Saudi Press Roundup

Oil price and global conflicts

A number of flashpoints in the world including Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen and Ukraine have contributed to the current fluctuations in oil prices. The United States and its allies want to punish Russia for its occupation of Crimea and its opposition to UwS policies in the Middle East. These conflicts may lead to a Russian-NATO war and subsequently shoot up oil prices once again.
The current plunge in oil prices was the result of a US move to teach Russia a lesson by imposing economic embargo and to safeguard US dollar as a strategic currency being used for oil sales. China is the major beneficiary of the price crash as it can now purchase oil paying 50 percent less than what it used to pay a few months ago. This will really boost the Chinese economy.
The economy of Iran, which has been trying to impose its hegemony in the region, will also suffer. At the same time, the US will not be in a safe zone as the ongoing economic war could lead to another financial crisis. It may result in the collapse of currencies pegged to the US dollar and this would change the monetary map of the world and lead to the disappearance of some currencies.
US electricity companies are set to make losses as banks have stopped giving them loans fearing they would not be able to pay back. Last Friday’s statement by the International Energy Agency that the demand for energy would decline in 2015 caused losses of $1 trillion in the international and Gulf markets.
Saudi Arabia, being the largest oil exporter, is indirectly involved in the conflict as it opposes Iranian and Russian interference in Iraq and Syria. The Kingdom’s budget will be affected as a result of decline in oil price. But as a stated by the Saudi finance minister, it would use its huge reserves to offset the budget. It seems that 2015 is likely to witness major political and economic changes around the world.
— By Sami Saeed Habeeb

US-Cuba rapprochement

The US has resumed its relations with Cuba after a break of 50 years opening a new chapter in ties with its Cold War foe. But the history will not say that this rapprochement was a success for Obama as the conflict between the two countries was meaningless in the first place.
See some of the pictures from the White House prior to the announcement of this important development. US National Security Adviser Susan Rice was seen warmly embracing Ricardo Zuniga, adviser on Latin America while Obama was seen talking to the Cuban president prior to making a statement on the resumption of bilateral relations.
Through their body language, the Obama team has shown to the world that US-Cuba relations are highly significant for them. But I would like to ask is it that significant?
Actually, Cuba does not represent any threat to US security. Since the downfall of the Soviet Union, the conflict with Cuba has been a bone of contention during American election campaigns.
Cuba does not pose any threat either to American or global security like Iran or the so-called Islamic State terrorist group. We have seen the threat posed by North Korea whose hackers broke into the website of a major Hollywood film company, threatening the US cinema industry. Its impact was more than that of 9/11 terrorist attack. A comedy film that mocked the president of that country was the provocation. The US administration had to stop that film. It was the launch of first-world war on the virtual world and the world of technology.
When we review the scenes from the White House, we come across with a president who won the Nobel Peace Prize during the initial days of his presidency without achieving anything. He was the first black president in the White House. He is going to end his second term without achieving anything marvelous. He called back US forces from Iraq abruptly and now sending them back to that country. He also decided to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan but later changed his mind and wanted to keep a good number of them in the country.
Obama did not make any substantial progress on Arab-Israeli conflict and failed to reach an agreement with Iran. During his tenure, Bashar Assad’s regime killed more than 200,000 Syrians and the conflict rendered nearly nine million others homeless. His term also witnessed the appearance of the ISIS and a surge in militancy in the Muslim world.
— By Tariq Alhumayed

Respecting difference of opinion

When Galileo proved that the earth is moving around the sun in 1611 using his telescope, the Church stood against him and the courts condemned him as an infidel. His only mistake was that he discovered something that was opposite to what was mentioned in their holy book. He was jailed for years until he lost his sight and died. But later, Galileo was recognized as a great scientist.
The religious edict issued by Al-Ghamdi, saying Muslim women are allowed to show their faces, reminded me of Galileo. His edict (fatwa) naturally raised a big hue and cry in a society that is immersed in its customs and traditions. Many people opposed him through lectures or columns or through the social media.
Some people requested Al-Ghamdi to withdraw his statement while some others abused him by calling him despicable names. In my opinion it would have been better if we had respected his views. Since its formation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has respected freedom of opinion.
Why some people want to file a lawsuit against Al-Ghamdi for expressing his opinion? Some people may say that his opinion touches our religion and customs. At the same time, we people should think that there are differences of opinion among Islamic scholars on whether women should cover their faces or not. They should also know that many families in Saudi Arabia do not ask their women to cover their faces when they go out.
I am wondering what will be the plaintiff’s charge against the defendant. Are they going to try him for allowing his wife to show her face in a television interview? I am sure the judge would not accept this argument and the case would fail.
— By Saud Al-Fowzan

Throwing women out of homes

Some people throw their women out of homes following certain disputes without considering any value to years of married life or the future of their children. Such women face big shock, as they have to depend on others for a living.
Most women are thrown out of their homes when they refuse to accept the unreasonable demands of their husbands. This goes against the teachings of the Qur’an that do not allow men to send out their wives even after the first and second divorces as they are supposed to keep their wives at home so that it could change their mind and encourage the two to reconcile to lead a normal life.
Unfortunately many people fail to show kindness toward their wives and they do not feel anything wrong when they kick their women out of their homes to pacify their anger. Rotana television recently exposed the story of a woman named Zainab in Makkah who was staying out of her house for several months.
She refused to stay in a home for the elderly and insisted her right to come back to her home. We don’t know why she was sent out of her home but authorities should intervene to protect such women and ensure justice for them.
— By Moudy Al-Zahrani

Leading the change

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry and some municipalities are making courageous moves to improve the performance of local consumer market, which had lost the confidence of consumers. The ministry has taken action against supermarkets and stores that publish fake discount campaigns in order to attract and cheat the public. During the past several years, traders were doing whatever they wanted without giving any consideration to the rules and regulations.
In recent months, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry made a number of welcoming moves to strengthen its control on the market and restore the prestige of law. The move was instrumental in restricting the greed of traders to make huge profits. As a result it was quite natural that the ministry came under pressure to change its ways and its officials could be lured offering bribes.
I would like to congratulate the ministry and its officials for their good work and advise them not to back down from their stand as a result of false criticisms and meaningless opposition. On the other hand, they should stand firm in their opinion and that is what the public demands from them.
The ministry need not punish all. If it takes action against the big shots it would give a strong message to other players in the market. When the ministry is able to take control of the market, traders will start following the law without fail. At the same time, the ministry should be vigilant as the traders could adopt new methods and techniques to circumvent the rules and regulations.
— By Hanan Al-Marahbi

Declaration of Palestinian state

The Palestinian draft resolution that was presented at the UN Security Council last Wednesday reflected the Palestinians’ determination to resolve their 70-year-old issue independently. Palestinian leaders were successful in taking a big step to success. But the US has threatened to veto the resolution, as it would not approve a resolution rejected by Israel.
The Palestinian resolution was based on the previous UN Security Council resolutions and laid emphasis on the need for an Israeli withdrawal to 1967 borders and return of refugees and Jerusalem. Former US President George Bush Jr. had pledged that 2005 would be the date for the establishment of a Palestine state.
Washington and Tel Aviv may succeed in failing the Palestinian resolution using their muscle power. But this might encourage other countries to recognize the Palestinian state independently without waiting for a Security Council resolution, and the Palestinians should give priority to this strategy.

— By Mutlaq bin Saud Al-Motairy