BUSH/CHENEY/RICE REMAIN SILENT ON 200 LASHES FOR 19-YEAR-OLD SAUDI WOMAN

I wrote several days ago about the outrageous and cruel punishment imposed by a Saudi Sharia court on a 19-year-old woman who was gang raped after being found in a car with a man not related. The court decided to give her 200 lashes instead of the original sentence of only 90.

I am happy to see Democratic candidates Edwards, Obama and Clinton come out with expressions of dismay and alarm over this Saudi treatment. The sentence is truly barbaric and medieval. Every candidate must condemn it.

But where is Bush? Where is Cheney? Where is Condoleeza Rice? How come we hear no denunciations of this Saudi cruelty from them? How come we hear nothing from Laura Bush who has pretended to be so interested in women's rights? George Bush walks on his ranch holding hands with Saudi King Abdullah but is strangely silent on this case. Our great moral giver of democracy shockingly allows this sentence to be carried out even though the sentence shows the cruelty and backwardness of Saudi society.

Shame on Bush until he stands up for this 19-year-old girl and her basic human rights.