Friday morning, 9-17
We’re sitting in the Riyadh airport waiting for our flight to Jeddah.
We had an 12 hr flight from Dulles (was it yesterday??), the 7-hour layover after the short flight from Nashville notwithstanding. Thanks to Lunesta, I arrived reasonably fresh. We checked into the Sheraton, very nice (each had our own room), then we headed over to the diplomatic area and the US Embassy Marine’s “house” (Marines guard US Embassys worldwide) where they happened to be throwing a party for a few hundred diplomats, contractors, ex-pats, etc. of all nationalities. We were encouraged to drink lots of “tea” since other beverages are prohibited in SA.
The idea was to hang around until after the main party tapered off, around 12 or 1, and then maybe do an acoustic set for the Marines but we were all pretty “tea-d” up early on.
We figured it was now or never, so we found a quiet place by the pool away from the main building, got out the guitars, fiddle and mandolin and drew a pretty good crowd. The ambassador and his wife got wind of it and came by to hear a few songs.
They are very gracious and intelligent people who represent America well. He is a retired general and former fighter pilot, and his wife holds a doctorate in education. They met and hit it off with Obama some years ago and consequently came out of retirement to accept the appointment here (all ambassadors are presidential appointees). They sounded optimistic about Saudi society and relations with America in general.
A few quick impressions so far. All women wear some form of the Abaya, the black floor length robe, in public. Saudi women for the most part are completely covered, with only their eyes showing. Women of other nationalities (our fiddle player Rene for one), can have their head uncovered but must wear the Abaya in public.
I’m told that you can spend in the 10K range for a designer Abaya. I’m also told that many women are wearing stylish designer clothing and jewelry underneath which is openly displayed only in the privacy of their homes or in the company of other women, or when the pilot announces, “now leaving Saudi airspace” on the way to London, Geneva or NYC. Some women look quite striking with only their almond eyes showing, maybe a glimpse of manolo blahniks and a coach bag.
Most Saudi men wear the traditional white full-length “thob” (I think it is) with the “gutra” headdress, usually white or a red checked pattern. The individual style shows in the folding of the gutra and the color of headband worn with it. Most look laundered, starched, French cuffed and spotless, and actually seem to be pretty comfortable given the 110 heat.
There is incredible wealth here (every time I fill up my tank I add to it), but the whole town looks like a construction site. We passed by the massive new female only Princess Noor University, which will have an enrollment of 40,000 students when construction is finished. Women are definitely second-class citizens. For example, they currently do not have the right to drive, nor can they go out in public unless accompanied by a male family member. Things are supposedly loosening up bit by bit. I heard a great story about a recent incident in a women’s only mall where an over zealous ‘religious policeman’ was attacked and pummeled by women with shopping bags and purses.
More later.
Saudi Arabia #2
Well, there’s a lot to tell and not a lot of energy to tell it at this late hour, 1:45 am local time.
Just back from a gig at the US consulate in Jeddah. The audience was maybe ½ Saudi, all very friendly and into the songs and eager to talk after the show.
If Jeddah sounds vaguely familiar, it was in the news in ’04 when a handful of Al Qaeda terrorists stormed the embassy gate and killed several people. I think you can actually You Tube it. Needless to say, security has tightened up a lot since then. We drive around in armored SUV’s or vans driven by Quantico trained drivers and go through many checkpoints getting in and out of the embassy. All that said, it feels very safe.
Not much happened besides the gig today. Humping gear and waiting around for sound check is pretty much the same drill the world over. Talked to a Pakistani embassy officer who told us the story of his very high caste great grandmother who’s dowry was determined by her sitting on a scale until her weight (110 lbs) had been offset by an equal amount of gold. True?? Who cares, good story.
Last night we went late to the souk, or market, which really comes to life after dark when things cool off a little. Fascinating sights, sounds, smells etc. We were the only Caucasians anywhere to be seen, but no strange vibes, or if there were, I was too oblivious to pick up on them. Talked to a few Saudis there, some of whom had gone to school in the US. I was told that at any given time, around 25,000 Saudis are going to college in the states. Almost all of them come back to SA to work, often in the highest levels of government, business and the military where they ensure very good relations with the US.
