D
Devout Pessimist
Guest
Washington Post with a good summary of what is going on:
Saudi Arabia just expelled the Canadian ambassador in Riyadh. Here’s why.
Saudi Arabia’s excessively severe response to seemingly irrelevant Canadian tweets becomes less surprising — it is not so much about Canada, but more about sending a forceful message that Riyadh does not tolerate criticism of any kind. It is a message to Europeans: Criticize us and you will be punished. It is also a message to its neighbors: Toe the line, or you will also be punished. Relations with Canada, in this sense, are collateral damage; bilateral ties being marginal and Canada lacking a hard retaliatory capacity, Ottawa represents an easy target.
Saudi Arabia just expelled the Canadian ambassador in Riyadh. Here’s why.
Saudi Arabia’s excessively severe response to seemingly irrelevant Canadian tweets becomes less surprising — it is not so much about Canada, but more about sending a forceful message that Riyadh does not tolerate criticism of any kind. It is a message to Europeans: Criticize us and you will be punished. It is also a message to its neighbors: Toe the line, or you will also be punished. Relations with Canada, in this sense, are collateral damage; bilateral ties being marginal and Canada lacking a hard retaliatory capacity, Ottawa represents an easy target.