Why is this man smiling?
British fraud investigators have stopped a probe into a multi-billion pound arms deal with Saudi Arabia, the country’s attorney general said, after Riyadh warned it would cancel the deal.
Attorney General Lord Peter Goldsmith said the decision had been made “in the wider public interest,” which had to be balanced against the rule of law.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) had been running an investigation into claims that British defence group BAE Systems established a slush fund for some members of the Saudi royal family, which allegedly provided perks including luxury cars to ensure that they kept doing business with BAE.
Goldsmith added that he had asked Prime Minister Tony Blair and Defence Secretary Des Browne for their views.
“They have expressed the clear view that continuation of the investigation would cause serious damage to UK/Saudi security, intelligence and diplomatic cooperation,” he said.
We should remember that Doublespeak and Newspeak were invented in the UK.
This in a world that dont want war, but still wants to sell weapons to everyone….
They need the contracts, they need the jobs. It’s no news that the Saudi Royals are corrupt. Many of their own people are waiting for the chance to bring the house down, and those people aren’t friendly to the West.
Sounds like Tony Blair is not an exclusive Bush’s bitch
#2. “corrupt but friendly to the west” is supposed to be the OLD criteria for a Middle Eastern ally of the US or UK, remember? no wonder those in the region doubt that the *cough* Coalition is actually in Iraq to promote democracy.
#3
That’s why Tony always wear knee pads under his pants.
1.
Of course the people don’t want war. But what does that matter when the leaders don’t GIVE A F*@K!
Love the guys that Preach, Honor, and truth..And STAB you in the back for a BUCK… 1 BUCK..
Sure the people don,t want war. But they want their high paying military-complex jobs…
Reminds me of the recent editorials about the Iraq Study Group report making it clear oil was/is the top priority for stabilizing Iraq:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/07/1452236
And the report calls for a US advisor to ensure that a new national oil law is passed in Iraq to make all of this possible and that the constitution of Iraq is amended to ensure that the central government gains control of Iraq’s oil revenues.
Glad we turned-over “sovereignty” to their elected government, so we can “ensure” that their constitution is amended to benefit our oil industries…
Almost like McArthur “helping” the Japanese write their new constitution, following WWII…
Two different cultures, with differing ways of “doing business”, neither more or less corrupt than the other.
I’m shocked that a Western government supports a corrupt Middle Eastern government.
Doublespeak! Newspeak!
Haha. I was just rolling my eyes at this when you reminded me of how Orwellian it could be.
Witty.
Ari, the fun part is that WE/USA has backed them ALL, but never Tibet.
Interesting, how they handle it in the UK. Smart.
Look at what happened to Siemens recently. They are now looked at as if having invented bribery.
Of course, everybody is shocked, really shocked.
I’d like to see these shocked people doing business in these areas.