Lee Iacocca: Where have all of the Leaders Gone? Part 3

He writes: Why don't we bring democracy to our friends the Saudis? Iacocca asks why George W. didn't first attempt to 'bring democracy' to the Saudis, the Bush Family friends. After all, he notes, wouldn't it be much easier to try 'spreading democracy' to a friendly nation before one tries it on an unfriendly one?

Of course, this is all tongue-in-cheek because he and I and many well-read Americans know thwo things about this democracy thing: 1. it was a ruse, a shift in purpose after the initial reason for war [WMD's] fell through; 2. the Bush family is way too tight with the house of Saud to demand that they change their brutal monarchy.

Fifteen of the sixteen 9-11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Does that ring a bell? Of course, Bush family friend James Baker defended Saudi Arabia in a law suit brought by the 9-11 families; he won.

Iacocca notes that in Saudi Arabia: there is no constitution, no legislature, no due process of law; no demonstrations against the government; one legal religion [Islam]; corporal punishment; publicv executions; women cannot vote; a woman must have written permission from the husband to work, study, or travel; religious police monitor women's clothing; there is no alcohol permitted.

Iacocca notes the poverty in the nation except for the royal family. There are hundreds of gold-encased palaces, hundreds of wives, millions blown on vacations, gambling, and high living . He says: these guys make Saddam Hussein look downright middle-class.

Here's a final note: to top it off, every schoolchild in Saudi Arabia is taught that their sole duty in life is to destroy everything America stands for.

He concludes: Why do we tolerate this? It's the oil. We have sold our souls for oil.