Saudi Arabia has entered into a diplomatic fracas with a European Union member over monkeys.
Yes, you read that one right.
The pygmy marmosets at Skansen zoo in Stockholm had been destined for a Riyadh zoo.Okay technically the Saudis were just doing a little diplomatic quid anti quo after a female Swedish politican criticized the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for not letting sluts behind the wheel.
"They didn't want the monkeys anymore because of the political situation," said Skansen zoo boss Jonas Wahlstrom.
Last month the Saudi ambassador to Sweden was recalled, after Sweden ended an arms deal in a human rights dispute.
A co-ordinated campaign by Muslim nations against Sweden is not a fanciful notion. There is talk that Sweden may lose its chance to gain a seat on the UN Security Council in 2017 because of Wallström.
Look, aside from the benefit of not letting women drive (hint: they're all terrible at it, we might consider a similar move here), there's nothing here that should really offend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, Sweden does $1.3B a year with the Saudis, and that they're throwing money around while other governments aren't hasn't escaped the notion of policy makers everywhere: notice Sweden just last week apparently greased some wheels some but not enough.
Meanwhile, another Middle Eastern country is entering into a diplomatic fracas with a monkey...
Bonus observation: Note the name of the "Islamophobic" politician and the name of the zoo curator. Is that like Johnson/Johnston over there?
