Saudi Says Foreigners Can Carry Guns!!

H

hankrearden2000

New member
If only politicians in Wisconsin, Kansas, Illinois, California, New Jersey, New York, New Jersey, and Nebraska were as enlightened.

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentS...ireFeed/WireFeed&c=WireFeed&cid=1088083188529



Saudi says foreigners can carry guns
By Heba Kandil
(Reuters) - June 24 2004 20:57


RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will allow foreigners who feel threatened by the wave of militant violence in the kingdom to carry guns for their protection, Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz says.

Al Qaeda supporters have waged a year-long campaign of violence targeting Westerners, government sites and oil workers in the kingdom, prompting some foreigners to flee the country which is the world's biggest oil exporter.

"In principle a Saudi has the right to carry a weapon, if he has a permit. Likewise a foreign resident, if he felt in danger he could get a permit to carry a weapon," Nayef was quoted as saying by the official Saudi Press Agency on Thursday.

"I mean a personal weapon which a person can have in his own country," the prince said.

In one of the bloodiest attacks against foreigners, militants masquerading as security men killed 22 civilians in a May shooting and hostage-taking spree in the oil city of Khobar.

The U.S. embassy said on Thursday at least one American had recently ignored a Saudi police checkpoint after media reports that al Qaeda militants who kidnapped and beheaded U.S. engineer Paul Johnson may have been disguised in police gear.

"Notwithstanding this, the U.S. embassy cautions private American citizens that it is dangerous to ignore Saudi police instructions to stop at police checkpoints or not to pull over when signalled to do so," an advisory said.

"Such actions are not only dangerous but may lead to detention by Saudi authorities," the embassy said.

It also reiterated a call on some 35,000 Americans in the kingdom to be alert to anything unusual and report it.

Saudi authorities say militants often copy military costumes and paint cars in police colours.

A Western diplomat said claims by al Qaeda that it set up a fake checkpoint to abduct Johnson were being taking seriously.

On Friday, security forces killed al Qaeda's leader in Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz al-Muqrin, hours after Johnson was beheaded.

Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network has vowed to continue its campaign to drive foreigners from the birthplace of Islam and topple its royal rulers.

One Saudi-based Western diplomat said he had not heard of any measures which would allow foreigners to carry weapons. "I would worry that with more people going around with guns more accidents would happen," he said.

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday that al Qaeda militants not directly involved in recent killings and bombings would be treated "according to God's law" if they surrendered in the next month.

Saudi officials have repeatedly said Islamic sharia law allows leniency for those who turn themselves in.

Saudi sources said Wednesday's announcement was aimed at mid-ranking and junior al Qaeda supporters, not leaders with blood on their hands.
 
One Saudi-based Western diplomat said he had not heard of any measures which would allow foreigners to carry weapons. "I would worry that with more people going around with guns more accidents would happen," he said.
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What kind of "accidents?" People 'accidentally' keeping themselves from being beheaded?

Jeezo-pete, the inane passivity of some people just amazes me. How does this dolt muster the courage to peek out from under the covers every morning?
 
Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia is only saying this because they depend so much on foreign speciallists. The Americans in SA seem to be very highly trained workers, and loosing them means loosing the ability to pump, ship or track crude oil.
I'm sure the easy of getting a permit has a lot to do with the difficulty of replacing you.
 
The Saudi government doesn't value the individuals. They want the foreign parts of the money making apparatus to feel more secure and stay. It has nothing to do with the security and safety of the individual. If and when they see the current danger as being over, they will reverse this.
They are simply in a bind. They have a lucrative natural resourse that they cannot exploit on their own. They need foreign specialists who are loyal to their money. They have not developped much internal expertise and if they did so, they would face the prospect of internal revolt by fellow muslims.

The US government will not value individuals or the general population as much because of one simple fact - where would we go? The Saudi government has foreign specialists. While they are loyal to money, when they see the threat to their lives as being too great they go home. Where does an office worker in Chicago go?

Remember we have Human Resources. As long as you can replenish your resource you don't need to worry.
 
Jeezo-pete, the inane passivity of some people just amazes me. How does this dolt muster the courage to peek out from under the covers every morning?
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Because he is behind a high wall, guarded by Marines. A luxury not afforded to those in the real world.
 
Tamara, he's just a feckless cookie-pusher. Some limp-wristed dolt who grew up in some gated community on the East Coast who now lives in another gated community. :D

Wonder if we can persuade such kingdoms as California, New York or Illinois to allow visiting foreigners from far off lands such as Indiana to allow visitors to carry weapons especially if we have 20 times the training of their police forces. :D
 
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