Friday 6 June 2008

Off With Their Heads!!!

'...I heard the Queen say only yesterday you deserved to be beheaded!' 'What for?' said the one who had spoken first. `That's none of your business, Two!' said Seven. `Yes, it is his business!' said Five, `and I'll tell him--it was for bringing the cook tulip-roots instead of onions.'
- Alice in Wonderland

Read recently that the Saudis are back to their favourite pastime, beheading Nigerians accused of smuggling drugs into their country. A Nigerian Embassy official's response? To paraphrase, they were warned of the risks beforehand so...chop!

And then...silence?

No cries from the US about al qaeda involvement and threats to spread democracy to the region? No British condemnation and insistence that the Saudi State be barred from being represented at those international galas that mean soooo much? No splatters of ink in voluminous never-to-be-read tomes and the obligatory filibusting within the hallowed halls of the UN that goes on till we all forget why we were so outraged in the first place?
Silence??

To be honest, personally I believe rules are rules. So if the rules say you lose your head if you are caught with drugs and you don't happen to have a spare head lying around, then don't bring drugs into Saudi Arabia. Take it to other nations who are more accommodating. The Saudis have identified a problem, and have come up with a solution they are happy with so fair play to them.
And I concede that it's not America's job to lobby for amnesty for Nigerian nationals who have run foul of foreign laws. That's our Government's responsibility. But if you turn a blind eye to this, don't come nagging and preaching when we apply our own 'home grown' remedies to our own problems. Just don't.

I wonder how the international community will react if the Nigerian Police ever catch a British or US citizen doing an armed robbery. Last time I checked, we still shoot convicted armed robbers.

Viva democracy!!!
Jan 12, 2008

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