tagged w/ Sectarian Violence
-
-
The Saudis are not happy. The democratic wind which is sweeping the Middle East is not permitted in the Royal House of Saud. And one of their very closest friends, former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has fallen. How can this be? All the billions of black gold could not stop it. The entire paradigm for the region is now in question. Can aging despots keep their people in check while lavishing some bread crumbs upon them, and continuing their corrupt regimes? That is the very question at the heart of the 'Arab Spring', an idea whose time has come, and appears to be unstoppable.
If Egypt's revolution appears to be somewhat shaky at the moment, there are internal elements at work which cannot be ignored. Sectarian divisions exist and were nurtured by the Mubarak regime in accordance with the 'divide and conquer' rule. Now that Mubarak is being detained pending trial, the divisions have not vanished and seem to be more pronounced. The very latest incident in Imbaba is testament to the strife between Muslims and Coptic Christians where 15 people died and more than 250 were injured. Ironically, Saudi Arabia issued a statement condemning the church burning and the sectarian violence.
This is where Saudi Arabia's long arm can be found, and no care is being taken to be discreet about it.
http://www.examiner.com/foreign-policy-in-national/the-not-so-invisible-arm-of-saudi-arabia-egypt-s-counter-revolutionThe Saudis are not happy. The democratic wind which is sweeping the Middle East is not... more
-
-
Samer Shehata: Salafists' attacks on Coptic Christians opposed by vast majority.
Samer Shehata is an assistant professor of Arab Politics at Georgetown University. He is the author of the book: "Shop Floor Culture and Politics in Egypt" published in 2009. Samer has also written numerous articles on Arab politics for the International Herald Tribune, Boston Globe and the Arab Reform Bulletin.Samer Shehata: Salafists' attacks on Coptic Christians opposed by vast majority.... more
-
-
Bahrainis are reacting to the presence of Saudi armed forces on their soil by marching toward the Saudi Embassy, carrying their national flag, and chanting 'Down, down with Hamad!' referring to Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa. Speaking on behalf of the G-8, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that subsequent to talks, the group was very concerned that ' for the first time probably in the recent history of that region, neighbors have decided to send armed forces to sustain the king of Bahrain.'
Yesterday, we reported that the Saudi invasion of Bahrain served as a strong message to both the United States and Iran to stay out of the situation.
Some very disturbing footage was shown this morning on al-Jazeera cable news. Bahraini civilians are being shot by Saudi forces; one of the doctors tending to the wounded was saying that people are coming in displaying symptoms which include tremors which last up to 18 hours, which is not a typical reaction to tear gas. He also complained that civilians were unarmed, and that Saudis can kill everybody; he subsequently broke down on camera.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: Are the Saudis fighting a proxy war with Iran in Bahrain? - National Foreign Policy | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/foreign-policy-in-national/are-the-saudis-fighting-a-proxy-war-with-iran-bahrain#ixzz1Gghy8449Bahrainis are reacting to the presence of Saudi armed forces on their soil by marching... more
-
-
Manager of the Scottish Premier League Celtic Neil Lennon and Celtic player Niall McGinn were sent packages containing bullets. The packages were found at a post office in County Antrim when postal workers were suspicious of the two packages.
"Lennon tweeted: "Bottles & Bullets today! Wish they'd quit all the stupidity so we could all just concentrate on the football."-CNN a Tweet by Lennon after a bottle was thrown at the team bus.
The article states Lennon received death threats previously from a protestant paramilitary group, which forced him to retire from international football for Northern Ireland in 2002.
"In 2008, Lennon was treated in hospital after being assaulted in Glasgow, with the incident again linked to sectarian rivalry."-CNNManager of the Scottish Premier League Celtic Neil Lennon and Celtic player Niall... more
-
-
Amnesty International reports that Iraq is preparing to execute hundreds of prisoners, including 17 women. The group has issued an urgent action appeal to try to prevent the deaths.Amnesty International reports that Iraq is preparing to execute hundreds of prisoners,... more
-
-
The chairman of Iraq’s Reconciliation Committee says attempts to bring opposing factions closer together may be worsening an already fragile situation and he is accusing Vice President Joe Biden of being counterproductive.The chairman of Iraq’s Reconciliation Committee says attempts to bring opposing... more
-
