Bill Clinton: 'Prophet would have let wife behind wheel'

The Times of India ^ | January 19 2004 | Reuters

[knighthawk]

JEDDAH: Former US President Bill Clinton urged Saudi Arabia on Monday to push ahead with reforms, saying the deeply conservative Muslim kingdom could not fight the "tide of change".

In a challenge to traditionalists in the birthplace of Islam, where women cannot drive and say they are marginalised, Clinton said if cars had been around 1,400 years ago Prophet Mohammad would have let his wife get behind the wheel.

"He probably would have made Saudi Arabia the first automobile producing nation on earth and put her in charge of the business," Clinton told a conference in Saudi Arabia 's Red Sea city of Jeddah .

He was warmly applauded by women delegates, covered in black robes, or abayas, and segregated from men by a screen running the length of the conference hall.

The world's biggest oil exporter, facing a wave of militant violence and growing economic challenges, has embarked on a programme of cautious reform despite fierce opposition from some powerful religious figures.

Clinton said Saudi Arabia had to address ways of broadening political participation in the absolute monarchy "without compromising your faith and culture".

Saudi policy "cannot be based in the long run on fighting change because you cannot fight the tide of change," he said.

Economists say women make up more than half the graduates from Saudi universities but just five percent of the work force.

Saudi Arabia 's Crown Prince Abdullah has promised limited reforms, including municipal elections later this year, although no date has been set and the government has yet to say if women will be allowed to vote.

Saudi Arabia is also battling a wave of Muslim militant attacks -- blamed on Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network -- that killed more than 50 people in attacks on foreign compounds in the Saudi capital Riyadh last year.

Al-Qaeda has also been blamed for the September 2001 attacks in the United States -- carried out by hijackers who were mostly Saudis -- which strained relations between Riyadh and Washington .

US critics say Saudi Arabia 's austere Wahhabi Islam and school curricula breed intolerance and provide a permissive environment for militancy in the kingdom.

Clinton , describing what he said was a "tug-of-war" between "an old order and a new world" in the country, called for education "which does not exclude religion but includes science, technology and political science".

The former president also proposed Saudi Arabia switch some of its overseas aid, which is partly channelled through religious charities accused of terror links, to practical projects providing drinking water in poorer Muslim countries.

[VOA]

Muhammed would have let a nine year old drive a car?

Seeing how The Prophet suppossedly married that one at age six (or was betrothed)
but only consummated the marriage at age nine...now there's maybe a nice
incentive to Muslimas...once they've "surrendered the pink" (as if any
female in traditional Islamic culture has even a choice to give something up)...
then you can get behind the wheel of a car.

Although I suspect any self-respecting Muslim-guy wouldn't let her drive.

Except in those Godless Infidel Countries of the West that Muslims seem to
find irresistable as their relocation sites.

[Gritty]

In most instances I am against the gruesome Muslim custom of stoning blasphemers.

However, in this case, I would make a happy exception!

[FormerLib]

You know, I think it's a good thing when x-42 says things that will anger the Jihadists and I'd like to encourage him to continue making such statements until they all see it his way.

And that's all I have to say about that.

[cicero's_son]

LOL. Hope, hope.

A fatwa is probably the only thing that could keep the jackass off the public stage for any length of time.

[Steel Wolf]

Here's something else to think about.

Bill is in Saudi Arabia.

If Bill converts to Islam, he can have up to four wives.

While in an Islamic country, Bill can beat the bejeezus out of any of his spouses.

Bill could get divorced by repeating the words 'I divorce you' three times in a row.

I'm not saying that there is anything to this, mind you, but I'd almost guarentee that you'll never see Bill and Hillary in the same Islamic country at the same time.

[aShepard]

What's with this guy??

Does the State Dept get a preview of each of the speeeches he makes on "behalf of America" before he goes and shoots his mouth off, especially espousing ideals that is certainly going to piss off half of the population of Saudi Arabia?

[Made In The USA]

Why was he in the middle east - trolling for some hot burka action?

[onedoug]

Franklin Graham says this, he's condemned.

Clinton dances into Dar al Islam like he owns the place.

[Bobby777]

but the BIG question is, will the Saudis start a TV campaign using The Beatles' "Baby, You Can Drive My Car"?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The Arabs must've gotten a good laugh from this idiot.

[RichInOC]

Bill Clinton: 'Prophet would have let wife behind wheel'

Bill Clinton: 'Prophet would have let me behind wife'

[Paleo Conservative]

Which one? He had four. One was 12. Do you want a 12-year-old behind the wheel?

No it was 6. He deflowered her at 9. By the way those were lunar years; she was probably just 8 years old by a solar calendar.

[RonF]

Say what else you will, but if you read the history of Mohammad and his wives you'll see that he's probably right about this.

[MEG33]

Ralph Peters said he got a standing ovation.This time he gave a good message and avoided questioning Bush's war in Iraq.

[muawiyah]

Mo most likely would not have whacked any of his wives with a sword. First off they were all connected very well politically. Second their brothers and fathers were exceedingly hard men, many of whom had initially opposed Mo and fought against him and his army.

Then, third and most importantly, Mo had learned to listen to his wife(wives) at an early age. Recall if you will that his first wife was far older than he, was very wealthy from pursuing business successfully, and she gave Mo all the time he needed to mess around with religion with the boys in the coffee shop.

He not only would have had his wife driving a car, he would have had ALL of his wives driving cars, of age or not, with him seated in the rear sipping rose water.

[martin_fierro]

Bill Clinton: 'Prophet would have let wife behind wheel'

Yeah, well, I'm still not gonna let your wife drive my country.

[observer5]

"Clinton would love it there.... He can sleep with as many women as possible and he wont get blamed."

You mean he can RAPE as many women as possible...

[observer5]

"Allah's Apostle said, "If a husband calls his wife to his bed (i.e. to have sexual relation) and she refuses and causes him to sleep in anger, the angels will curse her till morning."

What a pathetic religion, invented by a mentally ill person.

[afraidfortherepublic]

What a stupid, inconsequential issue to chide them about! If he cared about the way the Saudi governemt treats its people, there are far more serious issues to bring up -- female circumcision, honor killings, slavery, sponsoring terrorists, etc., etc., etc.

Well, I suppose it's appropriate -- coming from a stupid, inconsequential man!

[observer5]

"The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?" He said, "Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?" They replied in the affirmative."

What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?

That we worship a moron like Mohammed!