Protests in Saudi Arabia

[Kalifornia]

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With the protests spreading throughout the Arab world, we are even seeing some in Saudi Arabia, lets hope the dominos fall, even if these protests only bring in democratic capitalism, it will further integrate the world and bring in the future conditions for global socialism.

However the Saudi Arabian Government has pledged to prop up Mubarak if the US cut aid, so we are yet to see what happens, and if the dominos will indeed fall, or be kept upright.

[Tommy4ever]

Saudi Arabia is the ultimate prize of the Arab Revolution. If the House of Saud falls the world will be a much better place. :)

[RedStarOverChina]

Nice!! :lol:

Still I'm pessimistic about the prospects of a general uprising on a scale similar to that of Egypt in "Saudi" Arabia. Of course I'd love to be to proven wrong on this.

[Robocommie]

I think that Mubarak's resignation will encourage protest from even more sectors in the region though, so we'll see.

[chegitz guevara]

Is this the beginning of the end of the American Empire?

[Rakhmetov]

Beautiful ... beautiful ... just beautiful :tt1:

[Rafiq]

I think that a radical secular revolution would be nice too see in Saudi Arabia. Women throwing their burkas away, Men not being forced to wear those desert robes, ect.

[Kalifornia]

I think that a radical secular revolution would be nice too see in Saudi Arabia. Women throwing their burkas away, Men not being forced to wear those desert robes, ect.

I dont think their forced to wear desert robes lol, anyway, they are comfier than jeans.:)

[Lenina Rosenweg]

Women are highly oppressed in Saudia Arabia. My understanding though is that the country is a tightly controlled police state combined with an all encompassing patronage network in which most of the "Saudi" population are well paid.There is dissent and unrest.To a large extent some dislike of the family dynasty has been channeled into political Islam. There is a large migrant worker population, as I understand from the Philippines and South Asia. These workers are tightly controlled.

I would love to see the "Kingdom" go down.It will probably be the last domino though. I hope I'm wrong.

[No Ha Muerto]

While I, like any Leftist, hope the people depose of all their US-imposed dictators (especially the royal family of Saudi Arabia), I do have some worries.

Is there still a Leftist presence in the Middle-East after the crusade against it during the Cold War? I fear that without a secular leftist organization, the people will find it hard to keep the U.S. at bay once the old leaders are deposed (I have very little faith in the current de facto junta of Egypt). Is anyone familiar with the state of Leftism in the Middle-East?

[Robocommie]

Can I just say that one of the things I love most about Egypt is how it seems like one of the very few issues that we on the Left aren't at each other's throats over?

[Rafiq]

I dont think their forced to wear desert robes lol, anyway, they are comfier than jeans.:)

No I have relatives who went there. No shorts are allowed, or t-shirts for men.

[Crimson Commissar]

While I, like any Leftist, hope the people depose of all their US-imposed dictators (especially the royal family of Saudi Arabia), I do have some worries.

Is there still a Leftist presence in the Middle-East after the crusade against it during the Cold War? I fear that without a secular leftist organization, the people will find it hard to keep the U.S. at bay once the old leaders are deposed (I have very little faith in the current de facto junta of Egypt). Is anyone familiar with the state of Leftism in the Middle-East?
Leftism isn't really the goal here. What we should be hoping for is for an end to the long tradition of religious fundamentalism and theocracy in the Middle-East. Many people are right in saying that Islamism likely won't be the main force of these revolutions. People too often associate the anti-imperialist struggle of the Arab world with radical islam. But honestly I think people there just want democracy. Let's just hope it doesn't turn out as bad as western "democracy" has.

[Thirsty Crow]

Saudi Arabia is the ultimate prize of the Arab Revolution. If the House of Saud falls the world will be a much better place. :)

I do not wish to be disrespectful or demeaning towards the plight of people who suffer under the Saudi regime - but how would that alter the reality of impending austerity and my own situation as a wage earner (meaning: the capitalist labour market is still there)?

But don't get me wrong - in all sincerity I hope that progressive popular movements be successful.

