Trouble in Bahrain

opinion guy

I'm somewhat stunned to see the lack of media coverage of the events in Bahrain compared to Egypt (there isn't even a thread on boards about this!!!)

Its seems to have been a shockingly violent night last night.
The Guardian seems to be doing a better job covering it than most:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/17/bahrain-security-forces-sunni-foreign

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/feb/17/bahrain-crisis-middle-east-protests-live-blog?intcmp=239

If the reporting isn't quite bringing the violence home to you, photos have been posted on facebook - WARNING THESE ARE EXTREMELY GRAPHIC AND DISTURBING PICTURES - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=100002079733404&aid=6066

I don't know why the TV channels do not seem to be reporting that some poor guy got his head blown off.


Aside: i know this is AH, but before you make off the cuff wisecracks look at the shocking photos and show some respect - if you don't want to see some horrendous stuff then don't crack wise please

Edit: Any boardsies on the ground out there ?

AckwelFoley

8 or so picks of one mans face blown to bits, id say one would have been enough to get the idea

Ghost Estate

opinion guy wrote: »

If the reporting isn't quite bringing the violence home to you, photos have been posted on facebook - WARNING THESE ARE EXTREMELY GRAPHIC AND DISTURBING PICTURES - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=100002079733404&aid=6066

are they on any other site? i'm not on Faecesbook

edit: nvm i dont need to see em

admiralofthefleet

i sincerely hope tom dunne and lucy lu are ok

opinion guy

snyper wrote: »

8 or so picks of one mans face blown to bits, id say one would have been enough to get the idea

Not my pics I have no control over that.

Ghost Estate wrote: »

are they on any other site? i'm not on Faecesbook

edit: nvm i dont need to see em

I don't know to be honest - got the link from the guardian blog

Pauleta

Egypt are the biggest arab nation. Bahrain are a small country. I really hope the Formula 1 teams boycott Bahrain in the GP next month.

Ev84

Ghost Estate wrote: »

i'm not on Faecesbook

"faecesbook"........ that book is a load of s**t!

smk89

Ghost Estate wrote: »

are they on any other site? i'm not on Faecesbook

edit: nvm i dont need to see em

Independent thought detected. A facebook assimilation van has been dispatched to your location

wes

Not sure about TV news (not watched it today), but read about it on the Al Jazeera website and BBC, where its the top story.

Jimmy the Wheel

I'm Iraqing my Bahrain for a good pun, but can't think of any decent ones.

pablomakaveli

There has been some coverage of the events in Bahrain. I've seen it mentioned on the news the last few days. Though i've heard more about what's going on in Libya and Iran then Bahrain.

Killer Pigeon

Bah-what-y-now?

I had to wiki it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahrain

mrDerek

why are all these mad countries protesting these days?

partyatmygaff

Libya tried to get some protests going but Colonel Gadaffi managed to dispel them. Not using brute force but by distracting them by opening a new football stadium.

As for Bahrain things seem to be heating up but I don't think they'll be able to pull it off the same way Egypt did. There simply aren't enough people protesting and considering the population is so small they'll need something along the lines of a Military coup d'état to overthrow the king.

Nodin

Bahraini security forces have opened fire on anti-government protesters, witnesses and opposition activists say.
The protesters were fired on after they had streamed towards Pearl Square, the centre of recent unrest, from the funerals of protesters killed in a security crackdown earlier this week.
Witnesses said the army fired weaponry and tear gas, and hospital officials said at least 20 people had been hurt.
Many of the protesters are calling for the overthrow of the royal family.
Bahrain's crown prince promised on Friday to start a national dialogue once calm has been restored, according to AFP news agency.

Witnesses told AP news agency that soldiers had fired anti-aircraft guns over the heads of the protesters, as well as tear gas.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12509658

Seems to be getting worse.

Apparently its a Shia majority country, run by a Sunni monarchy. ( I thought all the small Gulf states were majority Sunnis of one shape or another, which shows what I know...)

jkforde

email them and fax them....

