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Apology posted:
I think Wikileaks is dead in the water. I think someone behind closed doors must have done some damage to prevent the BoA files release. Between the cut in funding and assange's trial, it all seems to have spluttered into nothing.
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Feb 19, 2011 15:09
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MrQwerty posted:Oh I'm well aware of that situation. Ever since Mubarak's regime fell I've been wondering what is going to happen if the slave class of the west side of the Persian Gulf gets emboldened. They will be slaughtered like the animals they are believed to be (in the eyes of the host country). I lived in Qatar for two years, and the slave class are barely seen as human.
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Feb 20, 2011 04:04
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Suntory BOSS posted:I'm becoming increasingly convinced that this could be the beginning of a Fourth Wave of Democracy and that the United States should put strategic and political considerations momentarily aside in order to aggressively promote and support nonviolent people's movements against autocratic regimes. What's Bahrain going to do, kick out the 5th Fleet and stare down Iran themselves? What will Yemen do, turn away our counter-terrorism aid and training?
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Feb 20, 2011 21:37
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Sivias posted:This is a very ignorant statement. America owes it's standard of living on the control these despots and dictators have on their country and resources. The idea that we have no interest in controlling the outcome of these events is really obtuse. Wait, so you're happy for these people to have a lovely quality of life, just so you can enjoy yours?
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Feb 20, 2011 21:50
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Mad Doctor Cthulhu posted:And do all Americans enjoy this standard of living? It seems like a bad way to support a lovely foreign policy when most of the people in this country are barely surviving. It's in the boat as 'well, you're not as bad off as <insert African country name here>' to avoid actual discussion. hang on a second, this is the post I was initially replying to quote:I'm becoming increasingly convinced that this could be the beginning of a Fourth Wave of Democracy and that the United States should put strategic and political considerations momentarily aside in order to aggressively promote and support nonviolent people's movements against autocratic regimes. What's Bahrain going to do, kick out the 5th Fleet and stare down Iran themselves? What will Yemen do, turn away our counter-terrorism aid and training? Where I suggested that maybe America stays the gently caress out of this for a change, and let's the respective countries work things out for themselves, instead of the US getting involved and manipulating the situation to benefit themselves at the expense of other populations. You know...repeating history and all that.
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Feb 20, 2011 22:20
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tetsul posted:I personally think they have been getting involved in their affairs and it was (for once) actually a good thing. When you look at the time frame: I doubt it, I'm betting that the rest of the GCC have put pressure on Bahrain not to gently caress things up for the rest of them. Having lived out in Qatar for two years, I can tell you that out of all the GCC countries, Bahrain is the weakest link.
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Feb 20, 2011 23:12
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Nenonen posted:This is the best: Although the 1989 revolution was more of a political coup d'etat than anything. Just look who took power afterwards, Ion Iliescu and his merry band of communists.
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Feb 21, 2011 03:03
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QuentinCompson posted:Yes, and while we're at it, why don't you start talking about how they're savages who can't govern themselves? He's pretty much right though, I lived in Qatar for two years, and you learn pretty quick that people over there really hate to lose face.
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Feb 21, 2011 03:13
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Nenonen posted:You could say the same thing about Boris Yeltsin and his merry band of communists, but that would be misleading. The communist leaders were overthrown by popular uprisings, not by backstage maneuverings (the military arrest of Gorbachev was a true coup). That many of the new leaders had been members of the old ruling party should not be surprising in what used to be a one party state. Ok, how about we consider the fact that the 'spontaneously formed' interim government (FSN) was actually formed 9 months prior to the revolution, and called for NC's removal as early as March 1989. The FSN was never supposed to run in the election, but when that changed in Jan 1990 and the people of Bucharest took to the streets once more, demanding that senior former communists not be allowed to run, Iliescu bussed in miners to smash the poo poo out of them (factlitated by the Securitate [secret police]). This continued on and off for nearly 2 years. The FSN also seized exclusive control of state media, allowing their campaign to dominate, and shutting out access for the other political parties. A free and fair democracy it isn't
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Feb 21, 2011 04:05
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QuentinCompson posted:I'm so glad that you've lived in Qatar for two years and you feel that this grants you sufficient credibility to state that you support a statement coming from someone who doesn't know the difference between Iranians and Arabs and asserts that they're backwards. Eeer I never said they were backwards, and neither did he. You have sand in your vagina over something you are either imagining, or cannot understand. I lived and worked alongside Arabs for two years, some of my family are Arabic...I think I know their culture better than you. https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/kent-csi/vol8no3/html/v08i3a05p_0001.htm Jut fucked around with this message at 04:15 on Feb 21, 2011 |
