People who are questioning Ennahda's victory are only sore losers, that's what democracy is all about, the people have spoken now and people just have to accept it.
I don't understand why people get tight about this. The biggest european fraction in the European Parliament is the Christian-democrat fraction - let that sink in a little bit.
Rock the Casbah: Arab-World Revolutions
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And if they were the only party to go to the poorer areas then maybe that's why people there voted for them?
Yeah. They were good at running campaigns, that is for sure.
According to what I just gathered, it's known that they gave "gifts" to the people coming to their meeting and did "charity" for people in poor blocks, aside from using religion to influence the votes. No real law violation was officially reported. Not entirely clean but nothing severe I suppose.
I for one don't think they really needed to buy votes in the literal sense of the word. -
Lol, well as long as there wasn't any law violation then that's cool.
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Lol, well as long as there wasn't any law violation then that's cool.
From what I know it's not officially decided on that yet. The accusation about the legality of the votes are being examined nonetheless. So far Ennahdha is still safe.
It appears that there will be many legal challenges, and ISIE has left open the possibility of disqualifying some seats based on legal challenges.
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
Jawher Ben Mbarek, head of the “Destourna” independent list, says that Aridha Chaabia should be disqualified because they have violated the ban on electoral advertising. Aridha Chaabia’s leader, Mohamed Hechmi Hamdi, owns the Mostakella TV station, and Ben Mbarek says that this international channel has been used to broadcast political publicity in Tunisia for the entire campaign period. Such political advertising is against the electoral code established by the electoral commission (ISIE).
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People who are questioning Ennahda's victory are only sore losers, that's what democracy is all about, the people have spoken now and people just have to accept it.
I don't understand why people get tight about this. The biggest european fraction in the European Parliament is the Christian-democrat fraction - let that sink in a little bit.I certainly have no illusions. At least their religious party is vowing to protect secular rights. looks at Bachman, Perry, and Santorum
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
Oh and here's a interesting article on the current status of the Saudi monarchy after this recent death.
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/10/2011102673844479817.htmlI'm angry to hear the new guy in line is apparently even more repressive minded, and "even more" and "Saudi arabia" barely seem compatible.
Plus the line she wrote about how this resembles that period in Soviet time when it was like three dying old guys within five years of eachother (Brezhnev, Andropov, Chernenko) because of how stagnate and old their politburo had gotten….well I wonder who and when the Saudi Gorbachev will be... -
Naif: You know, I think that we should take women's right to breathe in public away.
On the upside, we'll probably go through the rest of Abdul-Aziz's brood over the next five years.
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@Monkey:
I certainly have no illusions. At least their religious party is vowing to protect secular rights. looks at Bachman, Perry, and Santorum
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
Oh and here's a interesting article on the current status of the Saudi monarchy after this recent death.
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/10/2011102673844479817.htmlI'm angry to hear the new guy in line is apparently even more repressive minded, and "even more" and "Saudi arabia" barely seem compatible.
Plus the line she wrote about how this resembles that period in Soviet time when it was like three dying old guys within five years of eachother (Brezhnev, Andropov, Chernenko) because of how stagnate and old their politburo had gotten….well I wonder who and when the Saudi Gorbachev will be...The main problem is that Abdul Aziz's sons keep themselves in power, not allowing any third generation members to take the throne, plus from what I've read, alot of people in SA are rather…...sensitive about any kind of change. I saw a documentary once that talked about various topics related to SA, with people, especialy women, from SA, and one of the things brought up was that Abdullah himself can't hope to make any major changes, simply because there'd be hell if he tried.
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What the .. No Maam monarchist till the end. lol.
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What the .. No Maam monarchist till the end. lol.
Well yes :P
But…..I don't think anything I said was particularly biased, because I half of it's mentioned in the article posted by Zeph and the other was mentioned in a human rights centric documentary, I forgot the name, they show some kind of shopping centre in Riyadh, and that's basicly almost everything I remember :P
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It's not really surprising, but Ennahada has secured the highest percentage of votes in the poorer south of the country - on the contrary to the more succesful and rich north where people go for secular parties like Progressive Democrates or Congress for the Republic.
I don't understand why people get tight about this. The biggest european fraction in the European Parliament is the Christian-democrat fraction - let that sink in a little bit.
And they sure are doing a fine job, don't they.
I believe, the reason for this is the difference between moderate and fundamentalist islamist parties which not everyone tries - or even wants - to grasp. Well, there's always the "what if" question of how much trust will the people put into a party striving for modernity until they turn to a more fundamental one in case the former one doesn't deliver on its promises. But ignorance is usually the obvious but sadly true answer.
