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These are our friends?

Britain's support for illiberal regimes is a shameful story
Submitted by Rob Knight on 15 November 2007 - 9:57pm | Categories:

Just a few weeks ago:

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Minister for the Middle East Kim Howells joined dignitaries to welcome the king as he arrived at the central London parade ground with the Prince of Wales earlier in the day.

The head of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Ian Blair, who led the force through the London terror attacks of 2005, also greeted the king with a handshake and a smile.

The king reviewed a guard of honour before heading to Buckingham Palace in a carriage.

Today:

An appeal court in Saudi Arabia has doubled the number of lashes and added a jail sentence as punishment for a woman who was gang-raped.

The victim was initially punished for violating laws on segregation of the sexes - she was in an unrelated man's car at the time of the attack.

When she appealed, the judges said she had been attempting to use the media to influence them.

I somehow doubt that subjects like this were not on the agenda during the King's visit. Whilst our shameful dignitaries shake the hands of leaders like these, we can only conclude that justice, liberty and humanity are virtues entirely absent from our foreign policy. Vince Cable's decision to boycott the visit has been utterly vindicated.