So what is the difference between IS terror and Saudi Arabian state terrorism?

from the Herald Scotland:



The future's bright for executioners in 2016. The year began with another video nasty from so-called Islamic State (IS) featuring a new “Jihadi John” murdering alleged “spies” in customary orange jump suits.

This arrived 24 hours after the news that 47 prisoners had been beheaded, shot and/or crucified by our principal ally in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia. Among them was the Shi'ite cleric, Sheikh Nimr al Nimr, who had led a peaceful uprising against the Saudi monarchy.

The BBC's Nick Robinson put the question of the day to the former British ambassador, Sir John Jenkins yesterday: “What is the difference between Islamic State beheading its political opponents and Saudi Arabia beheading political opponents?” The former diplomat's reply made me choke on my porridge.

Saudi Arabia was “one of the community of nation states”, he said, and its actions were “disproportionate but understandable”. Understandable? Beheading, crucifying and shooting leaders of a rival Muslim faith is understandable, according to Sir John, because it is “within the law”, such as it applies in that oil-rich state.

.....(snip).....

We continue to regard Saudi Arabia, wrongly, as a force for peace in the Middle East. On the contrary: it is a force for war, and has aided the emergence of Sunni terror groups such as IS, al Qaeda and the al-Nusra Front. It did this by promoting the austere, sectarian Wahhabi form of Islam throughout the Middle East as part of its mediaeval conflict with the rival Shi'ite strand of Islam. ..............(more)

http://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/14181394.So_what_is_the_difference_between_IS_terror_and_Saudi_Arabian_state_terrorism_/