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Huh, the danish media is claiming that Saif Al-Islam is considering turning himself in to the Hague court. Doesn't seem 100% confirmed yet though
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And they sure are doing a fine job, don't they.
Well, that's a whole other question, of course. But it's not amazing that there's a conservative group in your society, and this group is more likely to vote for an islamic party, just like here in europe they'd vote for a christian party. This isn't rocket science.
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Major American Presidential candidate literally held a large function in his major state to pray for the end of a drought.
I do not get to laugh at Tunisia. :(
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Well, that's a whole other question, of course. But it's not amazing that there's a conservative group in your society, and this group is more likely to vote for an islamic party, just like here in europe they'd vote for a christian party. This isn't rocket science.
Agreed. However, that might have something do to with that your own conservatives standing for the traditions of your society are viewed in a sort of "meh, they should do" way whereas alien traditions and the ones defending them are a much more stressful issue. Especially if the difference in cultures is as the one between the current west and islam cultures.
On a different note, it's been 10 days since the start of Kenya's Linda Nchi operation against somalian Al-Shabab.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201110250684.html
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/26/world/africa/somalia-kenya/index.html?iref=allsearch
The main strike of the joint Kenya ( 1 infantry battalion, 1 tank battalion, 2 artillery divisions, 4 thousands in total ) and Transitional Federal Goverment forces (4-5 thousands in total) is aimed at the Kismayo city and port from the northwest (city of Afmadow) and the south-west (city of Barare). The coalition forces have advanced up to 100 km from the border. They destroyed several training camps of Al-Shabab, including the largest camp in southern Somalia - Hola-Uajer (english spelling might be different). Islamists suffered considerable losses in both manpower and technology. However, further development of the offensive is stopped by the poor condition of roads in the south. Break in the attack of coalition forces allowed Al-Shabab to hold a general mobilization in the southern provinces, and send reinforcements to the area of Afmadow, where the decisive battle for control of the province of Lower Juba and whole southern Somalia is expected to happen.
At the same time, TFG started another operation in the suburbs of Mogadishu. And so, Al-Shabab have to fight simultaneously on several fronts.
So, any thoughts? Any hopes for Somalia?
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This could be great, the end of Al Shabaab and all. Hell that would also mean the fall of one of the major Al Qaeda subsidiaries (next to Arabic Peninsula and Islamic Maghreb). So yay.
That would kinda sorta mean that Somalia could actually be…organized. Wow.
But than...oh what a task that aftermath would be.
I have a feeling that the UN and so forth at this moment in time is well set to organize things.
If this happened somewhat earlier I might think it would be a clusterfuck of annexations and puppet regimes set up by Ethiopia, Kenya, and Yemen or something.
But like I don't think it will come to that... some issues come to mind though. Major ones.1. To my knowledge the Mogadishu government doesn't have any legitimacy among Somalis. And not "no legitimacy" in the sorta halfassed way people keep whining about the Libyan NTC, but I mean the real deal. So building a government out of there is going to be HARD.
2. So many leaders so little time. The little warlord territories aren't necessarily as bad as they sound, but they sure will be hard to win over in regards to state-building. They shouldn't be bowled over or ignored, they're going to have to be allowed to participate in the reconstruction somehow, like the warlords in Afghanistan.
3. Somaliland! It's been the ultimate question mark this whole time, an issue nobody had to deal with because any clash between it and the central government was a non-issue since both have been distracted. If things clear out, and reconstruction begins...the serious consideration will have to come up. I support an independent Somaliland myself, but I know many Somalis apparently don't like the idea of them being separate. Civil war could happened over that.
4. On that topic...a united stable Somalia...sounds great. But a collapsed Somalia was a Somalia that wasn't able to participate in regional ethnic strife. I'm thinking of the Ogaden region of Ethiopia which is filled with Somalis. They fought a war when they were both communist regimes over it.
Will a reunited Somalia reignite this conflict? -
[h=1]Yemen women burn face veils to protest attacks[/h]http://news.yahoo.com/yemen-women-burn-face-veils-protest-attacks-103638246.html
The act of women burning their clothing is a symbolic Bedouin tribal gesture signifying an appeal for help to tribesmen.
Wednesday's protest comes as clashes intensify between forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh and renegade fighters who have sided with the opposition in demands that the president step down.
