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AFP -- Getty Images, file
Bahraini demonstrators hold a portrait of Shiite spiritual figure Ayatollah Issa Qassem and a placard with a map of Bahrain, during a rally in the western suburb of Manama on May 18 to protest against a proposal to unite the Sunni-ruled kingdom with neighboring Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia's plan to forge a closer military and political union with other Persian Gulf countries risks inflaming tensions with Iran, experts warn.
Bahrain, a tiny island kingdom which is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, is intent on strengthening its ties to its powerful neighbor.
The Saudi spear-headed plan envisions a unified military and foreign policy across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which also includes the Sunni monarchies Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The proposal is seen as a bulwark against the growing influence of Shiite Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival.
However, the United Arab Emirates has raised questions about whether closer cooperation would give too much power to Saudi Arabia and GCC leaders last month temporarily put the plan on hold. Negotiations are believed to be continuing behind the scenes.
Bahrain, which has been in turmoil since pro-democracy protests erupted last year, remains convinced for the need for some form of a union.
"We are progressing from the (Gulf Cooperation Council) to a Gulf union," Sheikh Fahad Al-Khalifa, media counsellor to the Bahraini Embassy in London, told msnbc.com.
Last week, Bahrain's prime minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa reiterated the call for military, economic and political unity while welcoming a Kuwaiti delegation to the capital Manama.
Iran dropped long-standing claims to Bahrain in 1970 after a United Nations poll that showed a majority of the population wanted to be independent.
NYT: Obama accelerated cyberattacks against Iran
"There is something very dangerous going on here because Iran gave up its claim on Bahrain because the Bahraini people wanted an independent state," said Jane Kinninmont, senior research fellow for the Middle East and North Africa at London-based think tank Chatham House. "If that is unilaterally abrogated and Bahrain is absorbed into Saudi Arabia then you can see that it would give Iran some political grounds that that deal is over."
Kinninmont added that there would be no legal grounds for Iran's claim to Bahrain.
US to resume arms sales to Bahrain despite human rights concerns
Bahraini activists, who complain of systematic discrimination against the Shiite majority, call the move a blatant power grab by Sunni Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia sent around 1,500 Gulf troops into its tiny neighbor to quell protests during which dozens died and hundreds were detained, tortured and received unfair trials, according to human rights organizations such as Amnesty International.
"The only people completely desperate for it in the Gulf are the (Bahraini royal family)," prominent opposition activist and economist Ala’a Shehabi, 31, told msnbc.com. "We know that the Bahraini ruling family are already puppets –- now they will be confirmed as puppets."
PhotoBlog: Bahrain protesters clash with police after funeral
While Bahrain's King Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa has pledged to implement the recommendations of a report the government commissioned in the wake of last year’s violence, many in the opposition complain that there very little has been done to address their concerns. The government has also rejected calls for an elected government.
'Bahrain is not for sale'
Shehabi isn't alone in dismissing the proposed union with Saudi Arabia. Tens of thousands of demonstrators chanting "Bahrain is not for sale" jammed a major highway on May 18 to protest the plans.
The turnout -- The Associated Press reported that crowds stretched for more than three miles -- underscored the backlash.
In Bahrain, Twitter tells the story of police, protesters and Formula One race
While Bahraini officials contend that Iran is directing the protest movement, it has not offered evidence of these claims. The government-commissioned report also did not find evidence of such control.
Whatever its involvement in Bahrain protests, Iran has ratcheted up its rhetoric.
Sanctions have taken a toll on the Iranian economy. The government is reluctant to admit it. Inflation is high. The number of young unemployed is a growing concern. NBC's Ali Arouzi reports.
On May 18, during a government-backed march in Tehran, cleric Kazem Sedighi called the Saudi-Bahraini pact an "ominous conspiracy" aimed at the "annexation" of Bahrain by Saudi Arabia.
Report: Iran using passenger jets to smuggle arms to Syria, Lebanon
Further inflaming tensions, a member of Iran’s parliament, Hussein Ali Shahriari, referred to Bahrain as Iran’s "14th province".
The war of words between Iran and the rulers of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia leave opposition activists such as Shehabi feeling trapped.
"We really feel here that we have been a battleground for regional proxy Cold War between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and we've lost our legitimate cause because of those colliding interests," she said.
Bahrain to citizens abroad: Spy on countrymen
Others with no ties to the opposition movement have also have misgivings about a closer union between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
"Even if it were not the case, a union would be perceived by many as an annexation," said longtime Bahrain watcher Douglas Hansen-Luke, a former CEO of Robeco Middle East and managing partner of HLD Partners, a firm advising institutions on investment in sustainable development. "Bahrain has two choices – one choice is to continue its path towards moderate reform. The other is to retreat into a policy of no change – something which would likely force the opposition into more extreme measures."