It’s been an interesting to have heard so much ranting before leaving home about the ‘ground zero mosque’ and ‘radical Islam’, then to meet actual Arabs and to speak with US diplomats who live and work here. I don’t have the energy tonight to go into it we but have a travel day tomorrow so I’ll see if I can string a few thoughts together on that subject as well as try to get some photos uploaded.
Saudi #3
All right, I’m jet-lagged and awake tonight so I’ve pieced together a few thoughts about SA, although I’m hardly an authority. Never a good idea to talk religion and politics but it’s almost unavoidable when trying to explain this place.
The Kingdom (as the locals call it) is a very dynamic mix of puritanical Islam, petroleum, staggering wealth, a highly educated ruling class, a huge royal family, Western military/economic ties and a deep sense of Arab cultural identity. Complicated enough?
In SA, religious life is under the control of the fundamentalist Wahhabi sect. The royal family has granted them wide latitude and power (and $) in exchange for their not challenging the legitimacy of Saudi rule or calling them out for their lavish lifestyles. The rapid modernization of Saudi society has, not surprisingly, created major strains in this relationship.
The Imams, who won’t/can’t criticize the government, have instead channeled populist anger and dissatisfaction with Saudi life into anger with modernization, the West, and Israel. The fact that most of the 9/11 terrorists were Saudis who had been indoctrinated in Wahabi mosques and madrassas (funded by oil $) was a loud wake up call for the royals. After the 2003 Al Qaeda attacks within SA, it got a lot louder. The more radical clerics have been denounced and reigned in, but the conditions that bred them continue. There is, despite all the money here, high unemployment for Saudis, difficulty starting a family and thus an easily exploited sense of hopelessness among young men. That is unfortunately the case in many places in the Middle East.
Is there a quick fix for any of this? You’ll have to ask someone way smarter than I, but I will say this. There are over a billion Muslims in the world and if they were as violent and radical as they have been portrayed in some US media recently, the world would be a smoking heap. Are there some here who are bent on our destruction? Absolutely.
Good night
Saudi Arabia # 4, Sunday
We’re now sitting in the Jeddah airport waiting for our flight to the eastern part of the country.
The scene around here is pretty chaotic and colorful. We are the only Americans in the place and would stand out big time even without Thom’s cowboy hat. Fortunately we had someone from the consulate to herd us through the Star Wars bar scene chaos. Needless to say, I kept a tight grip on my passport.
This is the entry and exit point for Muslim pilgrims from around the world who make trip to Mecca. The Quran says that all Muslims should come at least once in their lives, and some look like they're making it none too soon. Needless to say, it’s a huge business here. There is a massive separate terminal to accommodate the millions who come during Haj in November. Many also come around Ramadan, which ended a week or so ago but is still reverberating around here. If you are non Muslim, you can’t be within 50 miles of Mecca.
There are many different colors and styles of dress here. I’m starting to recognize the differences in Indonesian, African, and Pakistani etc. styles. I’m reminded of the habits of the Catholic nuns from my childhood. Makes sense as they all originated in the same era and region of the world.
Woke up Darrahn, a large city on the East Coast where it’s hotter than blazes although we’re at the beginning of the cool season. Another 4 star hotel, a far cry from our tents and cargo containers on the AFE tours. Last night we met with and had a ‘cultural exchange’ with several Saudis, which was by far the high point of our trip thus far. More about that after we leave the country.
I mentioned the high unemployment here for Saudis, even those with education.
I didn’t mention that almost all the menial, service, construction, etc work is done by millions of “3rd country nationals,” people who sign contracts to come here from Bangladesh, the Philippines, India for a two year stint. They are definitely 2nd class citizens, some being abused by their employers with little recourse in the legal system. That said, the jobs are coveted and many support families back home for decades by working here.