[h=1]Arab World Opinion Turns Overwhelmingly Against Syria's Assad[/h]http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/10/arab-world-opinion-turns-overwhelmingly-against-syrias-assad/247335/
The big pan-Arab dailies, at least, appear to universally support the anti-Assad protesters. Furthermore, a new public opinion poll out Tuesday suggests this trend extends to ordinary citizens – in other words, this is not a case of media elite-public divide. On the one hand, this seems obvious: even over the summer, an Arab American Institute poll found that while a plurality of respondents in their "Arab Attitudes" survey thought it was "too early" to call the Arab Spring, the second most popular response was that the uprisings were leaving the Arab world "better off." On the other hand, consider the particulars: many in the Arab world are sensitive to signs of foreign interference, or even foreign judgment and the infiltration of Western values. Many in the Arab world also want leaders who prove themselves against Israel: Assad has unquestionably done that. Neither Israel nor its European and American supporters has been overly fond of the Syrian regime.
But it appears that favorability to the Arab Spring overrides these concerns. An article at the daily Al-Hayat directly addresses some of these issues, for example the fear of foreign interference, also expressed in an article in Al-Quds Al-Arabi (a notably pro-Palestinian and often anti-Western paper). "What if the people rebel and cannot achieve victory?" the author at Al-Hayat asks. "There must be no foreign interference," runs the refrain. "The problem with this way of thinking," though, the author continues, referring to the hardliners, is that "first, adherents [to this creed] love strategy and geopolitics and their calculations more than they love the people […] Second, they hate America more than they love the people." Third, the article continues, somewhat redundantly, this view shows insufficient interest in supporting individual Arab communities.
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"We will continue this revolution to realise its aims of a Tunisia that is free, independent, developing and prosperous in which the rights of God, the Prophet, women, men, the religious and the non-religious are assured because Tunisia is for everyone,"
Moderate Tunisian Islamic party is literally more moderate than American Religious Right. 0_0
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Violent protests have erupted in central Tunisia, after the results of the country's first democratic elections in decades were announced. Police used tear gas against hundreds of people in Sidi Bouzid who were protesting against the cancellation of seats won by one of the parties.
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@Monkey:
"We will continue this revolution to realise its aims of a Tunisia that is free, independent, developing and prosperous in which the rights of God, the Prophet, women, men, the religious and the non-religious are assured because Tunisia is for everyone,"
Moderate Tunisian Islamic party is literally more moderate than American Religious Right. 0_0
Puts things into perspective
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American Religious Right
possibly because they're the religious right
you could probably say the same about any religion oriented political party
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possibly because they're the religious right
you could probably say the same about any religion oriented political party
But that Tunisian party IS a religious party. 0_0
That's what's so crazy about this. -
ahh gotcha
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Funny and cool article.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/10/26/libya_sexual_revolution?page=0,0 -
@Monkey:
Funny and cool article.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/10/26/libya_sexual_revolution?page=0,0This just makes me doubly happy for Bar Kuma :P
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I'm happy for my friends, i have seen them do this time and time again. Its always a nice sight.
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Hahaha! That's so cute~ =D
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I knew that young people in Libya were in dire straits, but $100 a month? Christ.
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@Monkey:
Funny and cool article.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/10/26/libya_sexual_revolution?page=0,0Lybian baby boomer generation on the way!
So nice news, this magazine is bookmarked.
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Looked around that website and found this: http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/10/27/north_koreans_in_libya_banned_from_returning_home North Korea being North Korea and Kim fearing for his life.
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@Cyan:
Looked around that website and found this: http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/10/27/north_koreans_in_libya_banned_from_returning_home North Korea being North Korea and Kim fearing for his life.
I think those 200 North koreans are jubilating over this news.
And LOOOOL at the 2nd comment guy, more wacko than jacko!
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So nice news, this magazine is bookmarked.
Eh, you'll probably be angry at some of the artiles as much as you are charmed by others.
But it's never not interesting! -
http://news.yahoo.com/syrias-assad-warns-earthquake-west-intervenes-000302411.html
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad tells the West to step down or risk an "earthquake" across the Middle East.
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@Mr.333:
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad tells the West to step down or risk an "earthquake" across the Middle East.
Oh, Assad, you and your impeccable timing.
Has Turkey released an official statement calling him an insensitive dick yet? Because they really, really should do so.
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I'm starting to wonder if what will happened will be a military intervention, not by the west, but by Turkey with maybe Saudi backup.
Western advisors and help will be involved of course. -
@Monkey:
I'm starting to wonder if what will happened will be a military intervention, not by the west, but by Turkey with maybe Saudi backup.
Western advisors and help will be involved of course.Intervention as in in Syria ?
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"President Assad then remarked "There would be an EARTHQUAKE across the middle east" while giving a very hard wink with his right eye while leaning forward on the podium. Which he followed by looking at the gathered press for several minutes in an expectant fashion."
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Well it didn't take long for Erdogan to respond lol. Erdogan said that he believes the opposition will be successful in their “glorious” resistance to the ongoing government crackdown.
