Friday, 23 January 2015

He was the People's Despot

So there we are then. The grim reaper has come for King Abdullah ibn Abdilaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia (if he had been called Al Fred, then the country would be Fredi Arabia, of course).

At this time it is only right to call on Tony Blair to lead the tributes, and he has not let us down. "He was loved by his people and will be deeply missed." Somehow Tony forgot the bit about the People's Despot, but maybe that will come later. Elton John's "Candle in the Sand" is also due, once his tribute to Charlie Hebdo is complete.

Blair and Abdullah

Tony, I'm taking you to the Royal Floggerdrome this evening!

Meanwhile, Westminster Abbey flies its flag at half-mast in memory of this great champion of Christian virtues: faith, hope, love, with a bit of flogging, stoning, and decapitation on the side. For this tribute we must thank the Dean, the Very Reverend John Hall. As for Canon Jane Sinclair, Canon Steward of the Abbey, well, she can get back in the kitchen and shut up, if she doesn't want a good flogging! Women!!

Westminster Abbey's shame

The abbey is a "Royal Peculiar", and this is one of its more peculiar days.

King Abdullah is mourned by his 14 wives and 18 children. Already it is being said that what finished him off was being described as a "rabbit" by Pope Francis. His half-brother Salman has taken over, and has promised to continue the rapid march towards democracy, provided that he doesn't have to cut down on the flogging, stoning, and decapitation.

Prince Charles

King Salman ibn Abdilaziz Al Saud (memo: check this).

A hymn I particularly like is "Hail to the Lord's Anointed," with words by James Montgomery. We don't often sing this verse, although it is excellent theology:

Arabia's desert ranger to Him shall bow the knee;
The Ethiopian stranger His glory come to see;
With offerings of devotion ships from the isles shall meet,
To pour the wealth of oceans in tribute at His feet.
Anyway, assuming that the words are accurate, King Abdullah had better hope that his arthritis isn't playing up now, as he has some emergency knee-bowing to get on with.

Louise's tribute

Louise Mensch is less than "deeply saddened".

Actually, I don't think I can stand any more of these tributes. If I see any more I'll send them to Private Eye. They have a Sauds' Corner, don't they?

cheering Saudis

Grieving Saudis mourn their king.

at

10 comments:

  1. LeonG24 January 2015 at 06:50

    King Salman - "Je suis (a proper) Charley!"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Frederick Jones24 January 2015 at 10:19

    How many virgins will be waiting for him in Paradise

    ReplyDelete
  3. LeonG24 January 2015 at 15:26

    Bearing in mind he was a saud then none, of course.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous24 January 2015 at 16:41

    Her Majesty knew better than the pollies:

    http://www.vox.com/2015/1/23/7877243/king-abdullah-queen-drive

    I suspect she shed no tears (real or crocodile) at Abdullahs passing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous24 January 2015 at 16:44

    Her Majesty knew better than the pollies:

    http://www.vox.com/2015/1/23/7877243/king-abdullah-queen-drive

    I suspect she shed no tears (real or crocodile) at Abdullahs passing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. David Lindsay24 January 2015 at 17:29

    I am pleased to see that that Charlie Hebdo march had such an affect on David Cameron and François Hollande, as they arrive to heap praise on King Abdullah and to kiss the hand of King Salman.

    Barack Obama will turn up there next week.

    I should be surprised if they did not come away with blood on their lips, so much of it drips from the hands of any King of Saudi Arabia.

    One day, one day soon, we shall see these people as we now see the British, French and American politicians who sucked up to Pinochet and to Ceaușescu, to Pol Pot and to apartheid South Africa, to Ian Smith and to Robert Mugabe, to Stalin and to Hitler.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nilus24 January 2015 at 18:05

      I'll be happy if their craven flattery has as little effect in this case as it did in the ones you mention. I fear this is much more serious. (Not sure I remember them sucking up to Pol Pot or Ian Smith though. )

      Delete
    2. David Lindsay25 January 2015 at 15:33

      Thatcher sent the SAS to train the Khmer Rouge. And much of her party had very close ties indeed to Rhodesia. But then, a Deputy Leader of the Labour Party was once decorated by Franco.

      I should like to know the last time that the flags over our Parliament building and over Westminster Abbey were lowered to half mast for the head of a foreign state. Probably for Kennedy in 1963. So long ago that Churchill was still in Parliament.

      But it happened automatically for the King of Saudi Arabia this week, and the people responsible were surprised that anyone was surprised. Yes, our political elite really is as close as that to one of the most evil regimes on earth.

      Meanwhile, the announcers on CNN, allegedly the flagship of American liberalism, have been dressed in mourning black. I want to see Obama bow to King Salman next week. He bowed to King Abdullah in 2009.

      In 2008 Hillary Clinton had promised that, as President of the United States, she would nuke Iran if so instructed by the Saudi, Kuwaiti and Emirati donors to her campaign. She has never retracted that promise.

      Delete
  7. LeonG25 January 2015 at 04:38

    Mr Tony B. Liar is quoted as saying, " He ought to be remembered for helping the international community to spread democracy; promote women's rights, driving a car for example and putting a maximum of 15 on the number of wives a man should be allowed to have at any one time.
    I'd like to have him CONanised subito santo under the new post-conciliar personalised papal criteria.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous14 February 2015 at 22:59

    I'll definitely be buying St Elton John's tribute song 'Sandals in the bin'

    ReplyDelete