[War] Saudi: "Welcome to the 21st century boys"

[Pat B]

"Welcome to the 21st century boys"
King Ali Bin Bashir al Saud
King of Saudi Arabia

Riyadh=

The laptop's keys clicked and the King was highlghted in it's glow, it
was something people had to get used to, the young king typing, or
reading or just making notes.

What was different is in front of each chair was a thick book.  When his
advisors sat down he looked at them, briefely then went back to his typing.

When they sat down one of them opened the book, then looked up, "what is
this?"

Ali looked over at him, "I thought it would be self explanitory, it's
the first ever written down legal code of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

Looking over the ministers he spoke directly, "for too long we have used
Sharia law, and Koranic interpretations to enforce some laws, and as a
result we're cutting the heads of people for denying their faith,
stoning women to death for adultery because well it takes two women to
equal one man as witnesses, we ignore more solid evidence in favor of
eyewitnesses, we use flogging, stoning, hand amputation, and public
beheadings, all things other countries did away with years ago."

"But are we to become some infidel nation that will turn it's back on...."

Ali slammed his hand down on the table and spoke forcefully, "That is
the biggest amount of horseshit I have heard around this table and it
will not stand!"

That shut everyone up and they stared at him.  He continued.

"Has anyone in this room wondered why Islam is thought of by many people
as a violent faith, has anyone wondered why Jihad, a struggle, seems to
mean to most people who hear it, look out for the guy in the turban he
may be wearing a bomb, because of shit like, apostay is punishable by
death, no OTHER country has penalties for renouncing faith, if you want
to privately renounce your faith, that is beteween you and Allah, if you
do it publically then you can see concequences, fines, jail time but no
beheading."

Clerics looked at each other one spoke, "But you have reduced penalties
for adultery and homosexuality...."

"Yes, have you ever wondered why most Adulterers we stone to death are
women, because if you're a guy having an affair or who rapes someone
just get two of your friends to testify, then you can get her stoned to
death, no muss no fuss, even if she testifies, who's going to believe
her. Besides under Sharia, it would take two women to equal one man.
That also stops."

He then paused to drink some water, "As for homosexuality, I'm not
legalising it, but execution seems to be too harsh, how can they repent
if we kill them, so instead it will be fines and jail time, ditto for
public drunkneness..."

The clerics looked more uneasy by the moment, "This law will create
confusion...."

Ali nodded, "Yes it will, that is why the first step will be teaching
the police about the new laws and establishing both a court system and a
prison system, we will have rehabilitation, we will have a fair system
of justice, It will not be western, it will be tough but it will be fair."

He stood up, then sat back down, "sorry back acts up at times...."  Then
he flipped a page.  "The educational reforms continue, we will begin
building technical schools, teaching both men and women to hold jobs
that right now are filled with foreign workers, if we can get our people 
working, we can build a better economy."  He paused, "Now we will keep 
working on the legal system, it's not perfect but nothing run by people is."

They closed the legal code and one spoke, "but the people, some are 
protesting your changes...saying we are losing our way...."

Ali nodded, "and they're peaceful, which means we'll let them protest, 
if they want to they can picket, argue and yell, but if they start 
getting violent, I will crack down."  He flipped the notebook, "I know 
some of my actions are not popular, but we need to do this, if we do not 
make changes, then we will be left behind when the world changes, and it 
will change. I am not going to back down from this course."  With that 
he stood up and walked out of the room.

Actions

1) Using Model penal code as a guide introduce a written criminal code 
for Saudi Arabia, Highlights include:
	a) The removal of hand amputation as a penalty for theft, replaced with 
prison time and fines
  	b) The removal of the death penalty for homosexuality, adultery and 
apostay, again replaced with prison time and fines,
	c) women count as one full witness same as men, also begin introduction 
of forensic evidence
	d)keeping the death penalty by beheading for murder, also allow for 
family forgiveness to sway the penalty phase but not remove the crime
	e) remove flogging as a penalty for anything, fines are more appropriate

2) Begin construction of a prison system within the KSA, prisons will be 
run with full application of laws of hospitality, prisoners will not be 
subject to torture and mistreatment will be illegal.
	a) Begin hiring local folks to build prisons

3) Begin construction of forensic labs, purchasing equipment and 
training police, hire experts if we can and ask countries outside for help.

4) Suspects arrested will have the following rights
	a) Right to counsel if being interviewed,
	b) Right to know charges against them  and evidence of same
	c) Right to a trial.
	d) Right to not be abused, tortured, or beaten during arrest or 
interrogation

5) Begin building a series of technical colleges, free to all subjects, 
encourage them to attend and begin strongly encouraging hiring Saudi 
nationals as opposed to foreign workers.