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Eh!? Seriously, the bloody cheek of it...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12745021

BBC wrote:
Iran has denounced the use of troops from neighbouring Gulf states in Bahrain as "unacceptable".

Some 1,000 troops from Saudi Arabia and a further 500 from the United Arab Emirates arrived in Bahrain on Monday at the invitation of the government.

The US state department has urged its citizens to avoid travelling to the country due to the ongoing unrest.

Protesters have blocked all roads leading to the capital's financial centre, the scene of clashes on Sunday.

Iran - the main Shia power in the Gulf - has said that the arrival of the foreign troops is an "interference".

"The presence of foreign forces and interference in Bahrain's internal affairs is unacceptable and will further complicate the issue," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said.

"The people of Bahrain have demands, which are legitimate and are being expressed peacefully," he said.

"Any violence in response to these legitimate demands should be stopped."

It's like they think the rest of the world has forgotten that they were capping supporters of the political opposition less than two years ago...

This is why you have to be impressed by Arab nations... and why we should stay well clear of them The Arab world is a living, breathing, actual representation of The Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. No matter what happens they always and I mean always never admit that they have been beaten.

Recent examples of this include Gaddafi and his statement that his people love him and there is no rebellion, to the master of denial... the Iraq Information Minister. You also have to except that there is a big chunk of Ork in there as well. NO matter how many more you kill in a battle, as soon as you leave they start shouting that they've won... because you left!!!

Actually, that does sound a little suspect. EDIT
I don't really know the nature of these protests though, but why do foreign troops need to be involved at all?

They're there at the behest of the Bahrainian regime to provide assistance in cracking down on protesters. The part which literally made me laugh was the Iranian representative saying that the people had legitimate concerns and that violence should not be used against them!

No gak, Sherlock! You should try it some time!

Emperors Faithful wrote:but why do foreign troops need to be involved at all?

Do they have oil?

Albatross wrote:They're there at the behest of the Bahrainian regime to provide assistance in cracking down on protesters.

What if the Libyan Regime had done the same? (though i don't know who would help)

The part which literally made me laugh was the Iranian representative saying that the people had legitimate concerns and that violence should not be used against them!

No gak, Sherlock! You should try it some time!

Yeah, the hypocrisy is hilarious. But there is an actual point here.

Albatross wrote:They're there at the behest of the Bahrainian regime to provide assistance in cracking down on protesters. The part which literally made me laugh was the Iranian representative saying that the people had legitimate concerns and that violence should not be used against them!

No gak, Sherlock! You should try it some time!

You forget the protests in Iran are stirred up by the West & Israel, so not real protests. The people love their current government

SilverMK2 wrote:

Emperors Faithful wrote:but why do foreign troops need to be involved at all?

Do they have oil?

The foreign states involved? Why, yes.

Albatross wrote:They're there at the behest of the Bahrainian regime to provide assistance in cracking down on protesters. The part which literally made me laugh was the Iranian representative saying that the people had legitimate concerns and that violence should not be used against them!

No gak, Sherlock! You should try it some time!

Bahrain dictatorship (royal family) is sunni. Much of the population, and the protests, are shia. The Saudi dictatorship (royal family) are sunni. Saudi Arabia does not want an Iranian allied regime sitting right on their border. In contrast to the blah blah Israel BAD!!!, most of the Middle East is not worried about Israel. They are worried about Iran.

But the point about staying the out of the Middle East. Yea, thats right on point.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/world/226766/gulf-troops-enter-bahrain-as-protests-escalate

This article provides more information. Seems the government is willing to make some concessions, but the protestors are calling for their resignation.

Emperors Faithful wrote:

Albatross wrote:They're there at the behest of the Bahrainian regime to provide assistance in cracking down on protesters.

What if the Libyan Regime had done the same? (though i don't know who would help)

The Israelis, apparently:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/167814.html

Gotta love the Iranian press! Those wacky bastards...

Albatross wrote:

Emperors Faithful wrote:

Albatross wrote:They're there at the behest of the Bahrainian regime to provide assistance in cracking down on protesters.

What if the Libyan Regime had done the same? (though i don't know who would help)

The Israelis, apparently:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/167814.html

Gotta love the Iranian press! Those wacky bastards...

Apparently it's based on a story by a French "press" company.

(warning, crazies at link)

Frazzled wrote:
Bahrain dictatorship (royal family) is sunni. Much of the population, and the protests, are shia.

Bahrain isn't a dictatorship. Its government has more in common with England's than Pinochet's Chile.

Er thats nonsensical. Pinochet's Chile was a dictatorship.

