Tunisian Revolution and the Middle East

[visionary]

http://twitter.com/iyad_elbaghdadi

#Yemen diplomats in Belgium, Pakistan, and Iraq join the revolution. 1 minute ago via web

#Yemen diplomats in India, Czech republic, and Spain join the revolution. 24 minutes ago via web

#Yemen diplomat in USA declares he is with the revolution, live on Aljazeera. 20 minutes ago via web

The French Foreign Minister also called on president Saleh to resign.

[visionary]

Latest from Yemen:

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/midd...-blog-march-21

8:41pm An update of the rapidly growing list of defections and resignations in Yemen:

Army Officers:
Brigadier Ali Mohsen Saleh, head of the North Western Military Zone
Brigadier Hameed Al koshebi, head of brigade 310 in Omran area
Brigadier Mohammed Ali Mohsen, head of the Eastern Division
Brigadier Nasser Eljahori, head of brigade 121
General Ali Abdullaha Aliewa, adviser of the Yemeni supreme leader of the army
General Faisal Rajab, based in the southern province of Lahij
“Dozens of officers of various ranks” – AFP

Diplomats:
Abdel-Wahhab Tawaf, Ambassador to Syria
Mohammed Ali al-Ahwal, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
Ambassador to Jordan
Ambassador to Egypt
Ambassador to Kuwait
Ambassador to China
Ambassador to Algeria
Ambassador to Indonesia
Ambassador to Iraq
Ambassador to Qatar
Ambassador to Belgium
Ambassador to Pakistan
Ambassador to Czech Republic
Ambassador to Spain
Ambassador to Germany
Ambassador to Oman
Ambassador to the UN
Charge d’affairs to Tunisia
Representative to the Arab League
All embassy staff in Washington except the ambassador

Local Officials:
Ahmed Qaatabi, Governor of Yemen's southern province of Aden
Himyar al-Ahmar, Deputy Speaker of Parliament
Mayor of Aden
3 MPs
Advisor of Yemen’s premiership

Tribal Leaders:
Sheikh Sadeq bin Abdullah Bin Hussein Alahmar, the leader of Hashed tribal federation
The As-Saadi tribe

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/midd...-blog-march-22

12:50am Our correspondent John Terrett, reporting from Washington, said Al Jazeera has learned in the last few hours that four out of six diplomats at the Yemen embassy in DC have "sided with the people":

I want to make this clear: I spoke to the political officer at the embassy this morning - Khaled Al Kathiri - and he said that what he and his four colleagues are doing is: they are not resigning their jobs, they are not joining the opposition, but they are siding with the Yemeni people in their call for Saleh to stand aside and for the reforms to be allowed to go ahead."

[twa]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/42188249

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said a foreign plot against his kingdom had been foiled and thanked troops brought in from neighbouring countries to help end increasing unrest after weeks of protests.

"An external plot has been fomented for 20 to 30 years until the ground was ripe for subversive designs ...I here announce the failure of the fomented plot," the state news agency BNA quoted him overnight as telling troops.

King Hamad told the forces that such if such a plot succeeded in one Gulf Arab country, it could spill into neighbouring states, BNA said.
...
In a sign of rising tensions between the countries, Bahrain expelled Iran's charge d'affaires on Sunday, accusing him of contacts with some opposition groups, a diplomatic source said.

He left shortly after the Iranian ambassador, asked to leave last week. Iran expelled a Bahraini diplomat in response.

Bahrain has also said previously that it arrested opposition leaders for dealing with foreign countries.

[jpyaks3]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/42188249

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said a foreign plot against his kingdom had been foiled and thanked troops brought in from neighbouring countries to help end increasing unrest after weeks of protests.

"An external plot has been fomented for 20 to 30 years until the ground was ripe for subversive designs ...I here announce the failure of the fomented plot," the state news agency BNA quoted him overnight as telling troops.

King Hamad told the forces that such if such a plot succeeded in one Gulf Arab country, it could spill into neighbouring states, BNA said.
...
In a sign of rising tensions between the countries, Bahrain expelled Iran's charge d'affaires on Sunday, accusing him of contacts with some opposition groups, a diplomatic source said.

He left shortly after the Iranian ambassador, asked to leave last week. Iran expelled a Bahraini diplomat in response.

Bahrain has also said previously that it arrested opposition leaders for dealing with foreign countries.

It's a shame whats happening in Bahrain and the American governments lack of a response to Saudi and GCC troops attacking peaceful protesters. Unfortunately it looks like the Bahrain government might get away with simply claiming it was all Iranian based since looking at the actual facts would bring up some difficult questions for the west and the United States.

[twa]

Hillary has called out Iran interference twice in one week...
conspiracy?...or do they know more than they are telling?