This is creating another ‘grind’ in Saudi society between the have’s and have nots.
By ‘have’ I mean have a Masaeratti, four wives--the maximum allowed-- and a 10,000 sq ft mansion on the coast and anything else you could imagine.
Saudi #5
A few random images.
Leaving the hotel around 11:30 today. The call to prayer filling the lobby from the large mosque across the street while a woman in black Abaya, seemingly oblivious, surfs the Internet on her lap-top.
Sitting high above Riyadh in the Globe, a circular glass lounge, smoking a Cuban cigar, craving a Brandy, but all they offer in puritanical S. A. are fruit juice drinks and coffee.
Standing on top of a large red sand dune, looking out at the barren, “Utah only browner” landscape. The dunes are littered with countless plastic bottles and bits of trash. From what I’ve seen, Saudis pretty much litter any and everywhere. Maybe it’s too hot to be outside anyway so who cares?
Browsing the ancient rifles at the back of a small shop in the souk. Some Ottoman era muzzle loaders, bolt action single shot carbines, all of them very old and very worn, repaired with bits of metal and twine, some with hand carved replacement stocks.
Rene drawing stares because she unknowingly walked in the shawarma shop instead of ordering from the ‘women’s window.’ Bad Rene!!
Seeing two Saudi women walking past looking very alluring. How so? Beats me since they’re covered in black. The cut of the Abaya, their bearing, their eyes? All I know is you can’t hide beauty…or money.
Walking through the courtyard off the main Mosque in Riyadh, known as "chop chop square," and seeing someone hosing down the paving stones. Did someone lose a hand or even a head here this morning? Entirely possible. I'm told that if Westerners are in the vicinity when this happens, they are pushed to the front so that they can witness Sharia law in action. Will move quickly along.
Saudi #6
Up around 9 here. Jet lag not too bad this trip. Lunesta helped re-set me early on and I've just toughed it out since then. A few nights awake and weary days. We played a full moon, 90 degree but very comfortable, outdoor gig at the ambassadors beautiful and spacious house last house last night. It's impressive to see America stature and power in the world on full display, kind of felt the same buzz as I did when passing by Air Force 2 on the tarmac in Bahrain a few years ago. The ambassador and his wife are a very gracious and smart older couple. He's a Georgia farm boy fighter pilot, then wing commander, she was Patrick Leahy's leg. director, PHD professor at some war college I think she said. Good people-smart and optimistic about the future although it's a tough neighborhood. Major flare up in Yemen, just south of Saudi. They have a weak government--scheduled to run out of oil in about 5 years-- tribal troubles in the region adjacent to SA where Al Qeada is trying to get a foothold. None of this is going to be resolved any time soon, but the numbers of actual terrorists are small.
There's no question that for our
enemies, terrorism is an extremely cost effective way of waging war. Take the
consulates at which we performed in Jeddah and Dahran. Before the attack in
2003, they were a few buildings protected by a few troops. Today they are fortresses.
I can’t imagine the money and resources being spent to build and maintain this
level of protection at every US facility worldwide. It cost Al Qaeda four or
five lives, which were easily replaced. 19 hijackers flew into the WTC. Their
actions led to 2 wars over 9 years, 4,500 Americans lives lost (and counting),
tens of thousands wounded and over a trillion dollars spent and the end's not
in sight. We're not gonna get every bad guy, so we might do well to come to a
rough # of how many we can live with without bankrupting and exhausting
ourselves.
Been reading my modern history of
the middle east book---pretty thick but I'm getting a little handle on the
region, main currents and their origins and some recurring themes. I'll have to
forsake it when I get back and reset myself back into music row mode.
Today is the first day we haven't
had something to do every minute, we're open until 2, then a big festival at
the embassy with another band or two.
Maybe adding a gig on Friday that
had been on the books then off. The 2 star general from Eskin village (where we
played last time), was there, loved us. He then found out that that someone
under his command had been offered a show there but they dropped the ball--may
be an ass chewing going on this AM somewhere. As long as were here I'd just as
soon be performing. I've been getting enough vacation mode from the side trips
and adventures.
