US Needs Saudi Arabia to Control Oil Price
Last week Saudi authorities announced the execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir Al Nimr, 3 Shia activists and over 40 other convicts on charges of causing sectarian strife and disobeying the countries ruler.
The execution of prominent Shia cleric, who was an outspoken critil of the Saudi autocratic regime, has infuriated the Shia community.
Protesters from all around the world have been marching in condemnation of provocative move.
Rights groups say Nimr was arrested and put to death for free expression of his views and criticizing Riyadh.
The cleric peacefully demanded reforms in Saudi Arabia’s political system.
Saudi Arabia had been repeatedly warned not to carry out the death sentence against the cleric.
Amnesty International had called the death sentence against Sheikh Nimr "appalling”, saying it must be quashed.
Observers believe Riyadh executed him because it is too repressive and intolerant of demands for reforms.
Now the kingdom is bracing for the backlash both at home and abroad. The execution could even fuel the uprising that began in Saudi Arabia in 2001.
The bloody Saudi war on neighboring Yemen has also drawn condemnation from rights groups. Observers say Riyadh will continue its outrageous behavior as long as it does not come under pressure.
Following the sad event, Dr. Colin Cavell, author and lecturer of political science at Bluefield State College in Bluefield, West Virginia, was asked about his views on the relations between the US and the Saudi regime and the role of the House of Saud in violating human rights when it comes to the Shia community in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Bahrain, and some parts of the globe.
The expert also touched on the fact that the US has been backing Saudi Arabia despite its massive human rights violations.
The following is a rough transcription of what the political analyst said on the issue.
I think that the Saudis believe that by eliminating the opposition will manage to quiet down any type of threats to the continued rule of Saudi Arabia. However, on the contrary, this is only magnifying how reactionary and anti-democratic the House of Saud is, how it is the source of the most of the killings going on in Syria, Iraq and the region by supporting ISIS (ISIL).
These absolute criminals have to be opposed. Was it done with the help or complicity of the US? We have to call out the US representatives and senators who support the House of Saud. People who sold democracy down the river long ago need to be condemned as well.
Without the House of Saud we Americans would have expensive oil and gas resources. US Politicians believe that they need the House of Saud to control not only Saudi Arabia as well as the other Gulf monarchs, but also oil supply and price from all over the Arabian Peninsula.
These decisions of State benefited a certain class within the US and that class would rather deal with one family rather than a democratic parliament or assembly in Saudi Arabia.
