of journalists around the world, is that there is a heavy price to pay for such crimes and nowhere to hide,” Agnes Callamard, who as a United Nations official investigated Jamal’s killing, told me. The United States should also have suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia. United States law bars military assistance to security units involved in gross human rights abuses, and that is true of security forced under M.B.S who also serves as defence minister.”
Nicholas Kristof applies reason, rationality and a sense of history to arrive at this:
“M.B.S. is the sixth crown prince Saudi Arabia has had over the last decade, and only one of them (King Salman) rose to become king. Two died, and two were deposed. If it becomes clear that Saudi Arabia will not have a workable relationship with the West if M.B.S. becomes king, perhaps we’ll see a seventh crown prince. That’s not the U.S. dictating to Saudi Arabia, but pointing out reality.”
It is reasoned, lucid, and rather impassioned opinion piece. But it does beg some questions. Why is the UN not taking any action. It is that body that should be taking steps to be sure that ‘there is a heavy price to pay for such crimes and no where to hide.” There was expectation that the Ruler of Dubai would suffer some repercussions for the abduction and kidnapping of his to daughters but nothing has been forthcoming despite the recent reports that Princes Latifa is most likely dead following her protracted imprisonment. So two murderers not only survive, but thrive, in the Middle East. I have a keen sense of justice that is offended but it is more than just that. The Qur’an promises that Good and Evil are not equal – that Good will be victorious over evil. It does, however, seem to be taking a long time, as all how know me are aware – patience is not one of my virtues.
Slowly I began to cheer myself up. Someone said recently.
She: You always seem to be so happy and cheerful!
Me: Thanks! But there is no bitter without sweet, no joy without sorrow so I do experience moments of sorrow. But I do have the ability to cheer myself up.
How I cheered myself up from this funk shall be revealed. This from a recent text from Qatar. Tester: You are famous in Qatar. Do you know that? Come to Qatar please!
Me: I want to go to Mecca not Qatar when this is all over and I can travel.
A long conversation concerning several matters ensured. Then came this statement from me.
Me: I am not altogether stupid! I do realize that Saudi Arabia which contains Mecca is only about 25 miles from Qatar. You have a very smart Granny but it is Mecca I love and desire, not Qatar. All praise to Allah!
So knowledge of that past conversation cheered me up. Then this knowledge and my extremely playful plan. There is such Evil in the Middle East as exemplified by the Ruler of Dubai and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia but there is also such GOOd as exemplified by the Emir of Qatar who is a peace maker and also extends the wealth of Qatar to other countries to aid in their development, for example a runway in Africa was on his list of outreach. I have an idea for him which would help world peace but would require him to expand to North America. As we all know Biden has enormous pressures stemming from all of the people massed on the border between Mexico and the USA – all wanting to come and live in the USA but, for many reasons this is not entirely feasible. Now what these people do not realize is that they should be going to Canada to live. Canada has an extremely flexible immigration policy – welcoming people from Mexico, I met many when living in Vancouver. Canada needs immigrants as it is under populated – listened to that fact on a podcast and reported it on an earlier blog but it is too difficult to find at this present moment. But it is a fact.
So these people amassed at the border should go to Canada. This is how the Emir could serve. He could pay for passage for them to come on Freedom Trains to Canada. He would not have to build a railroad line as one already exists. Then upon arrival in Canada some plan for temporary housing and then dispersing the people throughout the land. Everyone would be happy. Prime Minister Trudeau is merely ineffective, not Evil, so could not come up with this plan on his own. Nor could he, in any way, guarantee the financing of the plan as he is in a struggle to save his own skin. The population of both Canada and the United States would admire the Emir for his generosity and bringing peace. Biden would be off the hook and possibly be able to work on other agendas (for example, sanctioning the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia).
As all can see I am a problem solver – it is a trait that I have over employed. Wise Man says that given a situation, rather than rushing in where fools fear to tread, should say;
He: Rather than solving the problem you should be saying: ‘How do you think we could resolve this problem between us?
Me: Okay I will try that.
He: Then if he comes up with a solution which you find unacceptable, the you say: I guess that might work but what about this for an idea?
Me: OK that make sense. I am not stuck with a bad course of action and just maybe he might have a good plan.
He: That is it!
So I did try that, with Adam Temple, as I recall. It worked, he had a good idea and a workable one it seemed. But the relationship did not work out in the long run, but I am now convinced that not working out was the best thing for me. I cannot attempt that in this instance as I am not on speaking terms with either the Emir of Qatar or M.B.S. – so I am forced to reveal the rather playful plan on my blog.
My cheerful mood was the accentuated by listening to a podcast – The New York Times Book Review which featured Lauren Oyler’s first book – fiction featuring a woman who is a blogger. The book speaks of deception online. Must get the book and read it or again, write my own.
Back to a good mood. The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is NOT going to get to me – in more than one way. (Hahahaha) An entirely brave act of the Emir of Qatar was not to flinch with M.B.S. welcomed him to his country for the signing of the agreement which lifted the boycott wrongly imposed upon Qatar with a HUGE HUG. I would not have to worry about that – if I ever get to Saudi Arabia, I would NOT be welcomed with a hug from M.B.S. Hahahaha
The photograph is my desk which languished in storage for six and a half years. It wraps up into a trunk, is a perfect room divider in my small apartment. I have begun to unpack it and am coming up with forgotten treasures. One is a cute ‘thank you’ note fashioned from a photo taken of a baby in a tux. The baby is my former grandson and the tux was my present to him upon his birth. He grew up, no one could recognizes him from the photograph so his anonymity is protected.
