The Middle East Is Exploding. What Are The Causes And What Can We Expect?

[mudwhistle]

If you've been watching the news at all you know that Egypt is in chaos. Tunisia has already fallen. People want freedom in the Middle East and are going out and protesting by the thousands. This is the same freedom that we gave Iraq and Afghanistan, but as usual there is nothing to fill the void other then Islam.

So what does this all mean? Why is it happening now and how will effect us in this country?

The price of oil is going to double this year if this doesn't come under control. Thanks to Obama we can't drill here anymore so this rioting is going to effect us even more then it would have before he became President. Thanks to the drilling ban we're more dependent on foreign oil then ever before. It's also become known that Obama knew Egypt was leaning toward this as well. Why would he allow us to get into this state at this time? It just seems like this Administration is ether ill-prepared or hoping for this to happen. It seems like one disaster after another besets this White House and all they do is ignore them.



LINKS
Did US back the rebels in Egypt?
Oil prices going up
Looters smash priceless artifacts

 

[Truthmatters]

The causes are no jobs and no freedom.

The solution is democracy.

The vast majority of these countries people are under 30.

They have internet and want a more secular and free life.

They want to be more western not more radical Muslim.

 

[Trajan]

well, I am not sure its always going to result in 'democracy'...Tunisia was it appears a truly spontaneous popular revolt, economic conditions heavy gov. presence and control, reading a time-line of the revolt appears to back that view.

Hezbollah has been slowly (until a week and half ago) turning the screws on the leb. gov. the closer they thought the UN report on the Hariri assassination was forthcoming and finally pulled the plug on the gov.

Now Egypt....coincidence? hummm, no one in the ME really thinks that Hezbollah exerting more control in Lebanon will result in a more secular Lebanon.


interesting highlight..


Hamas's real enemies

* BARRY RUBIN

JERUSALEM: In Iran, elements from within the regime are reportedly offering a $1 million (P7 million) reward for the assassination of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak because of his opposition to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In Lebanon, the leader of Hezbollah, backed by Iran and Syria, merely calls for the Egyptian government's overthrow.

http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=2&aid=8&dir=2009/January/Thursday15

 

[ekrem]

There are 3 options.

- USA: Repressive Dicatorships or Monarchies as part of 'Oil, Inc.', where Human Rights don't matter and civil society is being crushed.

- Iran: Theocratic multi-party system, where only parties with an Islamic world-view are represented

- Turkey: Republican multi-party system

The USA option is currently collapsing. To which extent we will see.
As a Turk I fully support the protests, and hope that these countries will succeed in the transformation to a regime which shares the characteristics of our own system. The new Elites will re-orient towards Turkey by seeking assistance in the institutionalization of their democracy, separation of powers and cultivation of society.

The USA would loose the most out of this democratization process.
Malaysia or Indonesia system have no connection to this region.

 

[strollingbones]

radical muslims will move in and fill the void...there will be no democracy ...the us has been anti revolutionary for a while...we will watch as islamic radicals take over

 

[uscitizen]

Causes are people are stupid.

effect is pay lots more for gas.

 

[Truthmatters]

File:Median age.png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The young people who have had internet access for nearly a decade are not searching for radical Islam.

 

[Da Word]

We should give any Middle Eastern country free nukes if they want some... then detonate them.

 

[mudwhistle]

File:Median age.png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The young people who have had internet access for nearly a decade are not searching for radical Islam.

Unfortunately, because they didn't organize that's all they'll get.

 

[mudwhistle]

This situation is going to bite us in the ass this year. We've got tree-huggers running our government. Communists making policy.

Yup. We've got alot to look forward to this year.

 

[uscitizen]

You mean all those Tea Party types taking over the house are not going to fix things like they promised?

 

[Epsilon Delta]

You can only oppress people for so long before shit hits the fan. What happened in Tunisia is happening in Egypt, Yemen will follow, even Jordan's seeing protests, and there may be more, who knows who's next.

As for what the US should do the answer should be obvious - it should absolutely not interfere. The plain fact is that the people of the Middle East should have the same god-given right that Americans and others enjoy in deciding which of two buffoons get to run the country to the ground.

 

[Douger]

File:Median age.png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The young people who have had internet access for nearly a decade are not searching for radical Islam.

Right. They're searching for girls who like facials.

 

[strollingbones]

seems the year of the rabbit will not be a good year

 

[ekrem]

seems the year of the rabbit will not be a good year

Depends totally on the angle of view.

 

[strollingbones]

seems the year of the rabbit will not be a good year

Depends totally on the angle of view.

so give us your angle....i would truly like to hear what you think will happen...many of the protests in countries are supportive of the egyptain protesters but they will begin pressing their own leaders...and leave a void to be filled..who is going to step up to that void...look at what democracy has done to iraq...are the common people better off? no. but its your turn

 

[mudwhistle]

seems the year of the rabbit will not be a good year

Depends totally on the angle of view.

so give us your angle....i would truly like to hear what you think will happen...many of the protests in countries are supportive of the egyptain protesters but they will begin pressing their own leaders...and leave a void to be filled..who is going to step up to that void...look at what democracy has done to iraq...are the common people better off? no. but its your turn

The Iraqi people are no better off, but you forget the simple fact that they are no longer a threat to their neighbors anymore.

But that's not what you're concerned about, are you?

I suppose you want them all to have their abortions and their free health care. Who cares that they aren't making bombs and shit anymore.

 

[mudwhistle]

I guess freedom is measured in how much you have the right to talk a bunch of crap about your own country and not be put in prison for it.

 

[ekrem]

so give us your angle....

My general 'angle' is, that relations between USA and Arab societies is beyond repair.
If Arab societies achieve to place representative governments into place through a real democratic system, the USA will find people in power who won't win any elections by being cooperative with the USA.

These countries haven't achieved to emancipate from the post-WW1 system which has ruled this area since then. USA is the successor of the Brits/French.

who is going to step up to that void

That's for the people to decide. Nothing else matters.

 

[rdean]

The Middle East Is Exploding. What Are The Causes And What Can We Expect?

The US blew it with the invasion of Iraq plus their help turning Iraq into a right wing Islamic Theocracy. Not to mention the million or so Christians living in Iraq that have disappeared. The best thing the US can do for the Middle East is "leave".