zaaboot

My sister is married to a Algerian and it looks like the next place to start a revolution - the police are really cracking down and beating the demonstrators...lets see how that one pans out. I am finding twitter to be the best source of up to date revolution news - seems to be quicker at getting info out than the normal news stations

Z

Boomhauer

Algeria had democratic elections in the 90s but since it was an Islamic centric government the military voided the elections and the West supported the government. The resulting bloodshed was over 60,000, and the primary blame was on the GIA whos fighters were Afghan-Soivet veterans and the Algerian security services. Everywhere the CIA interferes it screws things up right royally.

I think the West has to accept that they can't demand democrasy and then not accept the result when elections don't go their way. On the local front, the locals and Islamic parties have to understand the inherent rightness and morality of civil liberties and human rights for all and that the majority should not deprive the minority of the right to life and liberty. IOW, a pure democrasy is a bad thing

Boomhauer

The Shia mount protests every so often but are squelched quickly, especially their religious leaders. In the Gulf , I got the feeling, atleast as far as the Emirates go that the locals don't want democrasy , humans rights and civil liberties. They see themselves having a good thing going and don't want to rock the boat. Bahrain due to the majrity Shia pop being ruled by the minority Sunni is a different scenario. In those Gulf countries where the Sunnis rule, they don't want to rock the boat or give Shia more right, something that is inevitable with a progressive revolution.

Bahtatboy

You don't need democracy if you have huge wealth and a small and mainly homogenous indigenous population.

shiva

you do when the wealth is increasingly shared by a smaller and smaller proportion of the native population

Bahtatboy

Agreed, but my point was regarding a small population--Saudi, for example, doesn't qualify.

zaaboot

Two very key points
- far too many times especially in recent history have free and fair elections taken place then when the outcome did not suit, the government gets branded with some random term that makes them look like satanic nutters.

If it is free and fair let it run and see how it goes, even if it does not suit geo-political and economic (and energy resource) strategy - sadly, it is highly unlikely

- And indeed the people that are chosen must respect the minorities what ever that may be. And as mentioned eveything should be included, religion, liberties, and rights are not something you must earn due to being born in the wrong...anything

shiva

i'd still say my point stands for a lot of places and thats all im saying on an open forum whilst i live 3000 miles from civilisation

kittycat1

Hi all,

I apologize in advance for the ignorance of my post. Having been on holiday I haven't really seen the news and have just got around to reading this post, obviously I have seen a bit of the news but not enough to get a full understanding of whats going on. Can someone give me in layman terms whats going on- from my understanding its basically like the french revolution- so the poor overturning the government. And this has now spread to Yemen, Algeria and Bahrain? Or is it different events going on there?

Again I apologize for my ignorance but my understanding of politics and just generally the middle east is limited so would appreciate someone just stating some facts that would make it all a bit clearer rather than all the waffle you get on the news channels - thanks in advance.

kitty
xxx

zaaboot

Sort of - the main difference is it is not the poor overturning the government it was everyone (apart from hi cronies ) First Tunisia where degree educated student kicked of as they had no prospects - and one set himself alight after he was abused by police for selling fruit on a street corner.

Similar in Egypt, a very highly educated country etc...but the government was effectively a despot who stole plenty of state money and ruled through fear, graduates via Facebook and Twitter organised an revolution starting Jan25th this then escalated to be made up of every social breakdown and grew rapidly which carried on until he left, - but sadly still with billions of state wealth.

And as you say it is now kicking of elsewhere, Algeria, Bahrain, Yemen, Possibly in Jordan also

Z