Syria...
 

Is the Syria issue giving anyone the jitters in the area??

Re: Syria...
 

What issue?

Re: Syria...
 

No. The only people who it would be are those British expats living in Turkey and Lebanon. Oh, and the Israelis.

Seeing as how 95 per cent of people on here live in the Gulf – the majority in Dubai and Abu Dhabi – it's like asking did Brits in London feel in danger from the war in Yugoslavia. In fact, the distance from the UAE to most of the hot spots in Syria is actually further than what it was from London to the hotspots in Yugoslavia. ;)

Re: Syria...
 

Why is Russia considered such an authority on the issue? Whenever they discuss Syria on the news, they always refer to what Russia thinks.

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May be wrong but doesn't it come down to NATO or the UN and Russia have veto voting power and they don't want outside intervention?

Maybe they are flogging weapons and don't want it to stop.

Re: Syria...
 

The Russians don't want the Yanks to have anymore market share in the region .

Re: Syria...
 

They (The Ruskies) , by there own addmission sell over 1 Billion USD in arms a year to Syria. They also have a naval base in the Med based in Syria and don't want to lose either.

Yanks are scared that they will have three big states on the Med controled by Islamic parties. The US want democracy but not if the result is wrong ;)

Re: Syria...
 

whenever Syria is mentioned, so to is Russia and Iran funding the government and then Qatar and Saudi funding the rebels....

Re: Syria...
 

Syria, Lybia, Iran and Egypt taken off our list of countries we sell to next year. I now offically dont give a crap, knock yourselves out lads.

Re: Syria...
 

If they want US Democracy they can start by insisting on a secular constitution...

...the USA is a Republic by the way, not a Democracy.

N.

Re: Syria...
 

What is happening in Syria is the Arab Spring, similar to what happened in Egypt, Tunisia and Lybia. Whether they will be successful in over throwing the regime remains to be seen. The Syrian regime is powerful and ruthless and they appear to be holding on well. Outside parties such as the USA and EU are not willing to intervene. The situation in Syria has no parallels to the Gulf politically and there are no oppressed people in the Gulf that would want to overthrow the rulers. In Bahrain, it is a bit different, but again there it is not a deomcracy movement, there it is a Shia/Sunni situation. So to answer the OP's question - No I see no reason at all why the Syrian uprising should have any impact on the Gulf political situation.

Re: Syria...
 

Can you explain what that means? As I have failed to find any Americans who can.

It is one of those trite little sayings I often hear, but get quizzical expressions when I ask about it.

Re: Syria...
 

Are you asking the difference between a Republic and a Democracy? That is pretty straightforward.

Re: Syria...
 

I think I understand the common modern meaning of democracy and republic. America is both a Republic and a Democracy. The only way the phrase 'America is a Republic and not a Democracy' makes any sense is for the words to be more tightly defined; with democracy being a free for all with no constitution or representation, who uses democracy like that?

If I was to be pedantic I would say America is a polyarchy, but in day to day discourse I would never refer to it as such, so what I do not understand is why so many Americans insist on using such tightly defined definitions, which seems to go against daily definitions of those words. It seems to be most strongly expressed by those who seem to put most faith in the constitution, and I fail to understand their political motive. Especially as I say, when questioned they are not able to give me any convincing arguments.

Re: Syria...
 

First paragraph I agree. On the second an interesting and lengthy discussion would follow. Probably not the best thread for this.:D