Bahrain protests

Re: Bahrain protests

Ravage you wont find anyone from gulf states who takes up US citizenship except for those who do so for political reasons. I am not saying that you demand ruler from a particular sect but that the reason for protests. Lietrally every news report will say that its shias protesting against ruling sunni minority. As for the oppurtunities provided, Bahrain provides its citizens, free education, free health, free power, interest free loans for housing and marriage. Dont confuse middle easterners with gulf citizens. Most middle easterners other than gulf states will happily swap US citizenship for gulf if they could.

Re: Bahrain protests

Political reasons are good reasons. Life is not just about how much money the state spends on you to keep you fat and compliant, which is what the problem is in this next passage:

[quote]

I am not saying that you demand ruler from a particular sect but that the reason for protests. Lietrally every news report will say that its shias protesting against ruling sunni minority. As for the oppurtunities provided, Bahrain provides its citizens, free education, free health, free power, interest free loans for housing and marriage. Dont confuse middle easterners with gulf citizens. Most middle easterners other than gulf states will happily swap US citizenship for gulf if they could.
[/QUOTE]

You dont realise but I was born and raised in the gulf. I know what Bahrain provides and what it denies its citizens. While they'll spend money on people to keep their rule going, they'll deny them basic political and media freedoms that even third world countries far below them on the development ladder like Pakistan take for granted. Pakistan is much, much further along the way in terms of the civil liberties, than any gulf state or Iran.

As for the sectarian issue, sure, the protesters are predominantly shia. That is just the form of political misrepresentation specific to Bahrain. As a principle, what I support is that people should have the government they vote for, not whether my sect should rule over yours. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of many supporting Bahraini govt.

Re: Bahrain protests

I could hardly care less for who rules in Bahrain but lets call a spade a spade. Some people claimed that protests are not sectarian in nature and i said that they are. Bahraini citizens are well provided for by its goverment the only issue is that they are sunnies.

As of civil liberties in Pakistan and gulf, well ask any gulf citizen to leave its own country and enjoy civil liberties in Pakistan and see how many will do that.

Re: Bahrain protests

You repeatedly make irrelevant analogies of ask a gulf citizen to do this or I have friends who say that. The point of civil liberties is with respect to what citizens can do in Pakistan, and what they can do in Bahrain, an example of an opportunity that Bahrainies SHOULD have that is denied to them.

Clearly Bahrainies are not happy with the government, thus Bahrain having to call armies from other countries to suppress protests. You accept that this is a majority of Bahrainies who happen to be shia while the minority govt is sunni. It is irrelevant if it spends money on the citizens to give them free medical etc if its not meeting expectations on the political front.

The principle by which we should support them is that people deserve a government that represents them, thats all.

Re: Bahrain protests

I am not in the business of spreading democracy in the world and i would object to an uprising against a government on sectarian basis even though it takes care if its citizens. You brought the civil liberty thing into it and i have merely point that such liberties hardly matter when people are well provided for by their governments.

Re: Bahrain protests

If they were well provided for in every respect they wouldnt be protesting. Clearly they feel that civil liberties and democratic rule is important, even if it is motivated by sectarian angst.

Re: Bahrain protests

You do know that there's a huge disparity in wealth between the Shias and Sunnis and Bahrain, and that it isn't a coincidence at all, right?

From the Bahraini Shias I've talked to, there's a lot of jobs, especially in the government, inaccessible to them just because they are Shias, and that there are certain parts of the country where they have no chance to own lands and live in because they are Shia.

Bahrain protests are no different from the North African protests in nature, it's just that the ruler being a Sunni while the majority of the population is Shia makes things seem more complicated than they actually are. It doesn't help that troops from the kingdom of the wahabbis are now in Bahrain to help quell democratic protests as well.

Re: Bahrain protests

I'll give you that.

Re: Bahrain protests

good post gosengo.

great so we've established that there is sectarian angst motivating demand for opportunities and freedoms that every state should provide its citizens, civil liberties and representative rule, which Bahrain and other gulf states do not provide at the moment.

Re: Bahrain protests

it occurred to me that a lot of discussion from Iconoclast in this thread can be likened to a case of pre-civil rights America where blacks are protesting for political rights and a white guy comes along and says we feed them and clothe them this isnt about democracy or civil rights they are racists they wouldnt want to go back to Africa.

Re: Bahrain protests

Video more than 2 weeks old but relevant.

Re: Bahrain protests

Re: Bahrain protests

I think Iconoclast logic is completely impaired. Iconoclast writes that:

King is providing Bahrainis good living.

