Revolts spreading like wild fire in the Middle east.

[Exatreides]

The revolt in Tunisia has lead to numerous other revolts in Middle eastern nations.




Yemen

The protests so far have been peaceful.

The largest demonstrations took place in the capital of Sanaa, where crowds in four parts of the city shut down streets and chanted slogans calling for an end to the government of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power for nearly 32 years.

"We will not accept anything less than the president leaving," said independent parliamentarian Ahmed Hashid.

Similar anti-government protests took place in the southern provinces of Dali and Shabwa where riot police used batons to disperse the demonstrators. In al-Hudaydah province, an al-Qaida stronghold along the Red Sea coast, thousands took to the streets demanding the end of Saleh's rule.
In Yemen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGXj6cWpUhQ&feature=player_embedded

The same can not be said about Egypt. The protest's have sometimes turned violent and several people have been killed. The Egyptian Government has recently been arresting AP journalist and cameramen.
(Graphic)
http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=69016&sitesection=ndnsubss&VID=23316289

Lebanon
The power situation here is fragile with the terrorist group Hamas poised to secure power and the population waiting a report from the international court that could paint Hamas as the prime suspect in the 2006 killing of the prime minister.

Algeria
The governement just lifted a state of emergency that has been over the country for nearly 20 years in an attempt to avoid a situation that happened to Tunisia.
Riot early this month

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jUVEh9giAk


Is there something in the water?

I hope the revolts are for a peaceful democratic nations. I doubt Israel will take kindly to a Hezbollah ran North and a Radical Egypt to the south.

[Danny]

Egypts shut down the internet, like for the whole country. this shit it like a domino effect. Guess it just goes to show when given the slightest inspiration to speak out there millions who want some kind of change in there country.

[Tricky]

Personally I think the worlds been going batshit crazy recently and another world war wouldnt suprise me in the near future, wikileaks, africa, the middle east, China on the rise, Burma, north & south Korea, the London riots, Argentina eyeing up the falklands again, Iran wanting to base missiles in south america, explosions in Moscows airport etc. When I watch the news at the moment I get a nervous feeling that something is brewing :confused:

[krakenslayer]

Personally I think the worlds been going batshit crazy recently and another world war wouldnt suprise me in the near future,.

You're dying for this to happen in your lifetime, admit it! :lol: :p

[Danny]

Personally I think the worlds been going batshit crazy recently and another world war wouldnt suprise me in the near future, wikileaks, africa, the middle east, China on the rise, Burma, north & south Korea, the London riots, Argentina eyeing up the falklands again, Iran wanting to base missiles in south america, explosions in Moscows airport etc. When I watch the news at the moment I get a nervous feeling that something is brewing :confused:

traditionally a world war has at least two major factions against each other, you honestly think thats gonna happen again? were too greedy and distrustful to have another world war.

[krakenslayer]

Overall, I hope this will be a good thing in the long run. If governments routinely perpetrate political censorship and routinely deny their subjects the democratic channels to effect change, then it is a citizens duty to revolt by whatever means they have left. I wish them well.

[Tricky]

traditionally a world war has at least two major factions against each other, you honestly think thats gonna happen again? were too greedy and distrustful to have another world war.

Not really, if pretty much the entire world is involved in various scuffles all over the place, it could be classed as a world war

A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters, and last for multiple years. The term has usually been applied to two conflicts of unprecedented scale that occurred during the 20th century, World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945), although in retrospect a number of earlier conflicts may be regarded as "world wars"

Considering how many nations make up NATO/ISAF and then all the different nationalities that make up the Afghan insurgency, its getting that way anyway strictly speaking, although very clearly not on the scale of WW1/2! Its not something I want to happen, its just my personal observation that things seem to be shifting and theres a lot of aggression & posturing going on among various nations/cultures

*edit - now this Egypt thing is getting heavy, the army have been sent in to take on the protesters. My mum was looking at booking a holiday to Egypt last week! http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Egypt-Protests-Military-Deployed-As-Thousands-Defy-Curfew-To-Demand-Mubarak-Out/Article/201101415914646?lpos=World_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15914646_Egypt_Protests%3A_Military_De ployed_As_Thousands_Defy_Curfew_To_Demand_Mubarak_ Out

[Exatreides]

I mean, one could consider the French and British wars of the 18th century as world wars, or most certainly the Napoleonic wars.

The Egypt and revolts in the middle east remind me of a quote.
"Rise like Lions after slumber; In unvanquishable number; Shake your chains to earth like dew; Which in sleep had fallen on you; Ye are many; They are few." - Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Mask of Anarchy

[brer]

You can only dominate a people for so long with intimidation and fear.

The Egyptians are in a quandary. They are able to see the wealth of the world through mass media and have come to the realization that they will not share it unless things change.

Much has already been said that food prices are a major contribution to initiating the riots in both Egypt and Tunis.

When combined with an unelected and unresponsive government, extreme poverty makes a revolution inevitable.

[blind2d]

I just hope change for the better happens with a minimum of violence and/or bloodshed.

[EvilNed]

traditionally a world war has at least two major factions against each other, you honestly think thats gonna happen again? were too greedy and distrustful to have another world war.

We've only really had two world wars, so I wouldn't really say it's the strongest tradition...