More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- Will Saudi-Bahrain union plan provoke Iran?
- US drone strikes in Pakistan kill 27 people in 3 days
- New Vatican documents leaked after arrest of pope's butler
- Jublilee flotilla: A gloomy, gray - and great - day for UK
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Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
Leave a Comment:
So who cares? Bahrain is our ally but unfortunately has a large Iranian-shia population. The Saudi's who are Sunni can keep the Islamic extremists under control.
The Iranian government are total hypocrites. They complain about Saudi Arabia helping out a Sunni king in Bahrain, but are totally supportive of Assad, the Dictator, Alawite to ruling over a Sunni country.
I am all for Saudi Arabia helping out Bahrain.
Let the Sunnis and the Shiites sort it out between them and then deal with whoever is left.
It's the Jews and any idiot that listens to them, that will inflame tensions with Iran.
I had an idea something like this would happen eventually. The other countries in the Middle East are banding together to try to tip the balance of power out of Iran's favor. Iran will probably become very uncomfortable with this. This might make Iran more likely to strike at Saudi Arabia or Bahrain as well as Israel if they feel even more threatened. I agree with Denver Bill in that we should keep out of it. We are too thinly stretched with enough problems of our own domestically as it is. Let them sort their own problems out.
You can call these countries our allies but given the high price I'm paying at the pump it's time they start paying their own way. I don't mind if our military provides protection and locates bases over there as a deterrent. But these countries who want our protection should pay all the costs. they're rolling in dough while we're going broke. And that goes for the rest of the world. Japan, South Korea, Germany, Israel, and the rest.
It's the other way around - Iran's posture has caused others to forge partnerships.
Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.....
Middle East ... more like Mental East ... land of Mordor is at unrest what else is new...bunch of losers!!!!!
The REAL question is: What does big OIL want? Because, that's what WILL happen!
Sadham Hussein kept Iran at bay.
Right, because Iran isn't building nuclear weapons that destabilize the region.
We should SO be worried about inflaming tensions with them - NOT!
Roadkill has a point. With the only mistake thinking Big Oil isn't actually representing a population that refuses to pay even a dollar more per fillup at the pump if they don't have to. So, right now it is complete BS that John Q public wants anything different than Big Oil.
Because did you offer to pay an extra dollar or more evey time you filled up over the past 2 years? I didn't think so. So stop blaming companies from giving consumers what they want to buy. I don't see anyone driving any less either, until they can't afford to.
For Shiites majority Bahrainians this move will be fast backward march to seventh century desert days.
Sunni Saudi ruler with his 5000 princes and princesses is highly bigoted, corrupt, despotic, autocratic and most backward mindset ruler in 21 century.
Anyhow let Shiites and Sunnis handle their problems.
Who is going to keep the Wahabi, Saudi National Sunni sect under control ? No religion on the face of the earth is more extreme than they are. Churches, and temples of any sort are not allowed on Saudi land. Any Saudi who openly professes to be Christian, Jewish, Hindi, Buddhist, etc literally loses his or her head by way of a sword in a public beheading.
With the Navy's 5th fleet based in Bahrain, it is definitely in our interests to ensure stability in the country. Right now that stability comes from their close ties with Saudi Arabia. I do not think a union is necessarily a good idea, but for the Sunni monarchies in the region to form something like their own version of NATO would seem to make a lot of sense. This is really the direction the GCC has been headed in for some time, so the latest discussions are no surprise. I think an outright annexation of Bahrain by Saudi Arabia would be a bad idea because it would stir up a lot of problems with the Shia population and with Iran that definitely is not needed right now. A mutual defense agreement that basically makes it clear to Iran to keep their hands off Bahrain and not to meddle in their affairs by sending trouble makers into the country is really all that is needed at this point.
Mind you: there are Shiites in Iraq too. They will invent more problems if Sunni Saudis try to be too smart!
NamVeteran you are right 100%!
Will this inflame tensions with Iran, I sure hope so. I hope it pisses them off so bad they do something else foolish.
The 9/11 hijackers were Saudis.
Let the middle east deal with the middle east. We have enough problems at home.
Why is everybody cow-towing to this arsshole country Iran. They are nobody and nobody should care what those jerks think.
I wish the press would just ignore these things and don't write stupid comments. No, it is not your duty to report every crap with the twists and spins you put on it!! Most of your spins are BS anyway.
And yes, let those folks over there deal with that stuff, we don't care and have our own much more pressing problems.
