Whats the arabic for Anschluss?

March 14, 2011 4:32 PM

Gulf states send forces to Bahrain following protests: authorities urged the population to "co-operate fully and to welcome" the troops.
posted by dash_slot- (34 comments total)

Hey! We armed these guys! Awesome FTW!
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 4:35 PM on March 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

.
posted by Rykey at 4:42 PM on March 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

This sounds, uh, bad, I dunno.

I guess the next step is for Iran to land a ship to protect the shia majority from persecution?
posted by empath at 4:44 PM on March 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

Could be: - Early reports said that over 100 vehicles crossed into Bahrain where the Shi'ite majority has been protesting againt the ruling Sunni royal family.
posted by dash_slot- at 4:51 PM on March 14, 2011

Meanwhile in Libya: What if Qaddafi wins?
"Ever since the Vietnam War, some have tried to pooh-pooh the domino theory and to pretend that there are no contagion effects in international relations. That myth is harder to cling to now given the dramatic spread of civil-unrest from Tunisia to Oman. (...) If the international community stands idly by while Qaddafi reasserts control in Libya, it will be that much harder to shore up fledgling democratic movements in the region -- but also that much more urgent a priority."
posted by iviken at 4:54 PM on March 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

Back in the Cold War days, this would've been termed an armed invasion against the democratic will of the people. Let's call this what it is.
posted by jsavimbi at 5:03 PM on March 14, 2011 [5 favorites]

Hungary 1956
posted by moorooka at 5:05 PM on March 14, 2011 [8 favorites]

It stikes me that if even there was the political will to intervene in any of the Arab states that are experience people's movements we've lost all credibility in that area with the bungled invasion of Iraq.

Who knows what that area would look like if the U.S. had a sane and respectful policy for the region.
posted by codacorolla at 5:08 PM on March 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

Also, who knows what the U.S. would look like if the U.S had a sane and respectful policy for the region.
posted by localhuman at 5:10 PM on March 14, 2011 [7 favorites]

Yeah, I guess that's like asking "I wonder what the U.S. would look like if it was actually a totally different country?"
posted by codacorolla at 5:22 PM on March 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

And right after Gates leaves, no less.
posted by motorcycles are jets at 5:28 PM on March 14, 2011

It's called the Peninsula Shield Force, similar arrangements are not unheard of.
posted by lemuring at 5:37 PM on March 14, 2011

This could also trigger unrest in Saudi Arabia. It seems like a risky move for all concerned.
posted by humanfont at 5:40 PM on March 14, 2011

This could also trigger unrest in Saudi Arabia.

And that will be the moment all the really embarrassing Western priorities come to the fore.
posted by Rykey at 5:43 PM on March 14, 2011 [12 favorites]

Hungary 1956

I'm sure this will end just as well as that did.
posted by Panjandrum at 5:47 PM on March 14, 2011

Bahrain protester shot in chest: Footage shows man shot at close range with apparent tear gas canister as security forces crack down on demonstrations.
posted by homunculus at 5:52 PM on March 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

Shia are a minority in Saudi, like 15% or so I think, there won't be a sectarian revolt of any strength.

I'm glad to see the Arabs actually taking responsibility for stability in their own region, I'd like to see Saudi jets enforcing a no-fly in Libya, if it's agreed, they have the capability.
posted by stbalbach at 5:54 PM on March 14, 2011

"It stikes me that if even there was the political will to intervene in any of the Arab states that are experience people's movements we've lost all credibility in that area with the bungled invasion of Iraq."

Not that there was very much credibility back in 1979.
posted by iviken at 5:59 PM on March 14, 2011

Hamed could have escaped with his neck intact. Too bad.
posted by 1adam12 at 6:05 PM on March 14, 2011

Analysis: Tiny Bahrain could provoke regional conflict
posted by homunculus at 6:09 PM on March 14, 2011

"We urge our GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) partners to show restraint and respect the rights of the people of Bahrain, and to act in a way that supports dialogue instead of undermining it," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said.

