TSR Foreign Affairs Hub

OP

@Aj12 - I read the stuff that gets posted here.

@ CombineHarvester - Yes, very good. Precisely what I was telling democracy above. Russia is also on the side(ish) of Iran ...

I saw a guy wrote this on that site combinehaverster- "What? This is news? Anyone with commonsense, other than our Dear Leaders in Washington knew this." This made me laugh! So true! :biggrin:

I have just spent the last few days thinking about libertarian theory on my blog here and here, instead of foreign policy ... in case anyone is interested.

Reply 143

Democracy

20

Spotted earlier in Tehran...two years after the crackdown began on the Iranian freedom movement after the "elections" of 2009.

"Dictator, say hello to the end".

Reply 144

Original post by Democracy

Spotted earlier in Tehran...two years after the crackdown began on the Iranian freedom movement after the "elections" of 2009.

"Dictator, say hello to the end".

How bad is it in Iran right now? I knew there have been protests that have been put down pretty harshly. Do you know how widespread they are or were?

Reply 145

Democracy

20

Original post by Aj12

How bad is it in Iran right now? I knew there have been protests that have been put down pretty harshly. Do you know how widespread they are or were?

They continue to go on. Obviously millions of people haven't been pouring out into the streets like in June 2009 as the brutality of the regime to the protesters (the torture, rape, murder, intimidation of family members, etc) is very frightening and very real. However, protests continue daily in universities, in metro stations, on street corners and so on. The defaced poster you see above is not an oddity, people have been defacing the regime's propaganda for years now, whether with graffiti, destruction, even on banknotes. The people have also protested outside jails when political prisoners are due to be executed and shout slogans in the middle of the night from their rooftops.

To answer your question, the situation is that the regime knows that it is on its last legs. That is why it is being more brutal than ever before (harkening back to the 1980s, the days of the original fascist Ayatollah Khomeini), in an effort to intimidate the populace. It is for the same reason that it has banned foreign journalists from reporting in the country, so that the outside world does not realise what is going on. And it is also why the regime is actively helping to brutalise the Syrian people by aiding the regime of Bashar al-Assad, it's sole ally in the Middle East.

Reply 146

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/17/world/africa/17libya.html?smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto

Libyan rebels fighting on three fronts now. And it would appear they have men in Tripoli.

Reply 147

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13807166 Floods in China

Reply 148

OP

I am going to buy the paper today to read about the Eton & Ritz Hotel Al-Qaeda bomb plan .. :s-smilie:

Reply 149

Original post by Lord Hysteria

I am going to buy the paper today to read about the Eton & Ritz Hotel Al-Qaeda bomb plan .. :s-smilie:

I thought the Ritz was owned by a Muslim? Or are they trying to attack the "infidel Muslims" here as well.

Reply 150

OP

Original post by Aj12

I thought the Ritz was owned by a Muslim? Or are they trying to attack the "infidel Muslims" here as well.

The Ritz represents rich capitalists. And everyone buys into the old Marxist notion of the zero-sum-game. But also, capitalism is against Islamic doctrine.

The worrying part is that I feel it is relatively easy to carry-out these bomb campaigns. You know, you could perhaps make something and go into a packed tube-station. It's really alarming and very serious.

Reply 151

OP

Saudi Arabia women drive cars in protest at ban

[INDENT]Women in Saudi Arabia have been openly driving cars in defiance of an official ban on female drivers in the ultra-conservative kingdom.[/INDENT]

This is good.

Reply 152

Original post by Lord Hysteria

The Ritz represents rich capitalists. And everyone buys into the old Marxist notion of the zero-sum-game. But also, capitalism is against Islamic doctrine.

The worrying part is that I feel it is relatively easy to carry-out these bomb campaigns. You know, you could perhaps make something and go into a packed tube-station. It's really alarming and very serious.

Its been a threat for awhile. And dangerously some of the terrorists like the ones involved in the liquid bomb plot have had counter subservience training in Pakistan

Reply 153

TheMagicRat

15

Just thought I'd subscribe to this. You guys post some very interesting links.

Reply 154

TheMagicRat

15

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/06/2011617172114510513.html

What do you guys make of this? Some of the reforms look good on paper but then you imagine that the King will still call most, if not all of the shots. Also, it does seem like they are having the referendum very quickly. Furthermore, whilst recognition of the Berber language as an official language is a nice gesture it does appear, as the February 20 movement say about much of what he said, cosmetic.

Reply 155

Original post by TheMagicRat

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/06/2011617172114510513.html

What do you guys make of this? Some of the reforms look good on paper but then you imagine that the King will still call most, if not all of the shots. Also, it does seem like they are having the referendum very quickly. Furthermore, whilst recognition of the Berber language as an official language is a nice gesture it does appear, as the February 20 movement say about much of what he said, cosmetic.

He is clearly trying to preempt something like Syria. Saudi Arabia and Jordan have done the same thing. I imagine they don't have the stomach for all out brutality.

But its a start. Reforms like these tend to be a slippery slope and hopefully this is the start of a slide to democracy.

Maybe in a few years they will be a monarchy like the UK.

Reply 156

OP

It's the Arab's longest-serving dynasty ...

Reply 157

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/us/politics/19gates.html?smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto

Gates has become wary of wars of choice. He has warned that the US needs to stick to using the armed forces to deal with direct threats and threats to vital US interests.

A shame to see this man leaving government, always quite liked him. I am starting to wonder how the upper levels of the US regime see Iran.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:VfQFbBIz1coJ:www.stratfor.com/weekly/20110613-turkeys-elections-and-strained-us-relations+ned+U.S.+Relations+By+George+Friedman+|+June+14,+2011&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&source=www.google.co.uk

Catched version of a Stratfor article the Turkish elections.

Anyone sub this site? I am tempted they have a 15 month subscription with a free book for £70

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 158

OP

Original post by Aj12

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/us/politics/19gates.html?smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto

Gates has become wary of wars of choice. He has warned that the US needs to stick to using the armed forces to deal with direct threats and threats to vital US interests.

A shame to see this man leaving government, always quite liked him. I am starting to wonder how the upper levels of the US regime see Iran.

Obama wants to negotiate with the Taliban now!! I know ... I couldn't believe it.

Which other terrorist organisation is Obama going to sit around and have tea with? al-Zawahiri?

Reply 159