The U.S. media will not notice and the U.S. government does not care - nor, in the case of the latter, should it. But Saudi Arabia - which is often outrageously described as “moderate” in the uncritical U.S. press - if the biggest censor in the Arab world.

While nations like Syria are often falsely demonized as “rogue” states, Saudi Arabia seeks to stifle as Arab and now Iranian criticism of its awful authoritarian rule.

The Saudi state is one of the most tyrannical in the world. This post is too short to go into detail. But one example will properly illustrate the degree religious fanaticism subdues individual liberty and imposes cruel justice: recently, a 70-year-old widow was sentenced to months in jail and 70 lashes. Her “crime”? She had the temerity to be in the presence of her nephew and his friend who stated by to deliver bread. In this ultra-strict Kingdom (whose own princes are frequent visitors to brothels and alcohol drinkers and drug users), sexual segregation is harshly enforced.

The Saudi royals know they preside over a primitive country that would still be in the stone ages under an equal system where it not for oil (which is a cursed blessing for the Middle East). During the 1950s and ’60s, Saudi Arabia was viciously attacked by Egypt’s popular pan-Arab leader Gamal Abdul Nasser for its backwardness. This period also saw a failed coup attempt by pro-Naser Saudi generals.

But then 1967 demolished Nasser’s army by the hands of Israel, and he went cap-in-hand to the Saudis to bail him out, so to speak. They did. On one condition: cease criticizing us. Nasser obliged. Shortly after his death in 1970, the Saudi royals - using their windfall from the 1973 oil boom - started buying up Arab media in an effort to silence criticism of the Kingdom by owning the megaphone. The plan worked - pretty much. Today, roughly 90-95% of Arab media is owned, literally or in effect, by one or another tentacle of the royal family either through direct ownership or subsidies. Either way: Saudi criticism is rarely heard. And the Saudis used oil money and influence to get Arab governments to ban damning books (such bans are rarely enforced, however). The Saudis (royals, not most citizens) were, of course, happy with this arrangement. Then came al-Jazeera. The first Arab 24/7 news channel broadcast from bordering Qatar sent shockwaves throughout the region, and stunned the Saudi royals. al-Jazeera aired interviews with Saudi dissidents and become the first voice in a long term to criticize a corrupt and vulgar regime.

Saudi Arabia greatly resented the success of a network coming from a small country, and it fought back. Saudi Arabia threatened any company that broadcasts on al-Jazeera with lose of access for the lucrative Saudi market. Private firms, not wanting to lose rights-to-sell to 25 million Saudis, agreed and that is why al-Jazeera today no longer airs, say, Coca-Cola ads but simply ads from Qatari state enterprises (which al-Jazeera is one). Saudi Arabia believed that if it could cost al-Jazeera ad dollars, it would be silenced from criticizing the royals. But, alas, Qatar is rich and can afford to subsidies al-Jazeera without the ad money.

So Saudi Arabia’s attempt at censorship - state silencing - was denied this time. But now the Saudis have succeeded in silencing a new network:

“The Middle East’s two main satellite operators have dropped an Arabic-speaking Iranian television station, a decision described by the broadcaster on Wednesday as an attempt to stifle Iran’s voice in the region. The Arabic-speaking al-Alam, based in Iran, said the decision Wednesday was politically motivated. Al-Alam has been critical of Arab governments.”

al-Alam had recently made of habit of criticizing Saudi Arabia, but only after official Saudi media had been running a campaign against Iran for months and cheering for an overthrow of the regime. Saudi Arabia hates growing Iranian regional clout and wanted the regime subdues to Saudi Gulf dominance. Iran has been gaining popularity in the region, and is fighting back against unfounded (and often bigoted anti-Shia) Saudi attacks. And it is was no doubt a Saudi orchestration that has removed al-Alam from subscriptions. Censors.