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Feb 21, 2011 04:13
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Xandu posted:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JosiAgoiWow gently caress paintball guns, I wanna see the protester tanks! Nenonen posted:I'll take your word for that, but... how is any of that even in the slightest related to anything? You were the one who brought up Romania... Jut fucked around with this message at 04:38 on Feb 21, 2011 |
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Feb 21, 2011 04:35
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twitter is reporting more fighting in Green Square...AJE is showing some dude cooking :s
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Feb 21, 2011 04:43
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Frackmire posted:A lot of people are going to die, but this is history in the making. A whole system of corrupt dictators is imploding on itself and it's a beautiful thing. I think people will remember this along the lines of the collapse of USSR and the independence the Eastern Blocks nations. Hopefully, unlike the Eastern Bloc Nations, they won't be replaced with equally corrupt "democracies"
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Feb 21, 2011 10:22
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I don't understand though, how the protesters have made such progress in Libya. I mean CQ has the military hardware, if he really wanted to, what would there be to stop him using the big toys (tanks and poo poo) against the protesters, why has he 'restrained' himself to using mercs armed with guns and landcruisers? Has he really lost all army support?
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Feb 21, 2011 16:56
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sigh, looks like I tempted fate with my previous post. Something just didn't add up before, it seems that he was just regrouping so he could bring out the big boys. Hope the protesters prevail. If not, it could set a horrible example of how to handle protesters elsewhere. I also see the cancellation of the Bahrain GP being a huge kick in the balls for the royal family, that was one of their huge cockwaving projects (especially since Qatar have been trying to get F1 for a while now, going as far to refurb their track and diddle behind the scenes with FIA elections), hopefully there won't be any major repercussions. Jut fucked around with this message at 17:57 on Feb 21, 2011 |
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Feb 21, 2011 17:53
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Nonsense posted:
There have been rumours he fled starting from around 24 hours ago, I think what's happening at the moment is proof that they are just rumours. Why else would he be bombing the poo poo out of protesters if he was going to walk away?
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Feb 21, 2011 18:03
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The line between staying out, letting the protesters deal with the revolution themselves, and outside intervention has just been crossed. I would gladly support/pay/go out there myself to stop this.
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Feb 21, 2011 19:58
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Doccers posted:
It's worse than that, we don't have ANY carriers, and the Harrier has been retired.
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Feb 22, 2011 00:07
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Syphilicious! posted:
Err probably because 9/11 had nothing to do with Iraq, and people are not totally stupid.
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Feb 22, 2011 10:59
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spikenigma posted:It's a shame that there's a high possibility that Gaddhafi will die surrounded by loved ones at a ripe old age in a foreign country. muh, he's not going anywhere. He will either crush the revolution or be taken out himself.
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Feb 22, 2011 16:12
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Nice to see that the British Government is doing sweet gently caress all to help their citizens trapped there. "go to the airport if you have the cash" doesn't really help.
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Feb 22, 2011 16:26
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Pajser posted:So where are his hot amazon bodyguards and why haven't any of them castrated the fucker, yet?
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Feb 22, 2011 18:36
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zalderach posted:The defectors will probably be able to return when the revolt is successful. If the revolt is successful. I really think CQ's not going anywhere, and if he's forced out, he's going to scorch earth. I hope I'm wrong.
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Feb 22, 2011 20:34
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Namarrgon posted:Because he's very clearly insane. Mubarak and CQ are two different breeds of dictator. I think towards the end Mubarak was just looking for a way to leave government while still saving face.
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Feb 22, 2011 22:55
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Slave posted:You mean stay in power long enough to squirrel all of his loot away he's not stupid, his loot, or at least a sizable portion of it would already have been squirreled away somewhere safe.
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Feb 22, 2011 23:04
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IT'S OK GUYS! It's all due to Egyptians in Qatar telling lies through Al Jazeera! GO HOME!
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Feb 22, 2011 23:24
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I'm surprised how these govts so far have stuck to state propaganda to spread their BS. Given the patchiness of some of the information coming through the intertubes (i.e. CQ having left the country, ships shelling towns etc...), and the willingness of people to believe whatever they read, how hard would it be for governments to use twitter/fb to seed their own misinformation?
