• DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe
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        8 months ago

        Not quite.

        You know Crown Prince MBS? Hacks up journalists MBS?

        https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/saudi-clerics-crown-prince-mohammed/2021/08/02/9ae796a0-e3ed-11eb-88c5-4fd6382c47cb_story.html

        The actual reason he hasn’t faced consequences for it is that he’s largely doing what the West wants, the secularization of SA. Calling it a theocracy just isn’t quite right anymore, even if Islam as a whole tends to dispute the very idea of the separation of church and state.

        I think that’s one of the things Christians, or former Christians, don’t want to admit in this little religious rivalry, that Muslims are every bit as varied in their take on fundamentalism as Christians.

        • TWeaK
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          8 months ago

          Lol the Saudis used Israeli spy tech to spy on the family of the journalist they murdered, Jamal Khashoggi. They may well have used it on him as well, however his devices were never recovered so that was never proven. The sale of the tech was approved by the Israeli government, and the company that sold it claims they have full oversight over who their customers target.

          That’s completely beside the point you were making, but I really felt the need to mention it nonetheless. War is a tangled web, the only consistent thread is money.

      • TWeaK
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        8 months ago

        The faiths are a little different, but Wahhabism isn’t far removed from Sunni Islam. In any case, since 7 October the Saudis have been talking with Iran about working with them, instead of Israel.

        • CashewNut 🏴󠁢󠁥󠁧󠁿@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Iran is Shia. They have a very violent history of conflict across the Middle East. Most recently across Iraq but Sunni vs Shia has been a common conflict duo since Islam split.

          • TWeaK
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            8 months ago

            Fair play, my mistake. Saudi Arabia is still starting to cosy up to Iran now, though.

    • NewDark@lemmings.world
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      8 months ago

      Maybe. But I’m referring to the United States.

      Pot calling the kettle black and all that.

      • TWeaK
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        8 months ago

        I know lol.

        But tbf the US isn’t actually allied with Saudi Arabia, never really has been. They do pay well for US weapons, though.

        • prole@sh.itjust.works
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          8 months ago

          Did you even read the first two sentences of the wiki you linked?

          […] despite the differences between the two countries—an Islamic absolute monarchy, and a secular constitutional republic—the two countries have been allies ever since.

          • TWeaK
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            8 months ago

            And then most of the rest of the article lists all the ways in which they’re not really allies. It’s not your typical allied relationship, they’re pretty much allies in name only these days and very begrudgingly.