….that is a particularly poor choice of words, especially at this sad time.
I don't think it was meant in poor taste, rather a summation, albeit in general terms, of the view on things. The Middle East and Saudi in particular is a shifting sandcastle, the results of which will only emerge in 20-30 years from now. I'll be checked out by then, or certainly no longer commenting on fan sites....
But the reality is this. Some of these countries are trying to make a change.
Some are trying harder than others.
The pace of change is surreal - and it's being driven by the younger population.
The leadership is [Poor language removed] scared of protest - like any autocracy.
Slavery was only abolished in Saudi in 1962. Some would argue it only took effect much later.
Like it or not, the UK has a long-established trading relationship with these people - and the number of UK jobs dependent on this trade (in the UK, not in GCC) is in the hundreds of thousands.
Although I didn't work for HM Government in my time there, I was close to them, and the mantra "change comes from within" was never more true.