oaf@mit-vax.UUCP (Oded Feingold) (10/25/85)
> Ken, surely you are aware that Saudi Arabia, the traditional center of > Arabic and Islamic culture, has long been one of America's strongest > allies. During the most dangerous periods in recent history, the > Saudis were a moderating force! > [Michael Ellis] ------------------------------ 1. "The traditional center of Arabic and Islamic culture" is NOT Saudi Arabia. Until Tamerlane sacked it (1451?) it was Baghdad in the east, Cairo in the middle, some combination of North African and Spanish cities in the west. During the Ottoman heydey it was Constantinople (later Istanbul). In the 20th century it has been Cairo, until quite recently. Maybe with enough Soviet weapons and enough secret police it will someday be Damascus. The Saudis maintain Mecca and Medina, and their dollars (squeezed from us, the Europeans, the Japanese) maintain friendly relations with Arab hotheads everywhere, but their contribution to Islamic culture stops there. 2. "... has long been one of America's strongest allies." So strong that it participated in (if not led) the 1973 oil embargo and price multiplications, and the resultant recessions and stagflations. With friends like that, our enemies went on short rations - we were buying THEIR oil on the spot market. [My opinions on oil prices are squishy. My opinion on embargoes is not.] 3. "... a moderating force." When it comes to prejudice, the Saudis can show the world a thing or two: No non-Muslims may visit Mecca. No Jews working for American companies may work in Saudi Arabia - not just Israelis or Zionists, god forbid. Merely kikes. (Imagine how much good that does a Jew's chances of being hired by such companies in the first place.) Nice moderation. Should I mention secondary boycotts of companies doing business with Israel? 4. Michael, STOP accusing Ken Arndt of spreading prejudice. He knows whereof he speaks, he utters the fax correctly, his words are always pacific and soothing. You want prejudice, you should read this dude who flames on net.politics about soul-destroying science. Gaa. -- Oded Feingold MIT AI Lab. 545 Tech Square Cambridge, Mass. 02139 OAF%OZ@MIT-MC.ARPA {harvard, ihnp4!mit-eddie}!mitvax!oaf 617-253-8598