Mike Christain, don't you think that Bin Lauden planned it that way so to try to drive a wedge between the US and Saudis? There would be no point to having 19 Palestinians do it. Now would there? Actually he did it just so the conspiracy nuts and other loonies here could keep pointing it out. Are the Saudis our friends? No. Countries don't have friends only common interests with other countries. They ally with us when it suits their needs. When not, it's up your's. Do the Saudis use us? Yes. So does Israel, Germany, Japan, etc etc. AND WE use them right back! Al-Qaeda is a Sunni dominated group. As are the Bathists. Iranian are Shia. In the middle east bi-polar is the norm. Sides and alliances change daily.
Sunni Saudis can jump as high as they want with their seventh century desert dresses. Their ruler and his 5000 princes and princesses can lead them.
Without the US and NATO forces help, they can't even dress properly.
In 1990s, just 500 Shiites rebels took over their holiest place, Mecca/Medina. Brave Saudi soldiers used to battling girls, women, minority and unarmed could not dislodge them.
Here again the US got the rebels cleared with the help of Jordaian and Paki forces. US could not use its forces as they are "infidels".
How can those who fight poor girls and women fight in battlefields?
For battlefields and dirty jobs, they outsource them through oil companies and lobbyists o the US and allies.
denver bill 2 and Ed Nav Doc--
I agree with both of you 100%!
The article is wrong in saying that "Bahrain" is considering a union with Saudi Arabia.Its the unelected rulers of Bahrain considering a union.They are afraid (as they should be) of their own people and want Saudi protection for their dictatorship.Before any union the UN should insist on a supervised vote of the population on this union.
Any move to form or to strengthen alliances in the region will irritate Iran, no matter who is involved. Come to think of it, anything you do these days is viewed suspiciously by them. Perhaps deep down they are not as secure and almighty as they project themselves to be.
Is proof reading a lost art?
Mad pyschos with an agenda like the ayatollahs don´t need provocation.They´ve been aggressive nazi like ranters and ravers since they came to power 33 years ago.LIke Hitler and his gang of perverts the nazis,the ayatollahs must be finished off now.They are made of the same cloth as Adolph.The ayatollahs are the same type of beasts that were hung at Nurumberg..They must be treated as such!!
The Wahabi's are Sunni and from Saudi Arabia.
Bart - You call the leaders of Iran, "mad pyschos". You throw around the term like it means something. What has Iran done, that would indicate they are mad pyschos? How would you know their "agenda" as you claim? I haven't seen them do anything rash, like attack their neighbors, such as Israel has done or build nuclear weapons as Israel has done, or attack the USA on 9/11 as Israel has done, with the aid of Zionists in our government.
It appears to me that you are the one ranting and raving. Israel has threatened to bomb Iran for the last 10 years or more and in 1992, claimed that Iran would have nuclear weapons within 5 years. Time is up, still no nuclear weapons.
Here is what our intelligence professionals have said about the leadership of Iran.
In a recent interview with CNN, Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey said he
believed the Iranian regime was a "rational actor"
when it comes to the nuclear program.
Dempsey said Iran would likely weigh the ultimate costs and benefits of
building a nuclear weapon before doing so.
JERUSALEM - Despite saber-rattling from Jerusalem, Israeli officials now
agree with the U.S. assessment that Tehran has not yet decided on the actual
construction of a nuclear bomb, according to senior Israeli government and
defense figures.
Video about 9/11 - It was an inside job, with Mossad help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgABDdU7yD8&feature=related
Bart, not all the whack jobs are Iranian ayatollahs. There are several that post right here on msnbc newsvine. Twelve year old boys are not the only ones tortured by islamic "mad psychos" and their witless supporters. The truth is also tortured beyond recognition.
Of all the israeli supporters, martin bart is the least regarded for his constant mumble jumble relating ayatollah to nazism and calling them psyopath. At least Cassandra and B Stevens have class.
Scott-2632503:
Yes, it is. So is using correct spelling and punctuation.
If it happens, good for us - bad for Iran. What did the Iranians think? That the rest of the region would stand by idly waiting for the Iranians to begin their nuclear threats? As much as I doubt the Saudis (bigger in word than in deed), this appears to be a way of pressurizing the Iranian Government into some some kind of committed course.
Who cares what the Iranians think. They are pis sed off at someone most of the time anyway. The only question that remains is who is the lesser of 2 evils, Iran or Saudi.
Saudi Arabia is the lesser of two evils - question answered.
Well I guess we will now have to hear some stand-up from Mahmoud "the dude". How seriously can you take a little turd such as him? He craves attention and is a camera whore.
This website is entertainment for idiots. A waste of time.
NICES i see you are being entertained!!!!!!!!
Saudis have turned out to be worst evils in the history.
If any rulers in the world qualify to be thrown out, they are the most despotic, autocratic and bigoted Sunni Saudi (a ruler with 5000 princes and princesses and more captive slave girls and women to enjoy), Kuwaiti, UAE and other Arab League Sunni rulers.
