Is Saudi Arabia next?

[punisa]

Was just reading this:
Social Media Revolution Hits Saudi Arabia
http://www.npr.org/2011/01/26/133212623/social-media-revolution-hits-saudi-arabia

Could Tunisia domino revolution spread to Saudi Arabia?
Would that cause a major economic tremors?
And do we look forward to it? :)

[Red Future]

If so it will be a bourgeois revolution which will likely usher in a westernising liberal government so replacing autocracy with liberal democracy so simply ruling class change( a bit like the so called "orange revolution" in Ukraine).It would be a progressive move (which would put other gulf states on edge) but i cant see Saudi Arabia abandoning capitalism any time soon

[RedStarOverChina]

There is definitely anger against the monarchy in the so-called Saudi Arabia. But I don't expect anything as big as in Egypt or Tunisia.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Political upheaval in the middle east where workers, students, young, old, male, female, muslim, christian, atheist, are all taking part in forcing out dictators?

hell yes we are looking forward to it.

Egypt is 2nd prize, Saudi Arabia is the Grand Prize.

If Saudi Arabia is gone, the US is left to some small emirates, 2 colonies and Israel.

If Mubarak is kicked out, a new government may be pro-palestine and totally undo the border checks to Gaza.

If Saudi Arabia's monarchy is abolished? Oil may be nationalized. But, the US will invade before anything like that happens.

Egypts stock market fell hard this morning though after what happened yesterday.

[RedScare]

It's doubtful any of these will be socialist revolutions, just bourgeoisie ones, but it would still a step forward

[Cheung Mo]

Even an Islamist revolution is superior to the Sauds.

[Robocommie]

I'll never forget what my Palestinian professor had said about Saudi Arabia, "Can you imagine owning a country so completely that you name it after yourself? It'd be like having the Roosevelt States of America."

[Rakhmetov]

Any political faction which assumes power in Saudi Arabia will be anti-American and that will cause the price of oil to skyrocket and turn the U.S. economy into a rustbelt. :lol:

[psgchisolm]

Political upheaval in the middle east where workers, students, young, old, male, female, muslim, christian, atheist, are all taking part in forcing out dictators?

hell yes we are looking forward to it.

Egypt is 2nd price, Saudi Arabia is the Grand Prize.

If Saudi Arabia is gone, the US is left to some small emirates, 2 colonies and Israel.

If Mubarak is kicked out, a new government may be pro-palestine and totally undo the border checks to Gaza.

If Saudi Arabia's monarchy is abolished? Oil maybe nationalized. But, the US will invade before anything like that happens.

1. The U.S. won't invade Saudi Arabia. Other than that good post

[punisa]

Egypt is 2nd price, Saudi Arabia is the Grand Prize.


Exactly what I had in mind :)

[punisa]

Any political faction which assumes power in Saudi Arabia will be anti-American and that will cause the price of oil to skyrocket and turn the U.S. economy into a rustbelt. :lol:
That's what I was thinking too. The "change" of any kind in Saudi Arabia would shake the world tremendously.
I see it as the tipping point where events from Tunisia could overflow even Europe.

[scarletghoul]

Could be a great blow against the empire's influence. And of course a great example for the whole world.

But dammit, if only we had strong leftist parties leading the people in these countries, this is a once in a lifetime chance to make the middle east red

[DragonQuestWes]

I'd say it'd be the entire (US-allied) Middle East, considering many Arab leaders having CIA links (as revealed by Wikileaks).

[Blackscare]

1. The U.S. won't invade Saudi Arabia. Other than that good post

You're making an assertion, why not back up what you're saying?

The only time the US bothers to interfere with political reshuffling in a given country is when the new order does not cooperate economically. Raising the price of oil would certainly constitute a lack of compliance.

Also, it is pretty well known that the military regards our dependence on oil to be a national security threat for this very reason, so you can be sure that there are contingency plans in place.


Other than that good post.