Here's an idea: stop arming these motherfuckers and hoping they don't open fire.
posted by notion at 6:41 PM on March 14, 2011 [4 favorites]

The shia are concentrated in one region of Saudi Arabia a revolt of those tribes has happened in the past. I don't think that's a likely scenario. A more likely scenario is not some sectarian uprising but the armed intervention in Bahrain serves as a catalyst for the existing dissatisfaction of the Saudi youth for their government. You have a huge unemployed population of people under 30 with little perceived prosepcts for social mobility. A generation that has been exposed to Facebook and the Internet and seen the global youth culture of the West and Asia. They got no job, no sex life and no freedom. Now they see their corrupt government rolling the tanks over the border to blow money which could have been spent on housing or jobs programs on propping up some other rich sheik to crush some folks who just want what you want. There have already been riots in some cities in the Kingdom, this move seems like a desperate attempt to protect the house of Saud from contagion.
posted by humanfont at 6:46 PM on March 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

notion: Here's an idea: stop arming these motherfuckers and hoping they don't open fire.

The US isn't just handing arms over, it's a well-planned trade. And the US isn't the only who one has the chance to sell a lot of arms and war machines to countries with terrible human rights. Libya has major Italian holdings, though not controlling shares it seems, but that's still some financial pressure upon Italy, in terms of trade relations.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:09 PM on March 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

This is gonna do wonders for their future sense of sovereignty...
posted by cman at 11:04 PM on March 14, 2011

And that will be the moment all the really embarrassing Western priorities come to the fore.


I wonder if the destabilization of all of these Sunni states will only strengthen the position of Shia Iran, as well as its proxy state Syria (which has been sitting pretty so far, protest-less).
posted by Apocryphon at 11:42 PM on March 14, 2011

Craig Murray, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan and a man who knows what he is talking about has it on good authority ('a senior diplomat in a western mission to the UN') that 'Hillary Clinton agreed to the cross-border use of troops to crush democracy in the Gulf, as a quid pro quo for the Arab League calling for Western intervention in Libya'

Post here

Given the historic timidness and ineffectual nature of the Arab League, this would explain the surprising turn of events of recent days.
posted by numberstation at 2:30 AM on March 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

I'm not too surprised. All of these uprisings represent potential threats to nationalize petroleum industries (not necessarily a bad thing), and the choice between that and tolerating a brutal dictator who ensures private control is no choice at all for the US.
posted by Rykey at 6:48 AM on March 15, 2011

Also, if that bit about Hillary Clinton is true, I hope Craig Murray's friend goes public or finds a way to more effectively leak this information.

Not that most Americans will care too much...
posted by Rykey at 6:52 AM on March 15, 2011

George Monbiot : We won't trouble Saudi's tyrants with calls to reform while we crave their oil.
Last week, while explaining why protest in the kingdom is unnecessary, the foreign minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, charmingly promised to "cut off the fingers of those who try to interfere in our internal matters".
posted by adamvasco at 9:05 AM on March 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Bahrain declares martial law as protesters clash with troops: Kingdom's rulers tell police and army to take all measures against uprising but deny Saudi soldier was killed
posted by homunculus at 9:27 AM on March 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

I don't think Al-Faisal's statement was one of strength, in fact I read it as one of incredible weakness. This whole situation is one ugly mess. It isn't going to sort itself out in a way that leaves anyone particularly satisfied.
posted by humanfont at 9:57 AM on March 15, 2011

Re: Cutting off fingers. Isnt this kind of brazen threat a signal of how weak the Saudis must be feel.
posted by humanfont at 10:05 AM on March 15, 2011

This shows incredible weakness from both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. To the people of each of the countries, it comes off as a desperate gambit because each of them are on the ropes. Though they might get temporary stability, this is ready to take the Saudi protests in a real direction and might egg the Bahraini ones to revolutionary levels.
posted by Lord Chancellor at 10:50 AM on March 15, 2011

second thread
posted by jeffburdges at 3:37 AM on March 17, 2011