They invented Iraqi wars, high oil price manipulations and made themselves rich.
They gave back their Sunni extremist versions of hate preaching and killers training centers, mosques all over the world and worst economic mess in the US, Europe (PIIGS) and some more nations. They are backers of the Islamic killers, al-Qaeda and other label terrorist organizations.
These barbarians and beasts are responsible for 80 percent of world problems.
Now Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists again are outsourcing their dirty jobs in Syria and Iran to the US, Britain and European nations.
So there are sanctions on Iranian oil!
Just watch oil prices jumping to $200 and Saudis, oil companies, lobbyists and the politicians’ political contributions making windfalls.
There will be more economic turmoils.
Saudi Arabia, while it may have laws that are a bit too conservative for even me as a Saudi myself, is a natural ally of the USA. Back in the days before World War I, the West (Britain mostly) was helping us fight AGAINST the Ottoman Empire (the evil empire of back then that tried to conquer Europe, remember?), and the Ottomans were allies of the Germans! So we were on the USA side even back then! Most Saudis love the King and even though I disagree with some laws, I support our King too! But the BEST example of an Arab country has to be our ultra-wealthy, peaceful, prosperous and more liberal neighbors in the Arabian Gulf, most notably the United Arab Emirates, that just so happens to have the tallest tower in the world and more Starbucks, 5-story shopping malls and Ferraris than the average American town :)
Oh yea, we hate and are AGAINST terrorist pigs like Al Qaeda, the Taliban, Hezbollah, Hamas, etc, they want to kill us as badly as they want to kill you!
I say: Arabian Gulf, USA, Europe and India together against Iran and terrorist scum FOREVER!
The Saudi people stabbed the USA in the back on 9/11.
The Saudis did 9/11...Enough said.
mike, nice job. You condemn an entire nation based on the actions of a few nuts. I guess that means that we stabbed ourselves in the back when Tim McVeigh and Terry Nichols blew up the Murrah building.
Mike Christain (I'm assuming you were TRYING to spell "Christian", good job at trying to look smart on the internet when u can't even spell ur name correctly!) and Tom Berenger, you obviously did not read my post and have no knowledge of the world beyond your trailer parks, allow me to enlighten you on what's already common knowledge to most of my own friends from the USA (who LOVE Dubai by the way).
The same dirty, violent, brainwashed, ugly, murderous terrorists that did 9/11 want to kill me, 99% of the Saudi and Arabian Gulf population, as much as they want to kill you. And the Saudi King is their number one most hated enemy, because Mr. Genius, Al Qaeda is fighting for what is called a "worldwide Caliphate" meaning that all of our Kings would have to be killed if they are successful at what they are fighting for (which will NEVER HAPPEN), and in the Arabian Gulf (Saudi Arabia included), there is a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for supporting any kind of terrorism. Our governments are 100% US Allies against these terrorist scum, and we're against Iran too. But the best Arab country is the United Arab Emirates, which has the tallest tower in the world, virtually ZERO crime rate, peace, wealth and prosperity for all, and millions of tourists from all over the world visiting each year (many from the USA too!)
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!
Also most Saudi ppl are totally AGAINST Al Qaeda, which actually started out in Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen, not rlly from around here, their ideas are totally alien to true Arabian and Islamic culture, which is nonviolent. Al Qaeda and other terrorists represent Saudi Arabians as much as the Ku Klux Klan or Neo-Nazis represent Americans...
All lies, Abdullah. 99% of Saudis are Wahabists, and 100% cheered when the World Trade Center collapsed. At least the Iranians had nothing to do with 9/11. I'll give them that.
AbdullahKhaleeji7, al Qaeda started in Iraq? And Osama bin Laden was a deep cover elf in Kris Kringle's workshop. You be doing the Houbley Boubley?
AbdullahKhalleeji7: Do you people have a little bit of morality, character and integrity?
You people imagine that you people are too smart and sing and dance in different directions as time demands and make others dance with you people by throwing monies.
No one can't trust a word of what you people say.
Your Saudi ruler and his thousands of princes are guilty of assembling all girls and women of the world and running brot**ls and lecturing us on morality. Talk of immorals animals on earth: it starts from your ruler.
You criminals and ungrateful people have backstabbed us by inventing and exporting your extremist versions of Sunni Salaffi, Wahhabi versions by funding mosques all over the world.
Why don't you double speaking, double dealing hypocrites and most immoral animals on earth permit Bibles and other religious places in your Saudi Arabia?
We had enough of one-way street lectures, dances and dramas from you ungrateful and backstabbing animals and Islamic religious Nazis.
It is time up for you, your ruler and likes of you.
