Bush Delays Disciplining Saudi Arabia For Lack of Religious Freedom

President Bush has decided not to take any action against Saudi Arabia despite the kingdom's lack of tolerance and fair treatment for religious minorities. President Bush and his family have long been personal friends with the Saudi royal family.

Saudi Arabia was placed on a list of countries that lacked religious freedom by the State Department one year ago. According to U.S. law, the Bush administration could have placed trade restrictions or sanctions against Saudi Arabia as a result of its failure to act. Such sanctions have been taken against other countries that appear on the list.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice advised Congress that she was giving Saudi Arabia a 180-day waiver 'in order to allow additional time for the continuation of discussions leading to progress on important religious freedom issues.'

According to State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper, Rice raised the issue last week in a meeting with Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal. The secretary of state reiterated the importance the United States places on the issue.

The tiny African nation of Eritrea was sanctioned by the Bush administration last week due to serious concerns about religious freedom in that country. Certain defense exports to that country were banned by Secretary of State Rice.

Eritrea, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia were the among the three biggest violators of the rights of religious minorities according to the State Department report. Vietnam reached an agreement in May with the State Department to improve religious freedom in the country.

The State Department's report concluded that 'Freedom of religion does not exist' in Saudi Arabia. It also reported that government-paid mosque preachers 'used violent anti-Jewish and anti-Christian language in their sermons.'

Last week, President Bush also waived financial sanctions against Saudi Arabia for failing to make efforts to stop its slave trade in prostitutes, child sex workers and forced laborers.

Saudi Arabia was one of 14 nations listed in a June report by the State Department who had failed to take action to stop human trafficking. Bush decided that it was not in the United States' best interests to sanction Saudi Arabia at this time. It seems the price of oil is raising in more ways than one these days.