Defense stocks rallied after Pres. Trump signed a $350 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia which was the “biggest single arms deal” in US’ history.
The State Department’s Human Rights Report made no secret of Saudi Arabia’s numerous human rights abuses, saying, “The most important human rights problems reported included citizens’ lack of the ability and legal means to choose their government; restrictions on universal rights, such as freedom of expression, including on the internet, and the freedoms of assembly, association, movement, and religion; and pervasive gender discrimination and lack of equal rights that affected most aspects of women’s lives.”
The State Department report also mentioned the Saudi-led coalition to defeat the Houthi rebels in Yemen, whose airstrikes have “resulted in civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure on multiple occasions.”
- While 119 countries have banned the sale and use of cluster bombs, the US (the largest merchant of death on the planet) continues its sale to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia and Iran are fighting a proxy war in Yemen and US cluster bombs are being used on their civilians.
- Saudi Arabia is in the top five major human rights violators worldwide including the indiscriminate use of the death penalty. Saudi Arabia executed over 157 last year including 47 in one day of which 72% were for non-violent crimes, in violation of International Human Rights Law.
- Atheism is a considered a terrorist offense. There are over 60 synagogues in Iran, that “axis of evil state”. There are no synagogues in Saudi Arabia. There are no churches either. Non-Muslim public worship of any kind is forbidden by law.
- People who are known to be Jewish or to have visited Israel (i.e. with Israeli stamps in their passport) are only allowed into Saudi Arabia if they have a pressing and documented political or financial reason to be there.
- Women cannot drive – cannot leave the home without a male guardian known as a Mayram. They are refused access to swimming pools and most workplaces have separate entrances for them. A Saudi woman was even flogged for checking her husband’s phone without his permission. The testimony of one man is equal to that of two women in court. Of 137 countries they ranked the 127th as most sexist.
- Saudi Arabia blocked the UN from inquiring about their war crimes. Amnesty argued the US, and the UK should stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia because they are funding war crimes.
- The Saudi-led coalition has imposed a blockade on Yemen since they began their military campaign two years ago – at times rerouting ships on their way to Yemen’s main port. They have impeded, delayed and restricted the entry and movement of humanitarian aid. Yemen imports 90% of its food. Large parts of Yemen are on the brink of famine, and 21 million people need food assistance while 2.2 million people have had to abandon their homes.
Even though the USA is only 5% of the world’s population we sell 50% of the world’s arms. We cannot fix our roads. The water in Flint is undrinkable. Our airports are 30 years old. Yet 55% of all our federal discretionary spending is for our military – better weapons and improved killing.
Is it no wonder that we need to keep selling death to keep our military-industrial complex busy? Saudi defense spending already is the world’s third highest after the U.S. and China. Their foreign exchange reserves have fallen 30% in 3 years and their budget deficits are 13% of GDP since oil is 90% of their only evaporating income.
They mortgaged their future paying for weapons that they do not need. The young uneducated unemployed Saudis – with no jobs in a country with no industry will become frustrated, restless, and attentive to the very extremism that Trump has just admonished them to shun. Remember, 15 of the 19 attackers that flew planes into the World Trade Centre on Sept 11 were Saudi citizens, they were not Iranians or Iraqis or Afghani’s? They are expecting President Trump to repeal the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, which has led more than 800 families to file suit in New York against Saudi Arabia.
So what are we as Christians to do?
It does not matter if you are Republican, Liberal or Democrat. This system is not changing. I urge you to look at your King who stood before two Roman governors and said John 18v36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight and campaign and vote and all the rest … But now my kingdom is from another place.”
- Democracy is Satan’s method of inviting you to share in his running this country. He is the god of this world and the governments in power rule under his sway. 2 Cor 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe.
- Why would you have any part in arming the enemies of Israel – and those sworn to annihilate the children of Abraham?
- The Bible is very clear. You have to pay taxes, that belongs to Ceasar. You are not required to cast your vote for a Ceasar who has blood on his/her hands….. Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that are not partakers/complicit in her sins, and that you do not receive her plagues.
- What will you say to your King when He asks you to account for what was done in your name? If you voted – you are an accomplice in this wickedness…