[Queercommie Girl]

Leftism isn't really the goal here. What we should be hoping for is for an end to the long tradition of religious fundamentalism and theocracy in the Middle-East. Many people are right in saying that Islamism likely won't be the main force of these revolutions. People too often associate the anti-imperialist struggle of the Arab world with radical islam. But honestly I think people there just want democracy. Let's just hope it doesn't turn out as bad as western "democracy" has.

In the concrete sense, for the common people of the Muslim world, "Western-style democracy" isn't necessarily better than Islamism.

We all know how hypocritical "capitalist democracy" can become in the Third World. Please name one Third World capitalist democracy that is actually functional.

We don't want a "two-stage revolution" in the Middle East: A secular democratic capitalist revolution first, then a socialist revolution. That's the wrong line. Marxists should be pushing for socialism all the time.

Abstract atheism isn't our primary concern. I'd much rather ally with Islamic socialists who are pro-poor than with pro-capitalist atheist liberals.

We are primarily anti-capitalism, not anti-religion.

[the last donut of the night]

I think that a radical secular revolution would be nice too see in Saudi Arabia. Women throwing their burkas away, Men not being forced to wear those desert robes, ect.

lol...

[JerryBiscoTrey]

I think that Mubarak's resignation will encourage protest from even more sectors in the region though, so we'll see.

Anybody think the Iranians will be the next to start a revolution?

[Robocommie]

Leftism isn't really the goal here. What we should be hoping for is for an end to the long tradition of religious fundamentalism and theocracy in the Middle-East.

Yeah, whatever you say, Bernard Lewis.

[the last donut of the night]

Leftism isn't really the goal here. What we should be hoping for is for an end to the long tradition of religious fundamentalism and theocracy in the Middle-East.

Liberal capitalist democracy is no better than theocracy if you earn under a dollar a day. Workers want socialism, not regime changes that will be celebrated by liberal textbooks in ten years.

[Queercommie Girl]

Liberal capitalist democracy is no better than theocracy if you earn under a dollar a day. Workers want socialism, not regime changes that will be celebrated by liberal textbooks in ten years.

In the Third World they won't even be able to construct a genuine capitalist democracy.

Genuine capitalist democracy can only exist in relatively advanced countries, every "democratic capitalist" country in the Third World is "democratic" in name only but in reality just a brutal capitalist dictatorship.

Like the ones the Egyptian and Tunisian peoples have just overthrown.

[Robocommie]

In the Third World they won't even be able to construct a genuine capitalist democracy.

Genuine capitalist democracy can only exist in relatively advanced countries, every "democratic capitalist" country in the Third World is "democratic" in name only but in reality just a brutal capitalist dictatorship.

Like the ones the Egyptian and Tunisian peoples have just overthrown.

I think one of the best demonstrations of the contradictions of liberal democracy is the contrast between Clement Attlee and Mohammed Mossadegh. In Iran, Mossadegh nationalizes the oil industry and it more or less results in his being deposed by a British backed coup. Attlee, on the other hand, nationalizes major industries in the UK and it went fine.

[Le Socialiste]

I've got to agree with what most people have already said...simply beautiful. Let's hope these movements are successful.

[AmericanSocialist]

This is amazing, I had hoped for this, but did not expect this. Will they gain momentum in SA? I hope so. Perhaps this is indeed the crumbling of the American empire.

[AmericanSocialist]

Why arent they posting this on Al Jazeera english?

[Crimson Commissar]

In the Third World they won't even be able to construct a genuine capitalist democracy.

Genuine capitalist democracy can only exist in relatively advanced countries, every "democratic capitalist" country in the Third World is "democratic" in name only but in reality just a brutal capitalist dictatorship.

Like the ones the Egyptian and Tunisian peoples have just overthrown.
Well honestly, do you think that these revolutions are really going to end with the establishment of an actual socialist state? It's just not going to happen at this sort of time.

[Triple A]

We all know that USA wont let Saudi Arabia turn in another Egypt.