The Saudis Have A Simple Message to Shi'ite Protesters: Don't Even Think About A Day Of Rage!

This is Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal. Today he made it clear that his country rejects any interference in its domestic affairs and would "cut off" any accusing finger. With the Saudis, folks who are most creative when it comes to dispensing judgment via a variety of amputation and beheading methods that I'd rather not detail now, you're never sure if this is just an idiomatic expression or an actual plan to lop off digits.

The Saudi government has beefed up security in preparation for the March 11 ”Friday of Rage” called for by an opposition group on Facebook.Protests and public display of dissent are outlawed in Saudi Arabia. The Financial Times reported that "The Interior Ministry issued a statement . . . reiterating the ban, adding that protests are against Islamic sharia. The ban was backed by statements by the clergy and the shura council, an appointed consultative assembly."

Shi'ite protesters have taken to the streets in recent days demanding inter alia more freedom and democracy (translation: democracy that comports with our sense of democracy), mirroring that seen across the Middle East and North Africa. Remember Saudi Arabia has a Sunni majority. Interesting.

Faisal is the nephew of King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz and he said that Saudi Arabia "rejects any foreign interference in its internal affairs." He warned that protests would not bring reform and urged dialogue with the demonstrators. [Source reference]

Prince Faisal said, "The reform... does not come via protests and [the clerics] have forbidden protests since they violate the Koran and the way of the Prophet," He said change would come from within. Translation: We will crush anyone who dares challenge us. And he means business.

"Change will come through the citizens of this kingdom and not through foreign fingers, we don't need them," he said during a news conference. "We will cut any finger that crosses into the kingdom." There he goes with that fingers being cut reference.

And this is my favorite. Amnesty International has called on the world's largest oil exporter to drop the restriction of peaceful protests, after a brutal crackdown recently on a demonstration in a Shiite region. Ha! Folks, this is the last guy you want to mess with.

I don't mean to sound as though I'm suggesting that protesters back down, but I just want folks to realize that while we think nothing about protesting (whenever we fight torpor and actually protest), Saudi officials have absolutely no compunction about severely crushing anyone or any group who would dare challenge their authority.

Keep an eye on this one.