Bahrain Embassy, London
Fax: 00442072019183
Email: information@bahrainembassy.co.uk

[mods, this info is freely openly available]

prinz

It's becoming yesterday's news unfortunately, which will allow these protests to be violently put down. If you had had Sky etc reporting from the ground from that roundabout in Bahrain they wouldn't have done the same thing. If these scumbags knew that the eyes of the world were on them they would hopefully show more restraint. The news networks are basically revelling in the 'successes' of Tunisia and Egypt (especially CNN earlier in the week) while fledgling protest movements in other countries still needed the exposure.

When the uprisings start getting knocked off the front page the public interest dwindles and the people out there suffer.

Edit: That said there are a few oddballs out there who you really couldn't see doing a better job in charge.

Corsendonk

Nodin wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12509658

Seems to be getting worse.

Apparently its a Shia majority country, run by a Sunni monarchy. ( I thought all the small Gulf states were majority Sunnis of one shape or another, which shows what I know...)

C4 had a report on the country 5-6 years ago how the Sunni ruling minority basically treated the shia majority as crap. The usual secret police and car battery tricks used to keep them in order but because Bahrain was rich the West ignored little blips like that. I wouldn't be surprised if the Saudi step in with military forces, no way would they want a shia run state replacing Bahrain.

darragh16

Pauleta wrote: »

Egypt are the biggest arab nation. Bahrain are a small country. I really hope the Formula 1 teams boycott Bahrain in the GP next month.

I can't see the race going ahead at this rate. They already cancelled the GP2 race this weekend

Up-n-atom!

I think it's getting a bit more coverage today. Should be interesting to see how it turns out - it's a bit of more liberal playground for the Saudis like some of the other smaller gulf states, so I'm guessing they might step in. Al Jazerra might also not want to stoke the flames in their own back yard with their coverage (I read about that somewhere but I don't know what they are and aren't reporting coz I haven't watched it over the last couple of days). I'm guessing the couple of grand that was supposed be offered to the citizens to quell the unrest didn't work.

Morag

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

i sincerely hope tom dunne and lucy lu are ok

They have been in touch with people, they are not were the 'disturbances' are but the net is being throttled and the government under the king are trying to keep as much news as possible from getting out.

bop1977

Sharrow wrote: »

They have been in touch with people, they are not were the 'disturbances' are but the net is being throttled and the government under the king are trying to keep as much news as possible from getting out.

I was texting Lucy today and as above they are safe and away from the trouble.

nosey rosie

What bothers me is... I had little idea Egypt was a corrupt dictatorship for nearly 40 years, incidentally funded by the U.S. - until this latest development. Now seemingly other Arab nations... are rebelling in similar ways. News programmes just hadn't covered this topic, yet its a big story.
Makes me distrust the normal news channels

strobe

prinz wrote: »

It's becoming yesterday's news unfortunately, which will allow these protests to be violently put down.

I'm not so sure Prinz. The number of people coming out on the street to protest in Bahrain is going up with the increase in state attacks on them, not down.

The people of Tunisia have a lot to be proud of right now.

Mister men

It's make or break at the moment. If the worlds media turn the other cheek they will get slaughted in a big way.

opinion guy

nosey rosie wrote: »

What bothers me is... I had little idea Egypt was a corrupt dictatorship for nearly 40 years, incidentally funded by the U.S. - until this latest development. Now seemingly other Arab nations... are rebelling in similar ways. News programmes just hadn't covered this topic, yet its a big story.
Makes me distrust the normal news channels

Eh many of the oil producing arab nations are like that. Saudi Arabia is the big one really. Serious carnage if it kicks off there - which is probably why the Bahrainis are reacting so violently.

Revealing article well worth reading:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/robert-fisk-in-bahrain-they-didnt-run-away-they-faced-the-bullets-headon-2219267.html

Cathaoirleach

Not much interest in this thread then?

Protestors are getting shot by snipers in Bahrain and Libya. This is worse than Egypt.

