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Saudi Arabia’s Chairmanship of UNHRC Beheads Human Rights Idea

© AP Photo / Hasan JamaliA Saudi man passes the al-Faisaliya tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
A Saudi man passes the al-Faisaliya tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Sputnik International
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Last week, the UN appointed a representative of Saudi Arabia to lead the UN Human Rights Panel… Let us repeat this again – we learned that Saudi Arabia will chair the UN Human Rights Council panel and the US government gladly “welcomed” the appointment of its close ally.

While the rest of the world is still horrified by the UN's decision to appoint Saudi Arabia as the head [or perhaps "behead"?] of the UN Human Rights Council panel, the White House is most certainly not.

The great Matt Lee of AP questioned US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner during a briefing on Wednesday afternoon to find out the official stance of the US government.

Question: Well, how about a reaction to them heading the council?

Mark Toner: Again, I don't have any comment, don't have any reaction to it. I mean, frankly, it's — we would welcome it. We're close allies.

Question: … I'm just wondering if you — that it's appropriate for them to have a leadership position.

Mark Toner: I mean, we have an ongoing discussion with them about all these human rights issues, like we do with every country. We make our concerns clear when we do have concerns, but that dialogue continues. But I don't have anything to point to in terms of progress.

View from Kingdom Tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. - Sputnik International
Grim Record: Saudi Arabia Beheads 100th Person This Year
It's absolutely absurd that Saudi Arabia, which has already beheaded over 100 people in the first half of 2015 over mostly drug-related crimes, apostasy, atheism and other petty things, gets to chair the UN Human Right Council.

If one had to choose a single government that had policies closest in line with ISIL, it would be Saudi Arabia. Just like ISIL, the government of Saudi Arabia openly admits that they're a Wahhabi regime, the most ultraconservative theocratic branch of Islam.

The fact that the US government officially "welcomed" the appointment of Saudi Arabia speaks for itself. Nothing much can be said about this, but one thing is clear — the United States continues to apply double-standards and trample basic human rights when it benefits its geopolitical interests. 

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