[visionary]

Hillary has called out Iran interference twice in one week...
conspiracy?...or do they know more than they are telling?

Iran is interfering or trying to, but mostly just verbally.
From everything I've seen and read, the people protesting don't want any part of Iran or a theocracy.
They certainly don't want foreign troops to come and help oppress them either though.
The more Saudi Arabia and others take actions like they have in Bahrain, the better Iran will start to look to some of these people.

[twa]

Oh yeah, Iran is a great model for freedom

[visionary]

Oh yeah, Iran is a great model for freedom

I don't think anyone thinks that.
The young people of Bahrain seem to be very similar to the young protesters of Iran.
But if Iran is verbally sticking up for you and your own government and their allies are killing you, not allowing you to be treated in hospitals, and making sure you don't get to practice free speech or have equal rights....
Eventually you might start thinking maybe Iran isn't all that bad.

[twa]

Eventually you might start thinking maybe Iran isn't all that bad.

Ignorance is bliss...or a fool born every minute?

Is Bahrain hanging and raping theirs yet?....A veritable Heaven on earth

[visionary]

Ignorance is bliss...or a fool born every minute?

Is Bahrain hanging and raping theirs yet?....A veritable Heaven on earth

I don't think most would want any help from Iran let alone be like them, but the less critical thinkers, more emotional ones might start changing their opinions.

By the way, CNN just reported that a US official says that the Yemen president may step down soon and discussions of a transition of power are under way.

Interesting times we are living in.

In other news from Yemen:
http://twitter.com/acarvin

AJE: Gunmen have stormed the offices of Al Jazeera in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, seizing broadcasting equipment. More information soon. 4 minutes ago via TweetDeck

[jpyaks3]

Hillary has called out Iran interference twice in one week...
conspiracy?...or do they know more than they are telling?

Well its a hell of a lot easier to ignore protesters that are against your interests if you paint them as foreign. Iran may be trying to play a role but the protesters are not pro-Iranian, although they certainly may turn that way when the Saudi's and the royal family mow them down and attack doctors and hospitals. However I can see how it would be easier for you to just claim it is Iran causing problems instead of looking at the ****ty stuff a lot of our allies are doing.

[visionary]

http://twitter.com/SultanAlQassemi

CNN: Yemen leader, three top generals including Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar, discuss transition of power http://bit.ly/eek8Iy by @jamjoomcnn 8 minutes ago via web

[twa]

Well its a hell of a lot easier to ignore protesters that are against your interests if you paint them as foreign. Iran may be trying to play a role but the protesters are not pro-Iranian, although they certainly may turn that way when the Saudi's and the royal family mow them down and attack doctors and hospitals. However I can see how it would be easier for you to just claim it is Iran causing problems instead of looking at the ****ty stuff a lot of our allies are doing.

Iran Orders Attacks on Saudi Interests Worldwide

Several grand ayatollahs in Iran have issued a fatwa for Muslims to come to the aid of their Shiite brothers in Bahrain, who they claim are suffering horrific crimes from their government in collaboration with the Saudi armed forces. They further emphasized that the people of Bahrain have every right to demand freedom and their fair share from the state.

Shia-News, a site associated with Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi (a hard-line Shiite Twelver and an influential figure in the suppression of Iranians during their uprising to protest the fraudulent presidential election of 2009), is registering volunteers to participate in suicide bombings against Saudi interests around the world. Hundreds have already registered. Reports from inside Iran indicate that an alert has gone out to the Revolutionary Guards Quds forces throughout the world to prepare for attacks on Saudi establishments.

....
The ayatollahs who cry foul over the Saudi action in Bahrain have not spoken one word against their own Islamic regime, which is guilty of the rape, torture, and the murder of thousands of Iranian boys and girls for their uprising and demand for freedom and democracy. Human rights groups have reported that Iran, in just one month, executed more than one hundred people. The slaughter continues on a daily basis: the Iranian Supreme Court recently stepped up the executions by “expediting” death sentences.

The proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia is just beginning — expect to see many more such conflicts in the Middle East which will expand onto the world stage.
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/pjm-exc...s-worldwide/2/

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

twa, do you have any more links on that issue with the Saudis/Iran

[twa]

twa, do you have any more links on that issue with the Saudis/Iran

not sure what you want...they are already fighting a proxy war in Yemen and Lebanon


on Bahrain
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-p...vs-iran-2011-3

http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/201...c8379cd82052cd

Iran claiming Bahrain as it's territory
http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/mal.../iran_e005.htm

http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=116542
Sunni-Shiite fight threatens widespread impact
Russia, Iran linked on one side, U.S. ally Saudi Arabia on other

Read more: Sunni-Shiite fight threatens widespread impact http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=116542#ixzz1HINOhrW4