Our Friends the Saudis part MCMLXVII

"Saudi Arabia is threatening to suspend diplomatic ties with Britain unless Downing Street intervenes to block an investigation into a £60m “slush fund” allegedly set up for some members of its royal family. A senior Saudi diplomat in London has delivered an ultimatum to Tony Blair that unless the inquiry into an allegedly corrupt defence deal is dropped, diplomatic links between Britain and Saudi Arabia will be severed, a defence source has disclosed.

Wonderful. I've never liked our relationship with the Saudis. They are our friends for one reason and one alone and that drives me bonkers. They are corrupt as the day is long. They're hypocrites of the first order and the people in Saudi know it. There isn't any reason to believe that they have been particularly helpful regarding the GWOT. Bringing Baker on board isn't going to do anything other than draw us closer to the House of Saud.

I'm sure the Brits will back down, quietly, as is British fashion. They need the Saudis as much as we do and everyone knows it. Everyone is also looking forward to the day when nobody needs them anymore.

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