Just another way of pushing up the price of oil...
You bet.
Saudis and other greedy bunch like oil companies and their lobbyists invented Iraqi wars.
Net results of Saudi, Kuwait, UAE, oil companies and their lobbyists directed 1991 and 2003 Iraqi wars (where were WMDs) are
WINNERS
1. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and other rich ME sharks became richer by manipulating oil prices too high.
2. Oil companies and their lobbyists also benefitted. Oil prices, which were hardly $30 a barrel before 1991, shot up to $140 a barrel.
3. Since 2003, future traders, rating agencies, Wall Street and oil companies and their lobbyists transferred five trillion dollars from oil importing countries to oil exporting nations.
4. Rich Sunni ME sharks (Saudi Arabia in particular) funded Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques and Islamic radicals and terrorists all over the world. These Sunni Islamic radicals and terrorists are rampaging all over the world. World’s 80 percent of problems are due to them.
LOSERS
1. General US and European nations’ public. There have been high unemployment, cut in welfare measures, housing market collapse and more miseries. Since 2001, US spent three trillion dollars on Iraq and Afghan wars. Did the Saudis and co foot the bill?
2. Poor soldiers killed and injured and their families. In Iraq and Afghan wars 6300 soldiers were killed and 40000 injured.
3. High budget deficits and heavier borrowing. Many nations (PIIGS) and people are on line to bankruptcy!
4. Iraq will plunge into bloody sectarian civil wars leading to the creation of Shiastan, Sunnistan and Kurdistan. Here the losses are of Iraqis.
These Saudi, oil companies and their lobbyists dances and dramas on Iran are going to make life more miserable for most of us.
Jonathan-1982062 Interesting theory, but I don't recall the Saudi's telling Saddam to make boasts about having Nuclear weapons.
Saddam used chemical weapons (Mustard Gas (remember a war called WWI ?), it can blind you and kill you), also called known as a "Weapon/s of Mass Destruction", he used this chemical on the kurd's.
So lets see here, Saddam uses chemical weapons on the Kurds, and then threatens to have nuclear weapons, and wants to wipe Israel off the map......hmmm, I wonder if he would go through with it ? Wait didn't Saddam have the 4th largest military in the world ? You know, really ol Saddam wasn't such a bad bloke, we should have given him more breaks, right ? Oops, Saddam was running off at the mouth, shortly after the New York World Trade Tower/Pentagon/failed White House attacks, ....wrong time to rattle the saber ?
Unless you say the Saudis and Wall Street crooks set all that up too ? It's possible, but can you prove it ?
Jonathan, you are SO WRONG when you say that Saudi Arabia supports terrorism, plz educate urself! The Saudi government is the ENEMY of the terrorists! Al Qaeda wants to kill and overthrow the Saudi leaders who they see have an "evil alliance" with the USA! Here's what happens with Saudis.
A peaceful, moderate Muslim Saudi man has a lot of money, some ppl are jealous of that and call him "greedy" when he doesn't do things to help ppl. So he gives money to organizations that build mosques and schools (also hospitals) in poor countries. Now, since these poor countries have a high level of illiteracy, violence, etc it is easy for extremists to brainwash ppl. The Saudi man who donated the money to build the school or mosque in another country cannot possibly control the curriculum/who teaches the ppl, therefore, YOU CANNOT BLAME SAUDI PPL! Most Saudis support the USA! And yes KSA did tell the US to go into Iraq but only because Saddam was a huge threat to everyone! Its not about oil its about world security! Saudi Arabia/our Gulf neighbors AND the USA WIN!
AbdullahKhaleej7: You seventh century desert mindset Salaffi, Wahhabi Islamic religious Nazis need to come to at least 20th century to understand what I posted.
You, one-way street Islamic religious Nazis, have become liabilities on earth and curses on earth.
Don't assume that you people are too smart and can get away with murders as you people do in your barbaric and beastly Saudi Arabia.
Current 80 percent of world problems are due to you Saudis and Pakis.
If both nations are on map and survived, it is due to the British, US and allies.
You ungrateful people have backstabbed us most.
otto: In boasting these Muslim rulers, especially ME ones, are the greatest and some are too special. You have seen Saddam's. Now look at the Iranians idiotic mullahs and their followers.
"US to resume arms sales to Bahrain despite human rights concerns",
.....THAT SAYS IT ALL! The Military Industrial Complex in the USA...is alive, well, and growing. Indeed, it loves @!$%# like this!!!
Growth and profit through weapons and war...above all else!!!
They left out the part were many many many American are suffering as well.
No jobs. Hyper inflation. Lost hope.
This has been going on since the 50's, why act so surprised now?