Iran necky?!

Never!

Frazzled wrote:Er thats nonsensical. Pinochet's Chile was a dictatorship.

Uh, yeah, I said that Bahrain has more in common with the government of England than Pinochet's Chile; meaning that the government of Bahrain is not especially similar to a dictatorship.

Thats still nonsensical. Even assuming the veracity of your statement, both can be dictatorships.

Bahrain now under a three month state of emergency.
http://english.aljazeera.net//news/middleeast/2011/03/20113151296156152.html#

Frazzled wrote:Thats still nonsensical. Even assuming the veracity of your statement, both can be dictatorships.

No it isn't. The point was illustrative, not literal.

I'm honestly a little taken aback that this is such a problem, because its really a very basic turn of phrase.

And just what does brass neck mean anyway?

dogma wrote:

Frazzled wrote:Er thats nonsensical. Pinochet's Chile was a dictatorship.

Uh, yeah, I said that Bahrain has more in common with the government of England than Pinochet's Chile; meaning that the government of Bahrain is not especially similar to a dictatorship.

True to an extent, though the King dominates politics in a way that no UK monarch has done in centuries. It could certainly stand to be a lot more democratic, but as you rightly point out it is not a dictatorship.

The bigger issue, to my mind, is that given Islamists dominate elections, will anything improve by getting rid of the king?

Albatross wrote:

Emperors Faithful wrote:

Albatross wrote:They're there at the behest of the Bahrainian regime to provide assistance in cracking down on protesters.

What if the Libyan Regime had done the same? (though i don't know who would help)

The Israelis, apparently:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/167814.html

Gotta love the Iranian press! Those wacky bastards...

I don't get it, this is an Egypitian source. Not Iran.

Iran, I love it. These are the same guys who just got caught shipping weapons to Gaza!

Now I wonder if they were for Gaza or a power move in Egypt!


http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/03/15/israel.ship.weapons/index.html?hpt=Sbin

Jerusalem (CNN) -- Israeli commandos intercepted a ship in the Mediterranean Sea Tuesday and found weapons bound for Gaza militants, according to the Israeli government.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the weapons came from Iran. He insisted the cargo vessel was overtaken in accordance with international conventions, and said he gave the order to board the ship on the "solid basis" that the arms on the ship that were "meant to target Israel."

The cargo vessel "Victoria" -- flying under a Liberian flag -- was stopped about 200 miles west of Israel's coast. The vessel was on its way from the port of Mircin in Turkey to the port of Alexandria in Egypt.

The Israel Defense Forces said that according to ship documents and information gathered from the crew the vessel initially departed from Lattakia in Syria and then proceeded to Mersin in Turkey. Turkey had no connection to the incident, the IDF said.

The IDF said the ship interception is part of the Israeli Navy's routine activity to maintain security and prevent arms-smuggling, efforts to keep weapons from being transported to anti-Israeli militants in the Palestinian territory of Gaza.

Israel's military "acted in order to defend the security of the country," Defense Minister Ehud Barak said. "The attempt to smuggle weaponry to Gaza shows that radical elements are continuing in their attempts to attack Israel and undermine regional stability."

The IDF said the crew didn't resist the commandos and the vessel was being led to the Israeli port of Ashdod for inspection.

Andrew1975 wrote:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the weapons came from Iran. He insisted the cargo vessel was overtaken in accordance with international conventions, and said he gave the order to board the ship on the "solid basis" that the arms on the ship that were "meant to target Israel."

The cargo vessel "Victoria" -- flying under a Liberian flag -- was stopped about 200 miles west of Israel's coast.

Yeah, Netenyahu is a totally reliable source when it comes to weapons in the hands on Muslims that are shipped from people of Christian, or tribal affiliation.

Emperors Faithful wrote:

Albatross wrote:

Emperors Faithful wrote:

Albatross wrote:They're there at the behest of the Bahrainian regime to provide assistance in cracking down on protesters.

What if the Libyan Regime had done the same? (though i don't know who would help)

The Israelis, apparently:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/167814.html

Gotta love the Iranian press! Those wacky bastards...

I don't get it, this is an Egypitian source. Not Iran.

Uh, Press TV is Iran's state news network...

@Frazzled - 'Brass Neck' basically means they have a shameless bloody cheek!

Albatross wrote:Uh, Press TV is Iran's state news network...

@Frazzled - 'Brass Neck' basically means they have a shameless bloody cheek!

I prefer the term necky bastard me like..

Albatross wrote:....they have a shameless bloody cheek!

Don't be so hard on Chihuahua Pekingnese crossbreeds, they have a hard life.