[~Spectre]

Any political faction which assumes power in Saudi Arabia will be anti-American and that will cause the price of oil to skyrocket and turn the U.S. economy into a rustbelt. :lol:

No. What it would turn is Saudi Arabia into Chechnya. 500,000 Soldiers would probably be sent in quickly. The United States will not fuck around with Saudi Oil.


The actions of Tunisia might be stopped in Egypt, but if they're not, then the next few months might be a time of immense upheaval and transformation. These are some serious times.

[~Spectre]

Hundreds or thousands also came out in other cities yesterday. In Alexandria, a crowd of 1,000 called for President Hosni Mubarak to leave the country (http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/alexandria-protesters-call-mubaraks-departure), as Zine Ben Ali departed Tunisia for Saudi Arabia. They taunted Mubarak “Saudi Arabia is waiting for you.”
The US embassy denied rumors that the president’s wife, Suzanne Mubarak, and his son Gamal and his daughter-in-law had fled the country on private jets.
In the course of the demonstration and an attempted crackdown, one brave youth faced down a water canon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWr6MypZ-JU&feature=player_detailpage#t=77s) all on his own.


:thumbup::thumbup:

[Robocommie]

No. What it would turn is Saudi Arabia into Chechnya. 500,000 Soldiers would probably be sent in quickly. The United States will not fuck around with Saudi Oil.


Well imagine the havoc that it would play in the stock market alone, the way oil futures would plummet if Saudi Arabia were to experience political turmoil. That alone would send the Marines over.

No I think the US would prefer to see Saudi Arabia burnt to the ground than let the oil slip into unfriendly hands.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Well imagine the havoc that it would play in the stock market alone, the way oil futures would plummet if Saudi Arabia were to experience political turmoil. That alone would send the Marines over.

No I think the US would prefer to see Saudi Arabia burnt to the ground than let the oil slip into unfriendly hands.
"if we cant have it, then NO BODY CAN!"*pout*

[Robocommie]

Mind you, that's conjecture. I suppose you could have said the same thing about Iran in 1978, and yet they didn't intervene militarily, despite the fact that they lost a huge ally in the Shah.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Mind you, that's conjecture. I suppose you could have said the same thing about Iran in 1978, and yet they didn't intervene militarily, despite the fact that they lost a huge ally in the Shah.
At the time though, i dont think the US was really scrounging for allies.

They still had Iraq, S.A. and Israel, and until a year later, Afghanistan.

[Robocommie]

At the time though, i dont think the US was really scrounging for allies.

They still had Iraq, S.A. and Israel, and until a year later, Afghanistan.

Well, actually it just occurred to me that given it's position right on the border with the Soviet Union, the US probably would not have dared to put troops right there in Iran. But that's just it too; Iran WAS right on the border with the Soviets. A US strategic presence there was a huge asset, I'm sure.

khad is the real expert on these things though. lol

[pranabjyoti]

Anything, even capitalism is better than feudal monarchy of Saudi Arabia. By its own nature, a capitalist government in Saudi Arabia can not be as friendly to US as the monarchy. Clashes will certainly rise and most probably we will see the birth of another Iran there. WHATSOEVER, THAT WOULD BE BETTER THAN PRESENT SITUATION.

[Jonathann]

I am great supporter of the government which led by people... the ordinary people.... not very rich people...that is the case we are witnessing now in Tunisia and other Arab countries. But i wonder that this upheaval of spontaneous campaign was the mischief of US government?

[Tifosi]

Man dies after setting himself on fire in Saudi Arabia
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12260465)

"There have been several acts of self-immolation in the Arab world, mimicking the suicide of a man in Tunisia which provoked the anti-government uprising."

Doe's anyone think any protest's will come about because of this?

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

I am great supporter of the government which led by people... the ordinary people.... not very rich people...that is the case we are witnessing now in Tunisia and other Arab countries. But i wonder that this upheaval of spontaneous campaign was the mischief of US government?