Much as we all are sick to death of problems in the Middle East, that region is where our biblical history began. It is all documented in the bible since Genesis and foretold thru the prophets in the Old Testament (which, by the way, all came true into the New Testament and today). We better all wake up to what Iran is doing and support ANYONE who is against that government. We need to keep Israel as an ally because they are still God's chosen people and will be til the end of these times. Just track all the way back in Israel's history and you'll see that they have (as God said He would) come thru many tough situations (tiny as they are--look up their history of battles). America should not turn their back on them like England and other countries did.
Some times too many wars are too bad.
Just examine Iraqi and Afghan wars.
We are noticing the mess all around.
The alternative to the Bahraini monarchy is Shiite despotism. Neither the Shiites nor their strict interpretation of the Sharia are much concerned with individual rights, freedom or democracy. The Shiites are concerned with promoting Iran's interests; chasing the US Naval base out of Bahrain.
Rocky, what are you talking about. Current inflation is 2.3% (definitely not hyper) and unemployment is 8.2%, which is high but that also suggests more than 90% employed. I will grant you that there are some people who have lost hope, but that would be the case if unemployment were only 1%.
This is a horrible idea I have lived in Saudi and these are a people who need to be stopped not helped to grow larger. Here is a video to show what happens when you trust men from Saudi...
9/11 iand hatred of the US and West by Muslims all over the world are examples of Saudi friendship and doing dirty jobs for them.
Excuse me, the dirty, DISGUSTING, evil terrorists that did 9/11 were ENEMIES OF SAUDI ARABIA! What rock have you been living under?! The Saudi government took away their Saudi citizenships long ago, they are representing Saudis as much as Timothy McVeigh or the Ku Klux Klan represents Americans, or Anders Breivik represents Norwegians! Most Saudis are AGAINST violence and terrorism, and we support the USA 100%
I bet you didnt know that the dirty Al Qaeda terrorists want to KILL THE SAUDI KING! The Saudi government as an ally of the USA is against everything these terrorists are fighting for!
And look at the super-rich and peaceful Arabian Gulf countries like United Arab Emirates and Qatar, we got the tallest building in the world and millions of American tourists come here every year and they LOVE IT! You obviously dont know of the world beyond your trailer park, plz educate urself!
The Saudis are back stabbers.
mike, how can you condemn an entire country based on the actions of a few. If we are willing to go to that extreme, then I guess we (the U.S.) is in the same boat.
AbdullahKhaleeji7, Its the Houbley Boubley, again. The majority of ISLAMIC TERRORISTS involved in the attack of the United States were Saudi. If you know the truth it will set you free.
Abdullah Khaleeji7 - I just saw a post of a Kuwaiti man sentenced to 10 years for apparently "tweeting" insulting remarks about Muhhamad and the Sunni leaders of Saudi.
When you get upset and stereotype various American(?) posters with remarks about "trailer parks" and "living under rocks" you drive an even larger wedge between our cultures.
At some point you are trying to illustrate the political alliances between Saudi and the west, then when someone makes a disagreeable remark you lower yourself to "Saturday Night Live"(NY) stereotypes of "rednecks" and/or "trailer park people". Not all trailer park folks are naive or uneducated, and there are plenty of educated Americans who can't even afford a trailer.
WE (I'm not sure about you) live in a world of unequal and unethical rights and treatment. The middle class have been all but been ruined in the US (by greedy bankers, corrupt/lazy/selfish politicians, over bearing corporations,etc..) and are constantly under attack. CEO's of failing corporations are continually given huge severance packages and stock options, etc..big banks and certain auto manufacturers got bailed out, but what about the middle class ?
What did we get ? Hmmm, lets see...higher taxes, slow wage increases, less/or no medical coverage, rising insurance rates, rising utilitiy rates, rising property taxes, dropping property values to the point many people owe more than their homes are worth(many just walk away in turn lowering the neighbors property values), and to top it off a Republican front runner who follows a religion started by a polygamist, who says the "The trees in Michigan are the right height", and who gained his wealth by the same diabolical means I mentioned above, some call it "vulture capitalism", sadly it's worse, it's just evil.
So with all that, we get to hear you (probably wealthy ?) blast folks here as being "trailer park" "rednecks" for grasping for straws ? You live in a different world, maybe you should be more concerned about the Kuwaiti man sentenced to ten years for apparently "tweeting" remarks about your peaceful religion.
Respect is not demanded, it is earned. I (and most Americans) have no respect for a culture that imprisons people for making foul remarks against a claimed prophet or it's political leaders. It sounds like your culture is one of "have and have nots" and also one of fear.
AbdullahKhaleej7: First come to the modern world starting from your dresses.
Don't start your new seventh century Sunni Salaffi and Wahhabi desert lectures, dances and dramas.