The following image comes with a warning.

http://i.imgur.com/9ppzU.jpg

BASHIR

It is very disturbing, these countries are being run by dictators and they have lots of support from people with government jobs, its the people struggling day to day who are uprising against their treatment, the lack of food money everything really. There are reports that in Libya that paid mercenaries are been flown in to 'deal' with the protests. That fact is that the restrictions on the media is so severe that these types of reports are hard to verify thus most media organisations wont release this information without it.

partyatmygaff

Libya and Bahrain are dealing with this far more violently than Egypt. The military in Egypt would never ever fire on its own people like that. The sooner Muammar and the Bahraini king are removed from their positions of power the better. They're making Mubarak look tame.

pavb2

I know internet etc has changed things but what has triggered this domino effect, same as regimes falling in Eastern Europe in 80's? Is it just the success of Egypt and Tunisia in getting rid of govt? Why now and why so many?

nacho libre

The good old Colonel is a friend to the west now so the criticism must be measured, lest he tear up the lucrative contracts with western companies. 200 people killed for the crime of protesting in Libya 10- 15 years ago would have resulted in strident condemnation of Gadaffi.

wes

Yeah, its a sad state of affairs. As long as the tyrant plays ball, they can get away with all sorts. Surely democracy is the West's best interests? After all, we bang on about it all the time.

Sunnyisland

nacho libre wrote: »

The good old Colonel is a friend to the west now so the criticism must be measured, lest he tear up the lucrative contracts with western companies. 200 people killed for the crime of protesting in Libya 10- 15 years ago would have resulted in strident condemnation of Gadaffi.

Does everything that happens bad in the world have to be turned upside down and blamed on the west, Is it always our fault ?

wes

realies wrote: »

Does everything that happens bad in the world have to be turned upside down and blamed on the west, Is it always our fault ?

No one is blaming the West, just pointing out the hypocrisy of supporting such tyrants, which is something the West is actually doing. People need to stop ignoring the fact that the West, which claims to support democracy, actually supports tyrants when it suits.

ottostreet

Looks like the Grand Prix will be cancelled, decision made by Wednesday.

Drivers & teams are condemning the Crown Princes families actions, with the ultimate decision of whether the race will go ahead being left in the Crown Prince's hands. However, BBC don't appear to be travelling to the Grand Prix regardless even if it does go ahead.

Cathaoirleach

pavb2 wrote: »

I know internet etc has changed things but what has triggered this domino effect, same as regimes falling in Eastern Europe in 80's? Is it just the success of Egypt and Tunisia in getting rid of govt? Why now and why so many?

The Wikileaks Cables kicked off the Tunisian and Egyptian protests. The rest of the the Arab nations now have a taste for democracy and are taking to the streets.

The regimes in Libya, Bahrain and Yemen have been far more heavy-handed against protesters than Egypt or Tunisia were.

I think we are witnessing one of the most important chapters of modern history since WW2!

Sunnyisland

wes wrote: »

No one is blaming the West, just pointing out the hypocrisy of supporting such tyrants, which is something the West is actually doing. People need to stop ignoring the fact that the West, which claims to support democracy, actually supports tyrants when it suits.

Point taken wes and what ever new dictator/government/party get in power soon they will still do so,But what i am saying in these instances its the people themselves who are rising up with no interference from outside forces.

HavingCrack

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/201122014259976293.html#

Looks like it could descend into anarchy in Libya as a lot of the troops are siding with the protestors.

Riddle101

Here's a video of people being gunned down by the army. Gruesome stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwnUQcKXmMM

Wolfe Tone

Dont look at those pics, I feel sick, ffs we dont need that sh!te on here, horrible

Einhard

wes wrote: »

No one is blaming the West, just pointing out the hypocrisy of supporting such tyrants, which is something the West is actually doing. People need to stop ignoring the fact that the West, which claims to support democracy, actually supports tyrants when it suits.

The over-riding priority of any government is to act in the interests of its people and society, which is exacty what the West is doing. Everything else, including the rights of those living under dictatorships, comes second to that. I'm all for encouraging democracy, and for the use of influence to temper the actions of the autocrats, but the world isn't black and white, and no government can afford to act as if it were.

Egypt, for example, is a massively important Western (American) ally. I don't think there's any doubt but that America would welcome a true, open democracy in the country. But, entirely withdrawing backing from Mubarak's regime might not have made much of a difference, and were the protests unsuccessful, America would have an unfriendly regime where it once had an ally.

