Arms Sales

#1016 - Finally Making An Appointment to have the Piano Tuned - It hasn't been tuned in who knows how many years 20?, 30?, more?... I've been meaning to do this for 6 months. In general I am not a procrastinator, but sometimes/somethings there just seems to be a hold-up. I felt a sense of relief and energy when I finally took action on this today.

#1017 - Eating Dinner in the Backyard and Being Quiet Enough to Appreciate: the chipmunk whose mouth was full of bedding and surprised to see me along in his/her pathway, the breeze in the trees, and the red squirrel, clearly in charge, once again chasing a larger gray squirrel.

#1018 - Right After I Came inside a Friend Called to Read me Some Hafiz Poems - which required a quiet mind, sitting outside was good preparation

#1019 - Obama is Said to be Preparing to Seek Approval on Saudi Arms Sale... - this may become the largest arms deal in U.S. History. I heard about this on the radio recently and I'm reading a memoir where the woman spends some of her youth in Saudi Arabia. So I'm grateful because this blog made me do some research into this topic.

Let's talk a little about how women are regarded in Saudi Arabia. According to Wikipedia, Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women cannot drive on public roads. Not only that but women cannot travel at all without approval of their closest male relative, this relative could be their son. Apparently they also cannot vote or be elected to office.

"Freedom of speech and the press are restricted to forbid criticism of the government. Trade Unions and political organizations are banned. Public demonstrations are forbidden. The Saudi Government is an active censor of Internet reception within its borders." Wikipedia

So this country is our top customer for arms.

I'm grateful to know enough about history to remember in the 1980's we supplied weapons to both the Taliban in Afghanistan and Sadam Hussein/Iraq.

Do I think it would be okay if Sweden was our top arms customer? No, but seriously... Does what we do with our money reflect the kind of world we want to live in?

#1020 - NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF for his New York Times Op-Ed (and my brother for sharing it with me)