Ben Ali in Tunisia and Mubarak in Egypt were US-backed dictators who received millions of dollars in military aid from the US. The revolts are in large part due to the resentment of US imperialism interfering in these countries. I think Ahmedinejad did try to blame the protests on the US trying to create instability in the region though.

[Delirium]

Saudi Arabia is of extreme economic importance for the united states being the third largest oil importer. In combination with the percieved threat to the suez canal even mild unrest there could send the global economy in a panic. Oil prices and futures are rising currently.

There is also the strategic importance of access to the persian gulf, basra and the iraqi oil fields.

[Rusty Shackleford]

not to mention coastal access to Iran and control over the red sea.

[punisa]

If the Mubarak falls - after days of clinging to power - who can say where this domino revolution will stop?
As soon as it spreads to neighboring countries media will start talking about Saudi Arabia - and even mentioning it will wreck huge havoc on financial institutions around the world.

[Crimson Commissar]

If Saudi Arabia falls it will be a huge blow both to US imperialism and to islamic theocracy. Even a capitalistic revolution would be a huge improvement over the current arabian government.

[punisa]

Interesting:
http://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia-next-egypt-2011-2

Youth unemployment (20-24 years old): 42%

[chegitz guevara]

Could be a great blow against the empire's influence. And of course a great example for the whole world.

But dammit, if only we had strong leftist parties leading the people in these countries, this is a once in a lifetime chance to make the middle east red

There were no strong leftist parties in Russia in February 1917.

[Rafiq]

I feel like I myself have to go on a damn plane, fly to Egypt, and just giving the Egyptians a tiny Idea of what Socialism is will assure a red egypt. They are not educated on the matter. They want Socialism, they ust don't know it imo. The economy sucks and liberal democracy, nor Islamist shit hole theocracy will fix it for them.

[chegitz guevara]

There are plenty of commies in Egypt. I'm willing to bet that many of the people who helped kick this off are commies.

[Rusty Shackleford]

a comrade of mine was just in Cairo (left right before demos) i can ask him how many commies are in Egypt.

im sure there are Nacerists like crazy though.

[Rafiq]

Jeezuz, there is a ton of Nasserists.

Most Egyptians love the Nasser era, talking about the economic strength, ect.

I think it's because Nasser had a good number of nationalization in Egpyt, with some 'socialist' (yet anti-worker) policys.

Might be like how Russians in Russia still love Stalin.

[Crux]

Anything, even capitalism is better than feudal monarchy of Saudi Arabia. By its own nature, a capitalist government in Saudi Arabia can not be as friendly to US as the monarchy. Clashes will certainly rise and most probably we will see the birth of another Iran there. WHATSOEVER, THAT WOULD BE BETTER THAN PRESENT SITUATION.
Saudi Arabia is capitalist.

[The Fighting_Crusnik]

If these protests spread throughout the middle east, the world will never again be the same. My hope is that these protests lead to good things and that the people keep on looking out for any potential dictators. And it is also my hope that if the US interferes that not only the middle east but the rest of the world stands up and makes sure that the US knows afterwards that they are no longer above the world. :)

[Angry Young Man]

Is Saudi Arabia really more important that Egypt? The most heavily populated country in the region? And I dare say Egypt will be more willing to adopt socialism than SA. If the Egyptian revolution goes right (correctly, I mean) then it can spread across the whole Middle East.

[Angry Young Man]

Anything, even capitalism is better than feudal monarchy of Saudi Arabia. By its own nature, a capitalist government in Saudi Arabia can not be as friendly to US as the monarchy. Clashes will certainly rise and most probably we will see the birth of another Iran there. WHATSOEVER, THAT WOULD BE BETTER THAN PRESENT SITUATION.

It doesn't matter if SA is ruled by a hereditary monarchy, another form of dictator or a liberal democracy: without socialism, the leader will just be a client-king of Washington.