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Feb 22, 2011 23:33
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ChubbyEmoBabe posted:
Well if it helps, the US did bomb the poo poo out of them for not playing ball and saying nice things about them during Iraq.
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Feb 22, 2011 23:38
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Apology posted:
From what I saw in Qatar, this kind of creepy behaviour is not unique. I've had friends followed home in their car several times, have comments made to them at traffic lights, has someone crash into them, then offer them money for a date while discussing the insurance details etc... Hell being *with* someone wasn't protection, for example. England vs Brazil match, went with a Brazilian friend of mine, went for a piss, I was gone less than five minutes, when I came back there was a guy sitting in my reserved seat, trying to chat my friend up and touch her. Guys there has very little tact, and just came off as creepy and desperate.
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Feb 23, 2011 09:46
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Lascivious Sloth posted:Don't derail this into a debate about Middle-East sexual harassment, it ruined the last thread. sorry didn't see that last thread
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Feb 23, 2011 09:53
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Roark posted:
And as for the UNHRC, they have several suspect members sitting on it, the reasoning behind it is to get countries such as Lybia to engage in discussion. It's not a "we all have great human rights" club, and was never supposed to be.
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Feb 23, 2011 12:27
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Brown Moses posted:Here's the AP story Muh, I'm guessing this is just misinformation against CQ to try and drag the UK into this and speed up CQ's removal.
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Feb 23, 2011 16:06
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Brown Moses posted:AJE just updated on this: well that's loving lovely of them. "screw you guys trying to escape. Out of fuel? not our problem mate"
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Feb 23, 2011 17:00
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henpod posted:Holy gently caress, is this a typo or have 10,000 people been killed? It's not uncommon for death tolls to be overestimated during a revolution, look at the estimated people killed in the Romanian revolution, compared to the actual figures. The media were reporting deaths in the tens of thousands, but the actual figure was less than 200. More people ended up dying in the minerads than NC's overthrow.
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Feb 23, 2011 17:39
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. If so, this is even more abhorrent than before, that's an insane amount.
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Settepotet posted:I don't know what to believe anymore. Don't forget that there can be a lot of hyperbole and exaggeration over things like this. I'm not denying that he's sent planes to bomb people, or that mercs have been shooting, but I'm not convinced that the image painted by the protesters is entirely accurate. Any figures would just be guesswork at this point in time, and only untill the smoke has cleared could we get an accurate count.
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Feb 23, 2011 17:50
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Some Twat posted:"Our priority is their safety so we are advising them to stay put if they are safe where they are at the current time." If the British government's priority was their safety, then they would be going there to airlift them out with a "attack us while we are rescuing our dudes and we WILL gently caress your poo poo up" attitude, not telling them to stay put. gently caress our government. Other's have gotten their people out, why has the British government still got their finger up their rear end?
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Feb 23, 2011 17:57
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Ewan posted:From the Guardian live blog
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Feb 23, 2011 22:39
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Paddyo posted:Hopefully this resolution will result in a meeting. And with any luck that will lead to a second, even more strongly-worded statement. It's even possible that they may threaten some sort of sanctions on the Libyan government should they continue killing their own civilians. Although if you actually take the time to look at UN peacekeeping operations you will see that they have deployed military forces at least 40 times over the last 20 years. This whole "UN is lovely" attitude is a hangover from the US not getting it's own way with the UN, and more recently the Iraq war, when bush couldn't get authorisation to start a war. Jut fucked around with this message at 23:07 on Feb 23, 2011 |
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Feb 23, 2011 23:01
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J33uk posted:Peacekeeping is the key thing here, almost all of those missions were dealing with the post conflcit phase and most of them were absolutely stricken with corruption and ineffectiveness. You then have the few attempts at active intervention to prevent loss of life which led to things like Srebrenica and well, Rwanda. The UN has some great goals but it's effectiveness at dealing with violent conflict in much of the world is minimal. The UN isn't mandated to intervene in conflicts unless genocide is taking place, so peacekeeping is pretty much all they can do. And with nearly 100,000 UN Troops deployed at the moment, they are hardly afraid to try and keep peace. And thanks to Stalin blocking the definition of Genocide to include systematic destruction of political groups, what's going on in Lybia is not technically genocide, and the UN's hands are pretty much tied.
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Feb 23, 2011 23:27
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Brown Moses posted:From the BBC: How the gently caress do protesters manage to beat TANKS?!
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Feb 23, 2011 23:29
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