Saudi Arabia # 7
Well, we’re heading out tonight at 11 or so, 4 hr flight to Jeddah, 7 hr layover there, in the aforementioned chaotic, pilgrim-infested airport, then a 12 hr flight to Dulles, then an f---ing 7 hr layover before out short flight back to Nashville. If I can grab another flight by hook, crook or $, I’ll do it.
Ready to get home and back to my real life. Here’s my last rant.
I’ve been reading my Modern History of the Middle East and meeting and talking to all kinds and nationalities over here (last night at the souk, a very articulate and thoughtful Afghan carpet salesman who wanted some sense of how long America would stay in his country, telling me how bad it will get it we leave). It’s mind-bogglingly complex. Any attempts at peace and stability will have to take into account countless tribal, sectarian, political and economic subtleties or else disregard all that, come in with overwhelming military force in every troublesome country and stay there for maybe 25 to 50 years. The colonial powers tried that from the1700’s to the end of WWII with a little success and a whole lot of trouble. We’re still dealing with the consequences of their re-drawing of the map.
If I had to give my best guess as to what the simplest, most cost effective course for America might be, I’d have to say, reduce our dependence on Middle Eastern oil as quickly as possible. It’s the primary reason we are as engaged as we are over here. Throughout the world, there are any number, murderous dictators, corrupt regimes, etc., (think Africa, where we pretty much let whatever happens happen) but only here do they have the oil, our lifeblood, and only here do we have a gargantuan military and diplomatic presence.
The reason there are those who harbor resentment toward America is, for the most part, not because of Islam or because they hate us, or hate freedom, it’s because we either occupy their countries or exert an unwanted, powerful influence over their political and economic destinies—we represent the latest in an unbroken line of foreigners who have tried to control the region for the last few hundred years.
For centuries there has been the push-pull of Islamic countries reaching out to the west and at the same time renouncing it, liberalism vs. fundamentalism (sound familiar?) Islam, which considers itself to be the one true way, is well aware that their societies now have diminished power and influence in the world, that they have not made significant contributions to the scientific, medical and technological breakthroughs of the modern age. Some feel that it’s because they haven’t embraced the West and modernization, some feel it’s because they strayed too far from the Quran. This dichotomy isn’t going to go away, but if we don’t have a dog in the fight, we can let them hammer it out on their own. Are we invading Darfur because of the war there? Did we intervene in Rwanda? We stand by while horrible things happen because it only troubles our conscience, not our oil supply.
We are perceived, rightly or wrongly, of blindly supporting Israel to the detriment of Palestinians and the rest of the region. (For example, everyone knows that Israel has a nuclear capacity but we don’t acknowledge it---while we sanction Iran because of their nuclear program. Not saying we’re wrong, just that the perception of our Israeli bias has a foundation.) There is a possibility that the rest of the Middle East doesn’t really want a solution to that thorny issue because it gives them a convenient scapegoat for all their problems, someone for their oppressed citizens to rail against. We support Israel for a variety of reasons; we need a powerful ally in the region, it’s maybe the only democracy over here, and there are extremely powerful Christian and Jewish lobbies in America who demand it. But, if we didn’t need the oil, maybe our primary role here could just be that of ‘fair minded deal broker’ of a regional conflict.
We’re going to be largely off fossil fuels in a few centuries anyway. If we can speed up the schedule, we’ll save ourselves a lot of money and trouble in the meantime. Maybe a few billion defense dollars could go towards a “Manhattan Project” like push to get us there. We came up with an atomic bomb in a few years, put a man on the moon in 10. It’s a tough sell but what’s the alternative? Us spending 100 billion a year over here for the next 50?
In the current, totally politicized climate in DC, I’m afraid that no one will let anyone accomplish anything like this, because someone else might gain political advantage. I’m hoping that America can come to it’s senses, realize that yelling at each other isn’t accomplishing anything, and focus on where we want to be in 20 years.
I’ll shut up now.
Bob
