Saudi Arabia Risks Shiite Unrest in Wake of Bahrain Turmoil

Saudi Arabia Risks Shiite Unrest in Wake of Bahrain Turmoil

www.bloomberg.com< br />

A member of the Saudi royal family, Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz, warned in an interview with BBC Arabic TV that unless King Abdullah introduces more political participation and human rights, Saudi Arabia may also see protests.

“Unless problems facing Saudi Arabia are solved, what happened and is still happening in some Arab countries, including Bahrain, could spread to Saudi Arabia, even worse,” Prince Talal told the London-based TV broadcaster in an interview aired late Feb. 17.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Saudi Arabia has a Shiite minority concentrated in its eastern oil-producing hub that also complains of discrimination. Any spread of unrest into the country, which holds one-fifth of the world’s oil, risks pushing crude prices above the 2 1/2-year high reached this past week. Authorities arrested 38 people after clashes involving Shiite pilgrims in the holy city of Medina two months ago.

We have some funny leaders. They are crying out loud for freedom in the Middle East - when it comes to Libya, when it comes to Egypt as well as Tunesia. However, when it comes to Saudi Arabia, they are dead silent about democracy and freedom. Makes sense, because their evil dictatorial leadership made a deal with the Ami's back in 70s. In the other words, the Americans need them, and they need the Americans and so they are let to be.

They must be afraid, afraid of ending up like the other domino pieces in their neighboring countries. I wonder when Iran, an archrival of Saudi Arabia with a Shia majority will take the opportunity to put some oil on the fire in Saudi Arabia.


www.bloomberg.com< br /> (visit the link for the full news article)

Any large scale revolt in Saudi Arabia will be crushed immediately, there will also be a complete media block out, NO NEWS.

Western interests, the USA in particular and the Saudi Royals will not allow any disruptions that could cause a major spike in energy prices.

reply to post by Fractured.Facade


You would think so, but with all this craziness happening in the world right now, I really think anything is possible. I smell WWIII...

Probably, yes. However, the fact remains that it is in Iran's interest to destabilize Gulf Coast countries, in particular Saudi Arabia. I, for one, would not be surprised if they would support their 2-3 million Shia comrades, which account for a mere but still significant 15% of total population.

Originally posted by Mdv2
Probably, yes. However, the fact remains that it is in Iran's interest to destabilize Gulf Coast countries, in particular Saudi Arabia. I, for one, would not be surprised if they would support their 2-3 million Shia comrades, which account for a mere but still significant 15% of total population.

Actually, it is in the west's and Israel's interests to destabilize these nations, and to install more western style democracies, affect regime change, infiltrate, manipulate and to a degree covertly control them.

The Saudi situation is an obligatory consequence that can be controlled.

Make no mistake, the west and Israel would like to see a new and successful revolution in Iran, and in other radical predominately Muslim nations... Especially those considered unfriendly, and/or hostile.

reply to post by Mdv2


the irony of all of this is that some really intelligent people think The Arabs are just going to drop an all time fundamental belief system and pick up western culture....my foot!! Somebody is aggitating because someone wants to assume the power....all hail!! the Messiah Comes? Its the middle of the trade day Oil is at + $5.25 Gold is + $11.40

Originally posted by Fractured.Facade
Actually, it is in the west's and Israel's interests to destabilize these nations, and to install more western style democracies, affect regime change, infiltrate, manipulate and to a degree covertly control them.

Certainly, but it's not in their interest to have a revolution in Saudi-Arabia, whereas it definitely lies in the interest of Iran to instigate one there...

Imagine the price of oil if there's huge unrest in saudi arabia...
these things can have a butterfly effect on the rest of the world.

reply to post by Mdv2


Wherever there are Shiites, that is a possibility. But it is not a major factor in Saudi Arabia.. Blaming Iran for any of this "unrest" is good cover, at least as long as people are willing to believe it.

reply to post by Mdv2


speak out against the King in Saudi its chop chop square for you....I was in Saudi for 4 and a half months.Unless I was buying something from them they all looked at me with contemptuous eyes

Saudi king gives billion-dollar cash boost to housing, jobs

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah boosted spending on housing, social welfare and education by billions of US dollars amid popular uprisings sweeping the Arab world.

The king increased the capital of the country’s housing fund by SR40bn ($10.7bn) and increased the social security budget by SR1bn. He also pardoned some jailed debtors, ordered the creation of 1,200 jobs in supervision programmes, made permanent a 15 percent cost-of-living allowance for government employees, according to a statement read on state-run television. Unemployed Saudis are to get financial aid for up to one year.

source

Dont have time to start a thread on this.....saudi arabia is sending in the tanks.
en.rian.ru...
just came across this on the interwebs and thought you might be interested

Interesting, when my husband was station in Saudi he said that if is one thing that the Saudis fear the most is the sunnis in their country, because they were the worst and the saudi treat them like crap, so I will think that an uprise will come from the Sunnis no the Shiites.

Originally posted by marg6043
Interesting, when my husband was station in Saudi he said that if is one thing that the Saudis fear the most is the sunnis in their country, because they were the worst and the saudi treat them like crap, so I will think that an uprise will come from the Sunnis no the Shiites.

Here you go Marg:

Saudi Arabia is the most challenged by what has been happening in Bahrain. The opposition’s most oft-repeated demands more or less mean the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. If this comes to pass, it would present Saudi Arabia with an awkward example of a neighboring royal family giving up a great deal of its political control. So far, that is an example the Saudis are not inclined to follow.

Second, a more democratic system in Bahrain would naturally increase the Shia population’s political potency — a template that might embolden Saudi Arabia’s Shia minority. Estimated at between 10 and 15 percent of the kingdom’s 22 million citizens, Saudi Shias live mainly in the oil-rich Eastern Province. Like their Bahraini peers, they also complain of being treated like second-class citizens.

Apart from these domestic concerns, Saudi Arabia is nervous about Iran taking advantage of Bahraini Shias’ new assertiveness and gaining influence there. A major reason for the deepening divide between Sunni and Shia in the Arab world has been Iran’s perceived meddling in Arab affairs, including its support of Hezbullah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. In Iraq, the U.S. toppling of Saddam Hussein’s Sunni minority government led to Shia dominance in Iraqi politics, which gave Iran new sway there.

“There is a real fear Iran will put its hand in the Bahrain situation,” said Tawfiq Alsaif, a Saudi Shia intellectual in Dammam. “Until now, Iran is watching. But it may try to unite the [Bahraini] opposition like it did in Lebanon and Iraq ... Everyone wants to avoid Iranian involvement.”

In phone interviews, Bahraini Shia activists said that fears of Iranian insinuation into Bahrain’s domestic affairs are overblown. Despite irredentist sentiments among some Iranian officials, who have occasionally referred to Bahrain as Iranian territory, Tehran has stayed in the background during the recent protests, the activists said.

source

Originally posted by marg6043
Interesting, when my husband was station in Saudi he said that if is one thing that the Saudis fear the most is the sunnis in their country, because they were the worst and the saudi treat them like crap, so I will think that an uprise will come from the Sunnis no the Shiites.

Your husband mustve been stationed in a completely different country.

reply to post by DuneKnight


He was station in Bahrain during the early 90s as you can see is majority Shiites in Bahrain no Sunnis Shiites and sunnis do not like each other, but taking into consideration that Sunnis are majority in the rest of the kindom of Saudi Arabia guess an uprising will prompt a battle between tribes first.

It is the Shiites not the sunnins the ones that are complaining about treatment.