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Bahrain

PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:34 am
by winston
Demonstration in Bahrain today - "Day of Rage"

Re: Middle East

PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 7:07 pm
by winston
So now, we have problems in Yemen, Bahrain, Iran, Libya and Algeria ?

Bahrain protesters rally for third day

MANAMA (Reuters) - Protesters in Bahrain, inspired by revolts that have toppled Arab rulers in Tunisia and Egypt, poured into the Gulf island kingdom's capital on Wednesday to mourn a demonstrator killed in clashes with security forces.

Over a thousand joined a funeral procession for the man, who was shot dead on Tuesday when fighting broke out at the burial of another protester. Some 2,000 were camped out at a major road junction in the center of Manama, hoping to emulate the rallies on Cairo's Tahrir Square and demanding a change of government.

Bahrainis have a history of protest and the current unrest, in its third day, has been driven by familiar complaints of economic hardships, lack of political freedoms and sectarian discrimination by the Sunni rulers against the Shi'ite majority.

Though itself only a minor oil exporter, Bahrain's stability is important for neighboring Saudi Arabia, a key supporter of Bahrain's royal family and where key oilfields are home to an oppressed and occasionally restive Shi'ite minority.

Bahrain is also a hub for banking and financial services in the Gulf and is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.

PRIME MINISTER SINCE 1971

Protesters want the removal of the prime minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, who has governed since British rule ended in 1971.

For now, they have not sought change at the very top -- his nephew King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa has ultimate control over the 1.3 million people in Bahrain, half of them foreigners.

Bahrain's Shi'ites, whose branch of Islam is found mostly in across the Gulf in Iran and among Arabs in Iraq and Lebanon, complain they are shut out of public housing, healthcare and government jobs and also that their rulers have tried to shift the demographic balance by making Sunni immigrants citizens.

An upset in Bahrain could embolden marginalized Shi'ites in Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter. The United States has called for restraint on both sides.

The Sunni-Shi'ite schism dates back 13 centuries to disputes over the succession to the Prophet Mohammad. Sunni rulers in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states share Western fears that Iran -- a non-Arab Shi'ite state -- is seeking to become a nuclear power with ambitions to dominate the region.

Protesters in Bahrain were at pains to deny any sectarian motive and any involvement from Iran, just across the Gulf.

Source: Reuters US Online Report World News

Re: Middle East

PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 3:10 am
by kennynah
bahrain protestings are getting out of control...

libya seems to be getting into the bandwagon as well...

of cos, yemen is getting very problematic too..

Middle East

PostPosted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 10:13 am
by winston
Stratfor On Why Developments In Bahrain Are More Important Than Libya's
by Tyler Durden

Stratfor explains why the developments in Libya, while important, are materially less relevant from a macro perspective than those in smallish Bahrain:

While the world is focusing on the fighting in Libya, there is a much more profound development taking place in the Persian Gulf, particularly in the country of Bahrain, where the government is negotiating with the opposition.

And the outcome of those negotiations will be far more geopolitically relevant and significant than the fighting that is taking place in Libya.

The reason why Bahrain is very important is because in any negotiation you have to have some give-and-take, and it’s likely that the Bahraini monarchy will have to give some concession to the opposition.

And once that happens, it will lead to an empowerment of the opposition, 70 percent of which is Shia — 70 percent of the population of the country is Shia — and that has very large-scale implications for the region, particularly for Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

And confirming that things in Saudi, very much contrary from the lies on CNBC, are getting very hot is an account from a source on the ground who observed a 1,000 person protest in Qatif.

The reason: demands for the release of all Shia prisoners. More importantly this was not a social media organized event. If it had been, it would be far bigger...

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/stratf ... ant-libyas

Bahrain

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:34 pm
by behappyalways
If Bahrain's monarchy falls, then the oppositions in Saudi Arabi will be emboldened. Saudi Arabia's monarchy is very worried at the moment while Iran is encouraging the oppositions......The main prize is still Saudi Arabia, if something happens to the country, we will have a real oil spike.

Gulf states send force to Bahrain following protests

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12729786

Re: Bahrain

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:36 pm
by iam802
lots of things coming together

1. unrest at Middle East / Africa area leading to oil price spikes

2. Euro zone debt issues; countries being downgraded

3. Japan natural disaster

4. Inflation etc

A small storm is brewing..

Re: Bahrain

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 3:32 am
by behappyalways
Special Report: Iran and the Saudis' Countermove on Bahrain


http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/201103 ... 7eefa2c15f

Re: Bahrain

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:12 am
by LenaHuat
With the Saudi troops in Bahrain, civil disobedience will break out.

Re: Bahrain

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:16 am
by Aspellian
If anything happen to Saudi - oil will DEFINITELY go beyond previous peak. If US goes in to help with its military - it will be on a diplomatic tightrope - you wont know what Iran will want to do....

Re: Bahrain

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:59 pm
by behappyalways
Bahrain king declares state of emergency after protests

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12745608