Saudi Arabia expels Canadian ambassador for urging release of activists

[suffolkowner]

Well the Bison and TLAV fleets are supposed to be replaced through SSE so that's about 500 vehicles, although I'm sure there's some redundancy in the LAV6, Bison and TLAV fleets.

Could the CF under any reasonable scenario/requirement absorb much of the contracted production run (variously reported as 900+ to 1000+ chassis)?

Well the Bison and TLAV fleets are supposed to be replaced through SSE so that's about 500 vehicles, although I'm sure there's some redundancy in the LAV6, Bison and TLAV fleets.

 

[Remius]

Yes, the OHCHR initially makes the same comment and the Saudis . . .

Order the OHCHR Ambassador to . . .  oh, there isn't one;
Cancel all scholarships for Saudi students at OHCHR universities and order subsidized Saudi students home . . . oh, the OHCHR doesn't have any schools;
Sell any stocks in OHCHR companies . . . oh . . .

Hard to take action against an organization that doesn't even have a representative in the country who can be symbolically thrown out.
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/Pages/WorkInField.aspx

The Saudis have an ambassador at the UN...they didn’t pull him

 

[daftandbarmy]

My personal opinion is we should completely cut ties with them because I think they are a dirty, backwards, despotic little country that is presently being propped up by their oil revenue. With this in mind though, we also need to stop buying their oil. 

For a minute there I thought you were talking about Russia, or Venezuela, or...

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

For a minute there I thought you were talking about Russia, or Venezuela, or...

You can include Venezuela as well.  Maduro deserves a JDAM up his rear.

 

[Good2Golf]

The Saudis could have thrown themselves out of their own country, had this been a few years ago when KSA was Chair of the UN’s Human Rights Panel...

/ironic sarcasm

 

[Ashkan08]

Canada criticizes Saudi Arabia again for the imprisonment of another female activist. I wonder what's going to happen this time.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-canada-criticizes-saudi-arabia-over-another-jailed-female-activist/

 

[CBH99]

At least we don't have to walk on eggshells, hoping they won't overreact...

Since they already responded in the extreme (I personally think a twitter jab is worthy of a return twitter jab, since apparently international diplomacy is now handled with the same professionalism as pre-teens) -- makes it easier for Canada to voice it's concern & pound on the drums when there's nothing really left to lose in regards to that specific relationship. 

 

[Ashkan08]

I just hope Canada also criticizes Saudi Arabia for more urgent matters such as the Saudi led coalition in Yemen.

 

[Lumber]

I just hope Canada also criticizes Saudi Arabia for more urgent matters such as the Saudi led coalition in Yemen.

Why? How's their intervention any different then our interventions in Afghanistan or Iraq?

 

[SeaKingTacco]

I just hope Canada also criticizes Saudi Arabia for more urgent matters such as the Saudi led coalition in Yemen.

From a Saudi perspective, it is entirely logical for them to prevent an Iranian lodgement on the Arabian Peninsula.

I'm not sure a Canadain judgement in the matter even registers...

 

[daftandbarmy]

Why? How's their intervention any different then our interventions in Afghanistan or Iraq?

It's very different... and more urgent. The threat is right on their borders, and internal to their country, and growing.

 

[Ashkan08]

Why? How's their intervention any different then our interventions in Afghanistan or Iraq?

While Canada did intervene in those conflicts, we surely didn't target school buses and hospitals unlike the Saudi led coalition.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-saudi-un/u-n-blacklists-saudi-led-coalition-for-killing-children-in-yemen-idUSKBN1CA2NI

 

[Good2Golf]

While Canada did intervene in those conflicts, we surely didn't target school buses and hospitals unlike the Saudi led coalition.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-saudi-un/u-n-blacklists-saudi-led-coalition-for-killing-children-in-yemen-idUSKBN1CA2NI

Well, not intentionally (allegedly) hitting civilians in Iraq...

G2G

 

[Xylric]

Since Saudi Arabia is not a signatory on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, it seems to me that as far as they are concerned, they're not doing anything wrong.

As even North Korea is party to that agreement, I think it's fair to say that there's a certain delusional quality to such thinking, and that all condemning of human rights abuses are simply going to be viewed like calling the cops on a party that is technically obeying noise statutes.

Or in other words, Saudi Arabia is complaining about demands to play by rules they never agreed to follow.

 

[Retired AF Guy]

Since Saudi Arabia is not a signatory on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, it seems to me that as far as they are concerned, they're not doing anything wrong.

But it is a signatory of the United Nations Convention against Torture; Arab Charter on Human Rights;  and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

 

[a_majoor]

Leagalistic appeals to who signed what piece of paper are not likely to get you too far if the party in question is determined to achieve their goals. You might have noticed China's actions in the South China Sea or Russia's territorial grabs are also in violation of various International agreements, but the rulers of China and Russia have calculated that they have far more to gain than to lose by doing so.

IS Hans Blix going to threaten them with a sternly worded letter? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIPSvIz9NDs

 

[Remius]

This is interesting.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/uottawa-saudi-students-leave-extension-1.4796226

Maybe they were bluffing?  Maybe some backroom diplomacy is taking place?  Maybe they have no alternative for those students?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

If the Houthi would relinquish the port and city in exchange for relief supplies supervised by the UN for the civilian population, then the suffering could be reduced. Funny how only one side gets the blame. Both seem willing to fight to the last person standing.

 

[Ashkan08]

If the Houthi would relinquish the port and city in exchange for relief supplies supervised by the UN for the civilian population, then the suffering could be reduced. Funny how only one side gets the blame. Both seem willing to fight to the last person standing.

They seem to be indicating that it's a possibility.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-diplomacy/yemens-houthis-indicate-willingness-to-hand-over-port-to-u-n-sources-idUSKBN1JI02Z

 

[Journeyman]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/uottawa-saudi-students-leave-extension-1.4796226

Maybe they were bluffing?  Maybe some backroom diplomacy is taking place?  Maybe they have no alternative for those students?

Maybe they knew that the initial pronouncements would get them all kinds of attention, knowing that this less hand-wringing follow-on action would garner only one or two lines on page 3.

It meets their aim of telling the world to piss off regarding domestic Saudi affairs, using an inconsequential target - Canada, while not disrupting the stream of medical/engineering graduates coming home -- or LAVs.  The costs incurred?  Possibly some very minor trade deals from their perspective (time will show if there's any effective  changes), and anxiety for some students.... and likely their landlords.