I don't think it's hypocritical to champion democracy whilst allied with autocracies. There's little to be gained from tilting at windmills, and much to be lost.

Quackles

I'm supposed to go out next month Those poor people, the lack of media coverage is sickening. I tried keeping up on twitter but it's just frightening me far too much.

Tigerbaby

whats happening in the Arab World now is just a replay of what happened in Latin America in the 70s and 80s. Ye had the same mix of dictators/despots being supported by Western money ( US and Israel) to clamp down on the natives.

This too shall pass. The Jewish State is on quicksand as the Arab "street" awakes. The USA and the Jews had bought off the leaders in Jordan, Egypt , Saudi etc. but the people are rising up.

The voice of Islam is at last being heard. This is a religion that does not believe in turning the other cheek, and is far more radical than Christianity in its pursuit of justice in this World, not the next.

Good luck to them all. May Allah bless their work.

Sergeant

I'm glad to see that a thread about democracy in the Middle East has turned into yet another rant about 'Merica and Israel. Wouldn't want to break with a great AH tradition.

Tigerbaby

Sergeant wrote: »

I'm glad to see that a thread about democracy in the Middle East has turned into yet another rant about 'Merica and Israel. Wouldn't want to break with a great AH tradition.

good for you. I'm glad that you're glad. However, the Elephant in the room should be seen, not ignored. Its useful to see truth, dont cha know. or does that comment make me ( Shriek, Horror ) "anti-semitic" !!! Oh No!!!

Good Luck!

losthorizon

Apparently Gaddafi has fled Libya!

Sergeant

Tigerbaby wrote: »

good for you. I'm glad that you're glad. However, the Elephant in the room should be seen, not ignored. Its useful to see truth, dont cha know. or does that comment make me ( Shriek, Horror ) "anti-semitic" !!! Oh No!!!

Good Luck!

No, but the discussion was about the protests to bring about regime change in Bahrain, and now in Libya. Israel is 900 miles away from Bahrain and is not involved in these demonstrations to bring about change. It isn't the Israeli government that is shooting its own people, so I fail to see how in this instance it is the "elephant in the room"?

BASHIR

losthorizon wrote: »

Apparently Gaddafi has fled Libya!

Where did you read this? cant find anything, thanks

Sunnyisland

Tiger Baby wrote: »

whats happening in the Arab World now is just a replay of what happened in Latin America in the 70s and 80s. Ye had the same mix of dictators/despots being supported by Western money ( US and Israel) to clamp down on the natives.

This too shall pass. The Jewish State is on quicksand as the Arab "street" awakes. The USA and the Jews had bought off the leaders in Jordan, Egypt , Saudi etc. but the people are rising up.

The voice of Islam is at last being heard. This is a religion that does not believe in turning the other cheek, and is far more radical than Christianity in its pursuit of justice in this World, not the next.

Good luck to them all. May Allah bless their work.

What about the people in Iran, will allah bless there work or the Iranian governments who seem to be more interested oppressing there own people as much as libya.

Tigerbaby

Sergeant wrote: »

No, but the discussion was about the protests to bring about regime change in Bahrain, and now in Libya. Israel is 900 miles away from Bahrain and is not involved in these demonstrations to bring about change. It isn't the Israeli government that is shooting its own people, so I fail to see how in this instance it is the "elephant in the room"?

oh come now, you're being so naive. USA 5th Fleet is in Bahrain to aid in the strangulation of Iran. The US have bought ( with $) the aquiesence of The rulers of Bahrain, Egypt and Jordan. Its no coincidence that the military vehicles we see deployed against the pro-democracy supporters are all M1 Abrams and Humvees and US APC's.

Israel is the centre of financial globalisation, so geographical distance is irrelevant in a digital World. The Jewish State's tentacles stretch far and wide.

Heres hoping Iran will help the majority Shi'i in Bahrain in any way necessary.

losthorizon

BASHIR wrote: »

Where did you read this? cant find anything, thanks

Two sources Al Jazeera and also on Twitter ShababLibya