Well, you’ve been there, that settles it then. You clearly understand the ENTIRE economical picture of all of modern society and how global business trends affect Middle Eastern affairs.

I must have no clue because I haven’t been there on a vacation or a business trip.

East Coast, since you have been to the Middle East, could you please hold a world wide conference on how things work? Maybe clue the entire planet in on the Middle east, as you have been there?

Everybody! Listen up, East Coast Kid has been to the Middle East, so from now on we all must take everything he says as gosepl due to his trip.

Hey East, I visited Canada once, next month I am holding a summit meeting with all the worlds leaders so I can educate them on how to properly understand and deal with Canada. By your logic I am totally qualified to do so, thanks!


[edit on 29-4-2005 by skippytjc]

Double Post, oops. Mods delete this one for me? Thanks

[edit on 29-4-2005 by skippytjc]

Originally posted by skippytjc
By your logic I am totally qualified to do so, thanks!
[edit on 29-4-2005 by skippytjc]

Actually by his logic your more qualified to talk about canada than ME, not everyone that on the other hand is a dramatisation.

Skippy,
I would say living there and working there qualifies me to talk about it.

Tell me, having never been there, what do you know about it that I don't?

Well, I don't know about this thread, but here's my take:

Islam has produced many good things, at one it was the epitome of education and learning in the world (the middle east that is, as well as the Ottoman Empire).

Nowadays, many people generalize Muslims to be "religious nut suicide bombers". However, this assumption is extremely untrue.

I support the war on terror 100%. That doesn't mean I dislike all Muslims. Yes, I have known - and do know - people that do dislike Muslims simply because of that, but that isn't me. Now, a concentrated group of fanatics who use the religion as their back-up have scarred the religion as a whole.

That's my take.

-wD

Originally posted by WeBDeviL
Now, a concentrated group of fanatics who use the religion as their back-up have scarred the religion as a whole.

Alot of Americans don't seem to understand terrorists come in all ethnicities/nationalities. It's easier to scapegoat them AyRabs.

You have voted LA_Maximus for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have two more votes this month.

Originally posted by skippytjc
They are in deep trouble.

But for for another reason: Once the dependancy on oil is gone, the Middle East will dry up and waste away. Arab nations that have built thier wealth on oil will become the thrid world countries they really are. They export nothing tangible but oil.

Oil WILL be replaced in our lifetime. The shift has already started. Big business is noticing the profitability in energy conservation and products that save energy. The Toyota Prius cant keep up with demand. And thats just the first gen hybrid!! Once hybrid and simluar tech is main stream, oil use will slowly deminish. The world is just one breakthrough away from making oil totally obsolete anyways.

If I were an oil rich Arab nation right now, I would start to make some friends with the big three (USA, Russia, China) and fast. Time is running out....

The oil rich arab countries have billions invested in alternate fuel so that they can have a piece of the pie when the oil is gone.
Just like all the big oil companies do 2.

Originally posted by skippytjc
They are in deep trouble.

But for for another reason: Once the dependancy on oil is gone, the Middle East will dry up and waste away. Arab nations that have built thier wealth on oil will become the thrid world countries they really are. They export nothing tangible but oil.

Oil WILL be replaced in our lifetime. The shift has already started. Big business is noticing the profitability in energy conservation and products that save energy. The Toyota Prius cant keep up with demand. And thats just the first gen hybrid!! Once hybrid and simluar tech is main stream, oil use will slowly deminish. The world is just one breakthrough away from making oil totally obsolete anyways.

If I were an oil rich Arab nation right now, I would start to make some friends with the big three (USA, Russia, China) and fast. Time is running out....

VERY TRUE. This is mainly the fault of corrupt govornments, who have based their whole existance and policy around oil, instead of thinking further into the future and developing more diversified economies. But they arent the only ones in trouble: the whole world, especially the west, is in deeper crap if they do not hurry up and start getting off their oil dependance, because the crap ain't gonna last forever, and once the last barrel is pumped, the entire industrial infrastructure will come crashing down.

So its not just one single ethnic group in trouble, but all of huanity if we do not change our wicked ways, in oil, economics, and foreign policy and diplomacy.

Originally posted by Skadi_the_Evil_Elf
VERY TRUE. This is mainly the fault of corrupt govornments, who have based their whole existance and policy around oil, instead of thinking further into the future and developing more diversified economies. But they arent the only ones in trouble: the whole world, especially the west, is in deeper crap if they do not hurry up and start getting off their oil dependance, because the crap ain't gonna last forever

What are you talkin about, Skadi?! You know that's just a big fat conspiracy!

The difference between the majority of people in the mideast and us (in the West) is we have grown so fat and lazy and dependent on cheap oil
that we are pampered beyond belief. And our entire infrastructure is dependent onnit it. That is dangerous.

So many of the folks over there are used to living under a lower or different standard of living by comparison. They won't be nearly as shocked if and when that day comes. Remember, if we're talking about people in Saudi Arabia (like the nomadic peoples & shepherds - and there are many), they'll hardly be affected. They'll keep living life as they've always lived - off trade and off the land.

On the other hand, there are many people dwelling in Saudi cities and villages who are young, in poverty and very pissed off at the fat cat royals who, as Skadi pointed out, are not and have never done anything to cultivate industry (beyond oil) and to re-invest in its people. I guess they've thought cultivating bizarro religious fanatacizm & blinde hatred for the west was a better way to go about it. That way, the anger is re-directed. It's terrible. I believe it is the House of Saud who is in danger of losing control, not Arab/Muslims or their society, per se. If things got too out of hand, though, I believe those people would be dealt with in a massively brutal way by Saudi security forces. And we in the west might never actually know the extent of that brutality. You know, what happens in Saudi, stays in Saudi.

So its not just one single ethnic group in trouble, but all of huanity if we do not change our wicked ways, in oil, economics, and foreign policy and diplomacy.

What is it gonna take for our leaders to acknowledge this and for the oil industry to do the right thing? That's probly a pipe dream. As long as they're makin their caChing, their attitude will probly always be the same. F*** the useless feeders.

On another note, Skadi, you did two tours there, right? How much interaction did you have with the locals? Did you travel at all while in country? Muchas Gracias, Evil_Elf.