Question is that, from where King is getting resources to provide Bahrainis anything? From own pocket or it is national wealth? If it is National wealth, what it is, than King is providing nothing. What little he is giving to Bahrainis, it is their own wealth. Rather, what King is not giving to Bahrainis and spending on himself and his cronies are stolen wealth of Bahrainis. Actual question should arise that what King is doing that he is enjoying luxurious life more than average Bahrainis? Can he justify his own luxurious living?

Worse is that, King has used Bahraini resources, resources that Bahrainis deserve, to employ non-Bahrainis to suppress Bahrainis. Actually, this criminal King is not only employing outsiders to suppress Bahrainis but is giving them nationality so that he can create his own slaves in Bahrain through whom he could suppress Bahrainis.

Now coming to, if what is happening in Bahrain is sectarian uprising or uprising by people for their deserving right.

Well, if it is sectarian uprising in Bahrain than why same is happening in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Jordan? If what is happening in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Jordan is nothing to do with sectarian uprising, then why Bahrain uprising is getting labelled as sectarian? In my opinion, it is Thug King of Bahrain and his cronies who would like to portray uprising by people for their right as Shia-sectarian uprising so that these thugs can suppress people in the name of Shia-Sunni sectarian divide, expecting sympathy from Sunnis all over the world. Fact is that it is these thugs who spread sectarian violence and sectarian divide just to exploit people and rule.

Anyhow, even if Bahrain uprising has something to do with sectarianism (that I do not think is the case), then also, it shows that there is exploitation going on in Bahrain in the name of sectarianism, where minority sect (Sunni) is ruling and exploiting majority sect (Shia) without consent of majority sect (Shia), something unacceptable just like if Shia minority anywhere start ruling Sunni majority without consent.

For instance, I would not like to see Shia, Deobandi, Wahabi or any group of minority (exploiters) start ruling Pakistan without consent of majority, that is, not though election but through force (as happening in Bahrain and many other Arab countries ... where selfish thugs as group, with fancy names as King or dictators, are ruling and exploiting majority). If that would happen, that a minority sect or a group starts ruling Pakistan using force, then I would have right to stage uprising and protest against such rule. Actually, fact is that, I would not even like Beralvi majority ruling Pakistan using force and without consent of people, and if that would happen, I would still like to stage uprising and protest against such rule.

Re: Bahrain protests

Iconoclast man, you are being completely unjust here. Ravage and Saleem are correct in their assertion. One of the first demands of the protesters was to end Gerrymandering.

Gerrymandering: The practice of redrawing electoral districts to gain an electoral advantage for a political party.

Gerrymandering is what the whites used against the blacks to keep their voting bloc very weak. They said, we feed them and cloth them and these black folks are simply ungrateful.

Re: Bahrain protests

Its quite obvious that these dictators and kings use the sectarian card (or the Al-Qaeda card) to lure gullible people into believing their bullsh*t to save their thrones. Unfortunately some people clearly believe in this royal nonsense.

Re: Bahrain protests

There are reports coming through that the giant fifth US fleet has abandoned Bahrain and is moving towards Oman instead. If these reports are true then its gave-over for the Al Khalifas.

Re: Bahrain protests

The protests in Bahrain have a "sectarian flavor"? I am confused. What is "sectarian"? When can a majority of populace be called a "sect"? Over 70% of population is a "sect"? The only people not supporting protests are the Royal Family and their privileged elites, including Sunni-only army, police, and government administration. The mere fact that such a kingdom exists today in 21st century that maintains the feudal system is insane. People that support khalifa dogs are mentally unstable and should be institutionalized and sterilized.

So, it is sold as just a "sectarian' violence, a "sect" in those incomprehensible lands, and Hillary warning "both" to refrain from violence, while military force is used on unarmed civilians! This paranoid move by the Saudi and Bahraini royals will be costly to the region. Forget Iran, they can just sit on their hands and watch the show. It is Iraq that US better be concerned about. Majority or minority, the perception grows that US wants only to dilute Shia power in Iraq, and subjugate the Shia populations in Lebanon, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and elsewhere.

Re: Bahrain protests

Coming from an iranian pujari, this subjugation talk is very rich! :hehe:

Re: Bahrain protests

First you say I’m indian then you say I’m iranian. Make up your mentally deficient mind, troll.

Re: Bahrain protests

maybe you are iranian troll who ran away to india and have some long lost love for it. I don't get your positions otherwise.