Quick Update:
Lots of fighting and a new front in Bani Walid
Recession Revolutions Thread Part II: Arabia and Beyond
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I feel like the west has abandoned you guys or something. Why we didn't Marshall Plan Libya by now I don't know. Egypt's problems are one thing, but you guys were too fragile for NOTHING, which appears to be what the west and Arab League have done since.
I'm still long term optimistic, like ten years sort of thing, but by all means you and your family should go elsewhere.
I mean heck, this is the same exact scenario that made my Irish Great-Grandmother come to the US…
Ireland fought for independence and got it, then afterwards there was chaos and civil war for a time between the former revolutionaries. Off my great-grandmother went... -
What can i saw bro:
The only unity we had was the "united against a single enemy". One Gaddafi died all shit broke loose. Money laundering has gone so bad that 50 bills are no longer accepted. Kidnapping is the norm, my brother got mugged for his money, electricity is on and off, mass protests everywhere.
Nothing is getting done, and its all going down the shit drain. This country is spiraling towards failure, we even got 2 governments.
Only reason i am slightly optimistic is cause i got my videos to concentrate on. -
Sorry if this was already mentioned:
According to Morning Edition, last week five jobless Moroccan college graduates immolated themselves.
It's mentioned here too.http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/21/world/africa/self-immolation-on-the-rise-in-the-arab-world.html
Too tired to really analyze anything.
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http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/02/world/africa/egypt-soccer-deaths/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
79 die in a football riot in Egypt, resulting in more clashes with the police and a further 2 deaths -
I love how the police just…..stood there.
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http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/02/201223231333768854.html
After 30 years, Bashar celebrate the 30th anniversary of his father's massacre in Hama by killing hundreds of people in Homs, meanwhile Russia is still not sure what's going on in there.
Lavrov on the UN resolution: If they [the backers of the resolution] want yet another scandal on the Security Council for themselves then we cannot stop them. The draft does not suit us at all and I hope that it is not put to a vote.
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Multiple Syrian embassies have been attacked by protesters in multiple countries.
Lavrov is planning a meeting next Tuesday with Assad to discuss his latest accomplishment, and, maybe, how much time does he still has to do more.
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I think Russia and China are just trying to cash in on the production boom of Russian and Chinese flags being burned in the Syrian street. If they keep burning them they got to keep buying more!
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Western countries could have handled the aftermaths of Gaddafi's death in a much much better way than what they've done. I'm mad at how passive western countries are since then, as if the situation was perfect right now.
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Homs is still being shelled by Assad's thugs. 50 people died this morning as the shelling is targeting houses and hospitals, other cities are witnessing the same treatment.
The whole world just showed how useless they can be, I'm afraid Syrians are on their on right now.
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This will end I think with a local intervention. From the Arab League or Turkey or something.
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Anyone ekse think Assad looks realy dorky ? I mean, Gaddafi at least looked the part, but Assad just looks so….unintimidating.
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Like I said, he looks like a sitcom dad.
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@Monkey:
Like I said, he looks like a sitcom dad.
Someone send in Steve Urkel!
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Assad, looks like a ostrich who has lost his eggs.
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Or also the Dick Tracy villain.
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Russian Foreign Minister arrives in Syria to, presumably, discuss with Assad Russia's economic benefit from the slaughter of civilians.
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I think Assad looks more like a lobotomy victim.
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Probably honestly to discuss "toning it the fuck down you're making us look really bad right now and we can't keep vetoing at this rate".
Also a bunch of Gulf countries pulled out their ambassadors as well today. Which is…interesting.
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@Monkey:
This will end I think with a local intervention. From the Arab League or Turkey or something.
I hope so, though I'm not holding my breath. We should at least support the FSA with weapons and equipments to help them defend the civilians at least.
Well, the attacks are still going and increasing every day. Lavrov may have delivered the last shipment on their contract with Assad, which he's using right now. Also Turkey is calling for some international conference, and the Gulf countries are gathering on Saturday or Sunday to decide what to do next after firing Syrians diplomats.
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The situation in Syria is FUBAR and that's an understatement…
The numbers of death exceed 5000 now and that's probably a low estimate. In the aftermath, if we actually get some decent coverage in there, I bet the numbers we have will look graceful compared to the actual amount. And it's sad that all we have our numbers for it's really detached.
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Heard this last night, but was too tired to post and many probably know this anyway.
Turns out the Allo-Waits (like fuck I feel like spell checking), who are the same ethnicity as Assad, are murdering Sunnis and driving them out of their homes as intimidation. The Sunnis, in turn, are either retaliating or joining the resistance against Assad. Either way, they're getting caught up in the secretarian violence. -
So apparently Russia used it's UN vote to reject the UN's condemnation of what Assad's doing.