World has come a long way from you liabilities on earth.
There is the idea of a single power calliphate among many in the Muslim world. They feel that a united Islamic world would be more powerful than a divided Ummah. They yearn nostalgically for the days when they early Calliphs ruled a real Islamic revolution that stretched from Southern Spain to the Hindu Kush mountains. But this is not possible because of human psychology. Each region vies to be the uniter and must fight the others with the same ambition. The theocratic politics are akin to the medieval Holy Roman Empire, which was neither holy nor Roman nor an Empire, but rather it was a collection of competing petty prince states in that fluxed with internal power struggles and skirmish wars in an incessant bid for dominion.
Europe abandoned it's theocratic methods. Perhaps it is time for the Islamic world to do the same.
This is the problem. (Well written by the way) We are trying to deal with a HUGH number of petty states with a unknown power leader. (sort of like Iran at the moment) Every time you get one deal made - a new leader takes its place.
I applaud your knowledge of European history and perspective of human psychology/nature but I must say that as a Muslim from the wealthy, prosperous and peaceful Arabian Gulf, I completely disagree with the idea of the "Caliphate", and none of my friends or family support it, and it is an idea that is held only by misguided, usually extremist elements in the societies of mostly poor, wartorn countries in the "Middle East" that do not represent the real Islam at all, but it is rather surprising that the place where I have seen this ideaology the most is in online forums with Muslims from the USA, either converts or ppl from backgrounds in countries like Libya, Lebanon, Afghanistan, etc that are culturally confused and desperate for an identity so they seek refuge in extremist ideas such as this whole "caliphate" thing which is wrong. I feel that the heartland of Arabia represents Islam the best, as we have built a peaceful and tolerant society, in Dubai for example you can see ppl from all over the world and different religions living side by side peacefully together, and politically we are very close allies to the USA as well and we are against terrorism and extremism. Oh yeah, we got the tallest tower in the world too and I hope that my level of English gives you an understanding of our educational achievements as well ;)
Charles- brilliant
AbdullahKhaleeji7, These guy are gunning for you too. They hate the Jews, they hate the US and they hate you and every thing you stand for. I bet they really don't care about your intellectual hubris either. They want a world caliphate and you are in their way. Yes, Charles brilliant.
Mursi will take Gaza tomorrow.
Al-Quids. Al-Quids.
A million martyrs will march on al-Quids (Jerusalem).
We are now all hamas. We are now all hamas.
Our capitol is al-Quids. Our capitol is al-Quids.
We will wipe the sleep from the eyes of the Jews.
Chants of the front running muslim brotherhood.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QI3wG3loKlA
Um... yea thats why these terrorists are mindless savages that must be stopped, good thing they can't touch our Gulf, and the US is on our side ;)
AbdullahKhaleeji7: We should eliminate Sunni Islamic religious Nazis starting from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and other places.
We should close your mosques, hate preaching and killer training centers, in our nations too.
You people have been trying to fool us for too long!
Its time Saudi Arabia began to police its own backyard, why are we in Yemen?
time for the sheiks to tee it up with these sumbitches and for the U.S. troops to come home
Iran.
Inflame and provoke. This article gets me.
I think Iran is already inflamed. I think they already are provoked.
If the word is true and they do strive for nuclear weapons why else would they do this.
Iranians are not Third World People. The need is to give some respect here. Perhaps it is past the point to change things. Maybe what the world needs to do is slow down. Take a step back. Sometimes this is what is needed before you can take another step forward again.
Just an opinion
I love the Photoshoped images of Arabs carrying signs written in English...
They speak English very well all over the area.
I've always wondered WHY! If they are arabs WHY ENGLISH? They may speak English but why a sign in English? Who are they aiming it at? US? Why should we care? It is their country!
PS I do not believe it is Photoshopped.
Bash the snot out of it, but America and its ways are the envy of the world.
THose ppl are not Arabs... ur mistaken
In almost every protest around the world, you will find signs in English. The people carrying those signs might not even be able to read them. The signs are for the benefit of American and British media.
Texas, as Abdullah said, those people are not Arabs; they are Persian, most of them anyway.
Arabs are worse then Persians.
Namveteran, why is it "unfortunate" that Bahrain has a large "Iranian-Shia" population? These are just people, like any other people. All they want is to enjoy some degree of freedom from the oppression of their masters, some peace and security and happiness. It's the conflict of the "Great" powers that is causing their troubles, not any inherent defect in themselves or their way of life.
You hit it yourself the word "Iranian".