Wether or not The Seven Year War should be counted or not is up for debate, I guess. It would be World War 0. The Prequel.

[Danny]

We've only really had two world wars, so I wouldn't really say it's the strongest tradition...

Wether or not The Seven Year War should be counted or not is up for debate, I guess. It would be World War 0. The Prequel.

demo, retail and unbalanced expansion packs respectively :lol:

[Rancid Carcass]

We've only really had two world wars.

Yeah, it's about time that franchise had a reboot... :D

[Exatreides]

It's now spreading to the United States.

Well...Wisconsin.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/02/17/teacher.budget.crisis/index.html?hpt=C1

I grew up in a strong Union house hold. So Instead of revoking the 150 billion dollar tax breaks they recently passed for big business in the state, they're going after teachers and public workers?
Screw that.

I'ma vote Syndicalist next time.

[Publius]

So Instead of revoking the 150 billion dollar tax breaks they recently passed for big business in the state, they're going after teachers and public workers?


$150 billion in tax breaks, just for big business? Wisconsin's GDP is only about $250 billion. What kind of tax rates do they have there?

[wayzim]

Overall, I hope this will be a good thing in the long run. If governments routinely perpetrate political censorship and routinely deny their subjects the democratic channels to effect change, then it is a citizens duty to revolt by whatever means they have left. I wish them well.

Relish it, kids. This is Living History that yer gonna bore your own kids with down the road.
For all the posturing by various Western leaders over time about democracy in the middle east, this is a massive change from within.
Will it get uglier before it get better? You betcha.
Kurt Vonnegut once said, shortly after we toppled Saddam, that of course there was going to be a Bloody civil war, because pretty much any revolution worth mentioning is Bloody.

No matter the outcome, these are interesting times we live in.

Wayne Z

[acealive1]

oh shit, its the "me too" syndrome and this time it just isnt about fashion.

[Legion2213]

Much killing in Libya apparently...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12517327

Not too fond of arabs and muslims in general, but it takes balls of steel to stand up to whole fucking armies who WILL shoot you dead without a second thought. Gotta give the people on the streets credit for standing up to this stuff.

I think a few middle eastern dictators ain't sleeping so well lately. :)

[Exatreides]

Egypt stands with Wisconsin
http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitpic/photos/large/243994594.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=0ZRYP5X5F6FSMBCCSE82&Expires=1298249757&Signature=5o0vRHB9VlVW9hpe90L5wZ7XHmA%3D


Libya is spiraling towards civil war
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/20/libya.protests/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

[Tricky]

Its looking like the Libyan government is going to be ousted soon despite them machine gunning protesters down, civil war is looking very likely! Its crazy how this is spreading right across the arab world so quickly, I bet a few western governments are watching and feeling a chill run up their spines now, knowing the contempt most people have for politicians these days....

[rightwing401]

While I sincerely hope that these revolts ushers in a new era of peace and freedom to the arab world, I'm going to have to wait and view the situation with a glass half full mentality. Typically, middle eastern countries tend to end up with one of two systems of government. Either A: A dictator/king wielding nearly total control over a very poor and disenfranchised people---or B: A very strict religious regime that enforces its codes of rule through harsh repression.

I certainly hope that this doesn't turn out to be the end result of the countries of Egypt, Libya and others, and that they'll be able to forge new systems of rule that allow the freedoms we enjoy here in the west while still adhering to their ancient cultural traditions. As it is, I have tremndous respect for the bravery of these folks that are willing to stand their ground against machine guns and tanks with little more than picket signs and rocks.

[Tricky]

Our very own warmongering, self serving, smarmy, horrible, manipulative, slimey, condescending smug cunt (sorry for offense, no other word describes him) of an ex prime minister and "middle east peace envoy" has been very, very quiet since all this trouble really kicked off. He's a chum of Gaddiffi too
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/16/article-1295370-0A7884E2000005DC-173_468x301.jpg
http://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/news-in-pics/2007/05/30/tony-blair-gaddafi-pic.jpg

[Neil]

I think Gadhafi will go. The questions are, alive or dead - I suspect alive. And how many people will have to die. I suspect not many - I hope sense will prevail!

[rightwing401]

I would hope sense would prevail too. The trouble though with trying to oust dictators through democratic means requires two things. That they will 'peacefully' and 'willingly' give up their power. Judging by how the fool Gadhafi duck is acting, I would say there's a pretty good chance Libya will end up in a civil war. Mind you, I seriously hope that doesn't happen, since those kinds of conflicts tend to be the bloodiest there are.

[Tricky]

Colonel Gaddafi - "Follow me or I will burn all of Libya"
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Libya-Gaddafi-Speaks-To-Supporters-In-Tripolis-Green-Square/Article/201102415940531?lpos=World_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15940531_Libya%3A_Gaddafi_Speaks_To_Su pporters_In_Tripolis_Green_Square

The mans a few pence short of a pound! He would make an awesome comedy villain, shame he's actually real & people are dying because of him!

[Danny]

I sweat i just heard the news mention similar uprisings in north korea. My first instinct is 'yeah, that'll be the day" but you never know, especially when kim jong ill bites the big one y'know?

[BillyRay]

I'm worried that Quadaffy might be the next Governor of Wisconsin...