Keep movin' them goalposts Putin
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@Cyan:
So apparently Russia used it's UN vote to reject the UN's condemnation of what Assad's doing.
Keep movin' them goalposts Putin
He's just making sure Syria will back him when he he names himself president for life. I….realy couldn't see anyone realy doing anything about that as well.
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So is there a limit to how many times he can do this?
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Veto moral decisions or be elected Dictator of Russia?
Because I think the answer to both is no
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Iran will fall apart within the next ten years.
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Cutting off communications, that's always a good sign of a healthy regime
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Iran's regime looks at Libya and Syria and apparently wants the same shit? ok bro, whatever
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Isn't cutting off a well-used lifeline to the outside world like the internet a sign that either something really bad just happened or is going to happen?
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@Cyan:
Isn't cutting off a well-used lifeline to the outside world like the internet a sign that either something really bad just happened or is going to happen?
That'd be my guess - but international watchers are now aware of that tactic so how effective it will continue to be depends on how well it can be adapted to - Sat Phones - border town broadcasts and probably other ways to keep the information flowing.
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Anniversary of the Bahrain uprising,one year on.
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Niyazov's son, beloved leader Berdymukhamedov wins his re-election with an impresive, yet still believable 97 % against seven oposition candidates, which all also praised him before the election.
All the other seven candidates praised the 54-year-old trained dentist in their election campaigns, prompting observers to conclude that the poll was a mere formality.On Sunday, performers in national dress sang his praises at polling stations where food and gifts were reportedly given out to voters.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17009053 I'm glad he's keeping his father's legacy alive.
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They aren't related, what are you talking about.
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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-egypt-women-20120215,0,7535689,full.story
After the Egyptian uprising, women who were at the forefront of the protests are back to second-class citizen status.
"It is disrespectful for a woman's dignity when she has to take to the streets to defend her rights," says Manal Aboul Hassan, head of the women's committee for the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party. "Does not she have a husband, a brother or a son to defend her?"
God this gets under my skin. That's a woman, in a position of power, saying women don't get to speak up. All because of twisted tradition.
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@Monkey:
They aren't related, what are you talking about.
There was alot of speculation back when Niyazov died on how similar they looked and some people said they think he's his illegitimate son.
Now don't tell me this isn't probable.
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@No:
There was alot of speculation back when Niyazov died on how similar they looked and some people said they think he's his illegitimate son.
Now don't tell me this isn't probable.
The new guy was clearly chosen as the new leader BECAUSE he looked like Niyazov, to shore up continuity for the regime. This even has historical precedents, the guy that came immediately after Mao, Hua Guofeng, tried looking as much like Mao as he could. When a regime with heavy personality cult use loses the personality they don't just want to abandon the image they cultivated do they?
If he was Niyazov's son why would they even hide that anyway. Do you really think one of the world's worst dictatorships would be worried about looking nepotistic lol?
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It would be perfectly in character for Niyazov to have a legion of illegitimate children and be unaware of their existence.
Or the existence of their mothers.
Or the existence of any one else in his country for that matter.
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@Cyan:
It would be perfectly in character for Niyazov to have a legion of illegitimate children and be unaware of their existence.
Or the existence of their mothers.
Or the existence of any one else in his country for that matter.
You just made me imagine Dinner for One, staring Niyazov, and being about running a country.
Niyazov would naturaly be his own oposition too.
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@Monkey:
The new guy was clearly chosen as the new leader BECAUSE he looked like Niyazov, to shore up continuity for the regime. This even has historical precedents, the guy that came immediately after Mao, Hua Guofeng, tried looking as much like Mao as he could. When a regime with heavy personality cult use loses the personality they don't just want to abandon the image they cultivated do they?
If he was Niyazov's son why would they even hide that anyway. Do you really think one of the world's worst dictatorships would be worried about looking nepotistic lol?
That's human logic.
This man renamed bread after his mother.
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Marie Colvin, who had covered international conflicts for over two decades, was killed in Syria along with her cameraman today during a bombardment of Homs by Assad's forces.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/activist-foreign-journalists-killed-syria-15763618
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The journalist Marie Colvin died, and the media have spent hours talking about her and how horrendous her death was, that it was a devastation and a loss for the journalist world.
This could have all been averted if the international community, or anyone with a moral mind would know that it could have been averted if the rest of the world done something to help, this wasn’t just now as in a surprise attack. No this was happening for 3 weeks now. Videos were online on youtube, the bloggers were writing about it, the media were reporting about it. Did anything happen??