Sure seems like a bunch of bad bed fellows anymore.
funny how something so important has the fewest responses. The saudi gov (if u want to call them that) is the demon seed in the mid-east. I'm not saying Iran is good right now, but the saudi's are worse. So much hidden.
george
I think one reason this report has gotten so few responses, to this point anyway, is that no-one here can realistically claim to know exactly what is going on or how best to handle it. When this discussion starts filling up, which it most certainly will, look at how many comments are either blind sarcasm or completely off-subject. My bet is most.
The picture reminds me of the one of Iraqs wearing "baby food" clothes.
Every nation state sleeping with each other trying to take advantage of one another.
Self gradifacation if you ask me.
Selfious fullfillment.
The Clicks and the Clans.
Iran has put it's self in a situation where no one really cares what they say or feel. We're all tried of the "Great Wind Bag" Iran has become. A government of cowards and small people. Amadinajad, or as we have learned to call him, " Imanutjob" sort of reminds me of Baghdad Bob. Remember that cute little twit?
Just a thought...
Just me 1251562- Iran was not this way before 1979.
Like Spain under Franco, Italy under Mousillini(spell) , Germany under Hitler/Himmler, Russia under Stalin, etc... Iran is controlled by a fascist totalitarian government. I'm tired of people who think Stalin was a communist, he wasn't...he was a supreme dictator, and true communism has never ran its course (Yugoslavia came close for a short time, at least they were not directly controlled by Stalin, but still -not true communism).
For any Americans who think all this is fantasy and couldn't happen to them, I suggest you take a good hard look at Excutive orders: 10990 through 11921
When you're done reading these, you will wish it was just a bad dream.
American has problems with the KKK?
The world has problems because of the CCC.
"CCC" Clicks, Clans, Corrupts
The sign reading "Step Back Iran" is obviously Photoshopped.
Does anyone, actually, believe anything they see on msnbc?
After it's all over. How do we divvy up the bounty?
One for you one for me.
Two for me one for you.
Three for me one for you.
Four for me one for you. and so on and on and so on until the divvy is done.
Whatever happened to the good old days? When one would pay a prositute before service then get the job done. I mean this was good because it assured one to get what they paid for. Now a days we demand the services and when disatisfied by our own performance we refuse to pay. A sure way to piss any prositute off.
And this is the way all the governments of the world work today. Pissing everybody off.
"The proposal is seen as a bulwark against the growing influence of Shiite Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival."
What's left out is "growing influence of Shiite Iran AND IRAQ." Bush's looney constitutional convention, with a majority of Shiite's assigned, made sure Iraq would be a Shiite-controlled nation. The Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki has already been to Tehran for handholding photo sessions with Admadinejad, the same Bush did with the Saudi King.
Who the hell cares who or what p^&^&^& off Iran. The country is run by ideological Islamic religious zealots who stole elections, have a secret police force, secret prisions, arrest and torture its own people. inspire hate and war with Isreal, the west, the United States, and any other neighbor it doesn't like ,is involved in all kinds of overt and covert operations around the world, and who are trying to build nuclear weapns. Anyone should care if they don't like it? I don't have much good to say about the Saudis. Just because they are our "alliies" they enslave their own people, especially girls and women, and they have no tolerance for other religions or freedom of any kind. But at least they can see the forest for the trees. The Iranian government IS their enemy. Maybe it is a GOOD idea to begin to take that on.
t
The Iranian government are total hypocrites. They complain about Saudi Arabia helping out a Sunni king in Bahrain, but are totally supportive of Assad, the Dictator, Alawite to ruling over a Sunni country.
I am all for Saudi Arabia helping out Bahrain.
Mohsen,
So who do you sleep with at night? Assad or the Ayatollah? Or do you rotate butt shifts?
Ha, guess you had to dig them up, huh? I knew you were a sicko. You know messing with the dead brings bad karma. Hope you have plenty of vaseline for your nightly duties. Do you sprinkle a little sand in with it? Stay away from those camels now! Or do you prefer goatdiks? Pracitise on pigbutts when you try the male role?
So just where do you live? Syria? Or London, LMAO?
Actually she was a dyke and died laughing after dildoing you til you begged her for more. Get your story straight now.
Methinks probably London. Or perhaps even Alabama. LMAO
Haha Space Captain Im with u on this one LMAO and Mohsen Shams u got ur head so far up ur ass u dont even know wat ur talking about. There's nothing "Secular" about ASS-ad, he is savagely murdering his own ppl and while Saudi may have laws that are too conservative, last time I checked, the Saudi King DOES NOT go around killing and bombing thousands of his own ppl like that clown ASS-ad does, reminds me of that circus monkey GAY-dafi, which Im sure they will have similar fates...
But yea the best REAL Arab country is the United Arab Emirates anyway...
USA AND UAE FOREVER!
Mohsen Shams banned, new user making personal attacks.
Nice to see that the oil industry is keeping thing safe(for them).