Gary Fitleberg, February 10, 2005

One small step for Saudi Arabia. One giant leap for mankind.

Democracy and freedom have a sweet taste.

Saudi Arabia has a start on the sweet taste of freedom and democracy. The Arab nation state known for its promotion of hate can hardly afford to wait.

If it does not change direction it will end up to be the cause of its own destruction. Al Qaeda born in the cradle of Mecca and Medina with Osama bin Laden and fourteen of nineteen hijackers and human bombers of mass destruction emanate from the state-supported Whahabbism, extremist, fanatical, fundamentalist perverted form of Islam that has taken on an international explosion. Now the Royal Saud Family is the target of the very monster it created to destroy others.

Saudi Arabia enters an experiment with democracy and freedom with nationwide voting, for men only, but will decide half the local seats of local councils. Hey, it's a start.

Maybe one day women will be allowed to vote in this mid-EVIL Muslim nation state.

In the first nationwide elections in the kingdom's history, eligible Saudi men will elect members of municipal councils in voting that begins today.

Ballots are being cast at last. With ballots being counted from last month's Iraqi election, this vote has been touted by the Saudi, American and British officials as another important stroke of reform in the Middle East.

Yet the polling in Saudi Arabia is both progressive and retrograde. It is evidence of a slight political opening, but also a reminder of just how the Middle East is full of corrupt dictatorships, human rights violators, ruthless repressive regimes, and state supporters of terrorism and tyrannies.

Only half the seats on the councils will be decide by elections. The other half will be picked by the ruling Royal House of Saud.

Women still can't vote or run as candidates. Some women remain hopeful and optimistic that the Royal House of Saud will appoint some female council members. There is no hint or word that this will take place.

"We don't take it seriously. It's a joke," said Hatoon Ajwad Fassi, a woman who teaches history at Riyadh's King Saud University. She added, "It's really too bad they're not aware of the loss of this country is suffering by not having women.

Democracies like England, India and Israel all have had strong women as leaders.

Others barred from voting include members of the military and expatriates. The legal voting age is 21. Registration has been very sluggish. Many voters remain very skeptical of the new system while others stay scornful. The councils are a new concept in Saudi Arabia. Whether the experiment will have success remains to be seen. While cautious to vote they scramble to run for office in the lections.

Saudis are wondering whether or not it is an empty gesture to appease America and other Western governments or a serious reform which will have repercussions for the future. Arabs do not trust America nor want to appear to appease America.

Bush last week in his State of the Union Address, gently nudged and urged the Saudi royal family to "demonstrate its leadership...by expanding the role of its people in determining their future."

Time will tell. We'll see.

In a land where the public display of images of people's faces is considered a religious taboo, candidate's pictures have been printed in T-shirts and splashed across cast roadside billboards.

In a nation where political gatherings have long been banned, candidates have been holding nightly rallies, debates and lectures under their Bedouin-style tents, which dot vacant lots all over the capitol. Discussions range from city services to corruption to poetry -- anything to stimulate debate and attract voters.

Change in the birthplace and cradle of Islam travels at the pace of a snail.

Saudi Arabia is facing a bittersweet taste of its past and for its future. Let us hope the bitterness disappears and the sweetness of democracy and freedom stays sweet forever and ever in the heart, mind and soul of Saudi Arabia.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2005 Gary Fitleberg