Surge in Arab protests expected on Friday in Gulf

Surge in Arab protests expected on Friday in Gulf

af.reuters.com

Arab uprisings that have spread to the conservative Gulf region face a crucial test this week in Saudi Arabia...More than 32,000 people have backed a Facebook call to hold two demonstrations in the country, the first of them on Friday...Protests are planned in other Gulf countries such as Yemen, Kuwait and Bahrain on Friday, the region's weekend...

(visit the link for the full news article)

I hate to be one of those guys who says "today is the day something big will happen" and then nothing happens...but look at the headline, this is Reuters talking, not me. It doesn't get any more mainstream than Reuters. (Actually, the whole issue of the role of the mainstream media in relation to these protests is worth pursuing in itself, but I digress...)

Whatever happens, I wish for the safety and wellbeing of all involved, whatever side they happen to be affiliated with.

The article contains some interesting observations. Some Sunni clerics are attempting to brand the whole thing as an entirely Shiite initiative, and warning of Shiite "conspiracies" (from the article: "Secret Shi'ite hands want to corrupt this country," messages sent to mobile phones this week said. ). The Western media has seemed to me to be playing up the Sunni-Shiite tension heavily, but the article implies that the story goes beyond this sectarian divide. Nevertheless, the Sunni-Shiite relationship will still bear close scrutiny in the days ahead.

The article touches on regional leadership's concern that the protests could set a precedent that leads to further escalation. Another matter that was alluded to: an alleged shift away from religion as a motivator, and skepticism about traditional power roles that previously had been buttressed by religion. Imagine if Islam began somehow to diminish in significance in the region...that in itself has all kinds of interesting implications and this theme (so to speak) has been running thoroughout all the protests so far.

Personally, I don't expect the day to be earth-shaking, but it could still be of significance. Only time will tell.


af.reuters.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

S & F

Thanks for posting op. I don't really have much too add except that I along with many people are going to be watching the events in Saudi Arabia and the middle-east over the weekend like a hawk.

It really truly is only going to take one spark to set the Saudi nation into chaos, and as a result the global economy. I'm very nervous right now knowing how easily and closely we are to a systematic cascading crash of unprecedented proportions.

Keep your eyes on that oil price

Thanks for posting and reading...

I just came across this, this very minute:
Saudi Police Open Fire at Protestors.
CAIRO (AP) - Saudi police opened fire Thursday to disperse a protest in the section where minority Shiites live, leaving at least one man injured, as the government toughened its efforts to prevent a wave of unrest sweeping the Arab world from reaching the kingdom...the rare violence raised concern about a crackdown ahead of planned protests after Friday prayers in different cities throughout the oil-rich kingdom. Violence there could reverberate through the world's markets because of the importance of Saudi oil exports.

Depending on how this plays out after DAY of RAGE in Saudi Arabia after this coming Friday night prayers......

and expect a spike in petrol come Monday!!!

Yeah I read about the rubber bullet dispersing on the protesters...

It's called the day of rage and you go and protest and you cop a rubber bullet to the back or ass or guts or head (can potentially kill)... You think I was pissed off before? I bet those little rubber wasps sting like all manner of hell.

The global crash is and always was inevitable... As bad as it sounds, I wish it would hurry up and happen. It's like I've been watching a slow death or a train wrack in slow motion for the last few years. If I ever tried to get ready to sidestep it I'd be called paranoid and an idiot.

"Take your tin foil hat off and go back to work and consuming. No collapse is going to happen."

Well it's happening, and as one member said in another thread it couldn't come soon enough.

The time has come. Gather all those who are nice, friendly, humble and just want to have a little peace and quiet while they are on this planet for a total of less than 100 years (if we are lucky). Also take along the people who can put up with another ones faith. One last bunch - grab those who think violence ever serves to improve any given situation. Let the remaining goons fight it out until they kill themselves. Move cool people back in.

The time has come folks...

These headlines are so boring, nothing but the same news, recycled. The middle east officially sucks. If I could give advice to those that force their religious ideals on others. Your god hates you - grow up

Australian Government Warns Very High Threat Of Terrorist Attack In Saudi Arabia

online.wsj.com...