A meeting here, a meeting there, sanctions, peace talks, and so forth. Any actions!!! No. Russia and china said no, as if that has ever stopped the west from doing what they please, why would they not do something now. I have known Marie Colven, not personally but she was a famous reporter, and her death is having more talks than the damage or even the cause of her death, Which was the military that are having a fun game of bomb the house. It is the whole Whitney Houston thing all over again.
2 needless deaths. The locals have reportage well covered due to the existence of youtube. There is simply no reason for western reporters to be on the ground there except , of course, for the chance of glory and some superfluous award.i wrote this earlier
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The problem with Syria is still people are nervous about the ethnic dimension no doubt. But I don't think it will be too much longer before something happens.
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China and Russia still see UN involvement in Syria in the same light as what happened in Libya, it seems. In other words, they don't trust Western opinions on liberation and peace. I also see economic/military advantages to supporting Assad: Assad is on good terms with Iran, and Iran buys military shit from Russia and China and provides another barrier to Western power.
If you want my feelings on this, I equally hate both the East and the West, and this whole concept of East vs West. It's a childish blame game, and irresponsible, apathetic, greedy behavior.
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Russia's just putting on that "BUT GUYS WE'RE STILL POWERFUL TOTALLY SERIOUS" facade they've had since Yeltsin fucked everything up.
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China and Russia still see UN involvement in Syria in the same light as what happened in Libya, it seems. In other words, they don't trust Western opinions on liberation and peace. I also see economic/military advantages to supporting Assad: Assad is on good terms with Iran, and Iran buys military shit from Russia and China and provides another barrier to Western power.
If you want my feelings on this, I equally hate both the East and the West, and this whole concept of East vs West. It's a childish blame game, and irresponsible, apathetic, greedy behavior.
What's Russia though, Center?
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The whole situation in Syria is just absolutely frustrating and infuriating
It's a bit like Kosovo, of course minus the ethnic cleansing part, but with the obvious massacres while the world is watching.
It is a full blown war now. Well, as much as you can call it war when you bomb the life out of unarmed civilliains. They also refuse to stop fire to tend to the wounded, a couple of foreign journalists still trapped. Artcile here On top of it food supplies are gone, they are probably planning to starve the people out.
If these are not some solid war crimes I don't know what isOn another note. Don't know if this is the right thread for it, but anyone else keeping an eye on Senegal here?
Depending on how the elections go now we might have ourselves a pretty big problem. -
@Monkey:
What's Russia though, Center?
Russia is grouped with China, despite the fact that they get on each other's nerves and have missiles directed at each other. However, this grouping is partially from Hillary Clinton's point of view, in which Russia and China have a secret alliance and share military secrets. Such an alliance is non-existent, but that woman spouts whatever is convenient for her to say.
Currently, the people of Russia are divided over which leader to candidate to elect, so they wouldn't necessarily be part of the East, but everyone knows Putin has the upper hand, is in fact pulling strings, and hates the West.
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China and Russia hate eachother as much as any hate for the west. They share a border for one, do you think they aren't more paranoid of the other?
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The whole situation in Syria is just absolutely frustrating and infuriating
It's a bit like Kosovo, of course minus the ethnic cleansing part, but with the obvious massacres while the world is watching.
It is a full blown war now. Well, as much as you can call it war when you bomb the life out of unarmed civilliains. They also refuse to stop fire to tend to the wounded, a couple of foreign journalists still trapped. Artcile here On top of it food supplies are gone, they are probably planning to starve the people out.
If these are not some solid war crimes I don't know what isOn another note. Don't know if this is the right thread for it, but anyone else keeping an eye on Senegal here?
Depending on how the elections go now we might have ourselves a pretty big problem.Yes also keeping an eye on SN there's been tension there in the past weeks and everyone is dreading the disclosure of the results because there will definitely be protests whether Wade or any of the other candidates win. This is because the opposition is so weak none of the candidates offer a better alternative to Wade for being the same opportunistic sharks around since forever with their fair share of dirt on their hands. So at this point any candidate's win is likely to be heavily contested by all the fragmented factions in the population. So far it's heading towards Wade vs younger version of Wade Macky Sall(i dn't even want to comment) in the second round .
Not sure about the extent to which things could degenerate into a big problem though Senegal has been a stable democracy for decades I doubt they are ready for violence they still seem lethargic and Wade is a pathetic wannabe nothing close the likes of dictators to instigate enough anger. He may be on a life support machine (can you believe dude was alive in 1926 and that's an approximation) but he still collected many votes across Senegal from imbeciles who've been thrown powder in their eyes with his little shitty projects here and there, or those who follow their bribed spiritual guides' orders to vote for him because it's God's will. Demonstrations in fact haven't really been a popular uprising and only amounted to hundreds of people at best in towns,they hvn't really been rooted with the soc eco grievances of the everyday people either there isn't any strong drive to this, so yeah it's all up in the air for now.