-“We had a friendship that began nine years ago but Syria failed to appreciate this. They [Syrian rulers] did not pay heed to our warnings. … But we cannot remain silent in the face of this process. We will continue to display the necessary stance. I believe that the Syrian people will be successful in their glorious resistance
-“Those who repress their own people in Syria will not survive. The time of autocracies is over. Totalitarian regimes are disappearing. The rule of the people is coming,"
-“The killing of one person is like the killing of all humanity, but unfortunately there is an administration [in Syria] that massacres and kills people, making them martyrs. This is an administration that relies on force. This is not an administration which depends on the nation’s will,”
On the other side, the meeting between the Syrian government and the arab league ended with the syrian not given any clear response to the proposal. The answer is expected to be announced tomorrow.
Of course one of the main clauses of the proposal is the withdrawal of the army from all cities in Syria.In other news, Oman shura council have elected their first president of the council, and Libya's NTC has named Abdurrahim El-Keib as the country's new interim prime minister to replace Mahmoud Jibril.
Oh one more thing. Saleh has… Saleh has announc... has announced that he will...
well let's wait and see. -
http://news.yahoo.com/american-supermodel-defends-gadhafi-family-loses-job-141224262.html
"We, France and the United Kingdom, financed the rebels but people don't know what they are doing, the Gaddafi family is not how they are being depicted, they are normal people."
….
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Regular people just like you or me, who own golden sofas depicting them as mermaids, and command and actively use armies to crush what are in effect serfs of their mafia family territory, real regular joes.
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I don't use the golden sofa anymore, it was bad for my back, I now use the one made with baby skin.
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Syria accepts Arab League peace plan.
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Syria accepts Arab League peace plan.
Thank goodness the violence will draw down a lot. Journalist and rights group being able to more safely move around the country and report on exactly what happened and what is currently helping will also help alot. Will Assad continue to withdraw and hold forces if the people continue to protest and demand he step down though? I guess how these talks between the opposition and the government pan out will determine that outcome.
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Not really a Middle-Eastern thing, but as far as revolutions go…. Alfonso Cano is out of the game.
http://news.yahoo.com/colombian-rebel-commander-cano-killed-government-024424330.html
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2011: The Bad Year For Bad People
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In December 24th of 2009 died Rafael Caldera, In December 25th 2010 died Carlos Andres Perez, the last 2 elected presidents of Venezuela, I'm wondering what will happen December 26th of this year.
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In December 24th of 2009 died Rafael Caldera, In December 25th 2010 died Carlos Andres Perez, the last 2 elected presidents of Venezuela, I'm wondering what will happen December 26th of this year.
In two months I'm going to have to go on an insane diet and eat a radioactive pill and be unapproachable for a week. All just for basic casual aftermath measures of my minor surgery based cancer removal.
lolllll at Chavez being "alright" with his severe whatever it is.
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@Monkey:
In two months I'm going to have to go on an insane diet and eat a radioactive pill and be unapproachable for a week. All just for basic casual aftermath measures of my minor surgery based cancer removal.
lolllll at Chavez being "alright" with his severe whatever it is.
I'm sorry Zephos, but you don't have LA VOLUNTAD DE BOLIVAR (the will of bolivar) in you, you can't turn water into petroleum, escape murder attempts by screaming "magnicide!", win all ellections for 12 years or expunge cancer from your body.
In all seriousness I hope that everything goes allrigth with you.
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@Monkey:
In two months I'm going to have to go on an insane diet and eat a radioactive pill and be unapproachable for a week. All just for basic casual aftermath measures of my minor surgery based cancer removal.
lolllll at Chavez being "alright" with his severe whatever it is.
I'm with Max on this. Hope everything goes well.
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That's just the thing, everything is fine and totally not worth worrying about, and even I have to do ridiculous things like this radioactive pill entirely because the doctors who deal with this have to be absolutely sure to firebomb the area of cancer in case of any leftover tissue.
And this is the easiest patheticist baby cancer in the world, that's removal was easier than getting wisdom teeth out honestly.Chavez is so full of shit right now. And if he were any man of character would have resigned due to the fact that someone undergoing chemo is not going to be goddamn able to run a country.
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Tha arab league finally finally decided to suspend Syria's membership today and put sanctions up, since Assad has been completely ignoring that "peace plan" they worked out.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15706851
If you have been following the news lately, ignoring the peace plan roughly translates to excessive violence and use of torture to death on civilians (I'm not even kidding, Assad's goons are completely fucked up).
This is a clear sign, that the arab world is fed up with Assad's horrible war crimes, but the guys that matter (Russia and China) are not moving an inch. I don't know how this will end…Also, off topic, but the best of wishes for you Zeph and hope you will be healthier than ever when this is over.