Fred1new
- 06 Jan 2009 19:21
Will this increase or decrease the likelihood of terrorist actions in America, Europe and the rest of the world?
If you were a member of a family murdered in this conflict, would you be seeking revenge?
Should Tzipi Livni and Ehud Olmert, be tried for war crimes if or when this conflict comes to an end?
What will the price of oil be in 4 weeks time?
In The Land of the B
- 22 Feb 2011 17:23
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Why don't you quote your sources, parrot?
Not that anyone would think you had a single original thought in your head, anyway.
It's the BBC, by the way.
Haystack
- 22 Feb 2011 17:24
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I think it is very unlikely that Iran was behind any of the uprisings in the ME. The trigger was the guy who burned himself to death in Tunisia after being constantly arrested because he could not get a market trader's licence without paying a bribe. This led to the downfall of the Tunisian government after mass demonstrations.
In Egypt there was a planned demonstration in support of the guy who was dragged from an internet cafe last June and beaten to death for apparantly surfing web sites that were banned (Khaled Said). The demonstration had been planned for about a month and it turned out to be coincidental with the incident in Tunisia that led to the change of president there. The Egyptian demonstration became a lot bigegr than planned and it was confronted by the police. The rest is as played out on the media.
Haystack
- 22 Feb 2011 17:28
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For "seen by the Israeli in particular as even more destabilising", read PARANOIA.
Also from the BBC.
What is clear is that this deployment is not a direct response to the current upheavals in the Middle East, he adds.
Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported in January that Iranian navy cadets were going on a year-long training mission through Suez and into the Mediterranean - well before the protests that have swept the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt from power.
But coming in the wake of these political changes the Iranian deployment will be seen by the Israeli in particular as even more destabilising,
cynic
- 22 Feb 2011 17:48
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haystack - if you believe the coordinated "spontaneous" protests/uprisings across the whole of north africa and m/e were purely through unconnected coincidence, then you're even more naive (stupid) than others think ....... whether israel considers these incidents as destabilising is a mind-boggling narrow view, for they could prove to be very far-reaching indeed ..... certainly the whole dynamic in the affected region is likely to undergo dramatic change in an as yet unknown direction and dimension
Haystack
- 22 Feb 2011 18:06
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The regimes in the ME have been oppressive for many years and there have been plenty of mass demonstrations regularly in most of the ME countries in recent times. The success of the Tunisia uprising gave Egypt the impetus to push their demonstrations further than usual and the success of Egypt's efforts have spurred on several other countries. That's about it as far as I am concerned. There seems to be little evidence of external forces. Not a coincidence but a series of dominos waiting to topple.
I am generally not a believer in conspiracy theories. I am sure that the US landed on the moon, Marylin Monroe died of a overdose (intentional or otherwise), Elvis does not live on the moon, 911 was not a US government plot and Priness Di was just an over hyped idiot that did not wear a seat belt in a car driven by a drunk driver (luckily I was out of the country and missed the crash, the hype and the funeral).
cynic
- 22 Feb 2011 18:08
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let's ask this very simply again ..... yes or no anwer ..... do "believe the coordinated "spontaneous" protests/uprisings across the whole of north africa and m/e were purely through unconnected coincidence"?
Haystack
- 22 Feb 2011 18:12
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No, not coincidental but uncordinated. Just the follow on result of each one in encouraging the next.
cynic
- 22 Feb 2011 18:21
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so you think people can get themselves organised that well and quickly without "help"?
In The Land of the B
- 22 Feb 2011 20:41
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C'mon parrot, surely it MUST have been a Mossad plot to keep Arab governments pre-occupied whilst Israel invaded and seized all the oil fields?
The fact they haven't is entirely due to the peace loving Hizbollah Hamas and Iran triumvirate warning Israel secretly that they shouldn't.
Surely you must have found that on the internet by now? Somewhere. If not then you must devote the remaining 15 minutes of the day to trying harder.
Haystack
- 22 Feb 2011 21:33
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Yes.
cynic
- 22 Feb 2011 22:17
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haystack - even less likely than foinavon winning the grand national
Haystack
- 22 Feb 2011 23:21
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Who would you think was the prime mover in such a conspiracy? Iran has enough trouble keeping their own country under control and is disliked by most of the people in other ME countries. Iran isn't really an Arab country anyway and the official language is not even Arabic.
It clearly isn't the US as it is potentially damaging to their interests. The protestors in most of the countries are students, fairly young adults and non religious people. I know a large number of people from these areas and they are surprised at the events. Most of the Algerians thought it would not happen there, but the government has agreed to concessions today including lifting the state of emergency that has been in force for years (20 odd I think).
I spoke to an Algerian over the weekend that had just come back from Algiers. He said that the details of where the demonstrations were being held are sent by mobiles and Facebook. He lives here in London, but a lot of his friends are going on demos out there. The overall view a couple of weeks ago from Algerians here was that it wouldn't happen there as the government were too violent and that they would just kill the demonstrators. In the event the violence has not happened to the extent that they had thought. I think that is the major factor in the fall of these regimes. It is as though the authorities have been caught and hypnotised in the headlights. They have not reacted with the violence that the population had always expected. Libya is the only one that has behaved as was thought. I think that if the populations of these countries had realised how poorly their governments have resisted then there would have been revolutions years ago.
Haystack
- 22 Feb 2011 23:23
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In The Land of the B - 22 Feb 2011 20:41 - 4381 of 4384
"If not then you must devote the remaining 15 minutes of the day to trying harder."
Are you in some country that is 3 hours ahead of us?
fahel
- 23 Feb 2011 08:51
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Gadhafi's aunt, confirm that Gadhafi is Jewish as his grandma is Jewish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4Ql0IzbWmQ&feature=player_embedded#at=63
ahoj
- 23 Feb 2011 08:53
- 4387 of 6906
The best option for the west is to keep away from the conflict and just encourage democracy.
Any milatary action will have negative effect as the people of the country will be united against any external inteference.
This happenned in Iran as Iraq war made everyone united to fight in one front against external the force.
In The Land of the B
- 23 Feb 2011 09:25
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Where I live is none of your business, Greg Hayes LOL
required field
- 23 Feb 2011 09:39
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I think that William Hague does a very good imitation of himself, and :....."from a very good source I gather that we are ready to send the daleks in to Libya.....you must obey..obey....the leader.....oh sorry,.. I mean disobey....disobey the leader....."...
Haystack
- 23 Feb 2011 12:10
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ITLOTB
Actually, I think you live in London. It would be easy to find out.
Haystack
- 23 Feb 2011 12:40
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Irish journalist David Cronin verbally attacked Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman during a press conference he held with European Union officials in Brussels on Tuesday.
Lieberman was forced to curtail the conference after Cronin yelled out: Free Palestine, Israel is an apartheid state, and stop Israeli crimes.
Cronin also tried to place Lieberman on citizens arrest, aided by an EU law allowing citizens to apprehend subjects believed to have committed crimes until police arrive.
I did it because I believe Israel is racist, Cronin said, and that Lieberman must be held accountable for his crimes.
Haystack
- 23 Feb 2011 19:22
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http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/02/2011222211617377989.html
Is the West Bank next?
If Israel refuses to accept a viable peace deal, the revolt sweeping the Arab world will arrive in Palestine.
If Binyamin Netanyahu's govenment, and its lobby in Washington, were rational they would be rushing to plan Israel's evacuation from the occupied territories, and encouraging the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.
That is because they would understand that the Arab revolution will not stop at the gates of the West Bank, especially when it is the occupation that unites virtually all Arabs and Muslims in common fury.