Obama's latest headaches: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Iran

Obama's latest headaches: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Iran

David Jackson
USA Today
Mar 15, 2011

A nuclear crisis in Japan, civil war in Libya and budget battles on Capitol Hill -- a busy time for President Obama.

And now a new major headache that's not getting much attention because of all the others: Saudi Arabian troops in neighboring Bahrain, seeking to protect the Sunni monarchy there.

Iran criticized what it termed "an invasion" and called the Saudi move "unacceptable" -- basically, in the words of The New York Times, "threatening to escalate a local political conflict into a regional showdown with Iran."

The Obama administration is already battling with Iran over its nuclear program.

Iran is a Shiite government that backs the Shiite majority in Bahrain against its Sunni rulers.

Saudi Arabia, which is Sunni, has made it clear it will not accept a Shiite government next door in Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia, you'll recall, is a large supplier of U.S. oil.

Yes -- a busy time for President Obama.

Might as well go golfing then.


Seriously, we should just butt the f*ck out of all this shit.

I do believe, that the international community has a responsibilty, to ensure that government do not wage wars on their own people, as seen in Libya. I am very disappointed, that Germany will not be part of the no-fly zone in Libya. I think that with our history, Germany has a responsibility to stop genocide wherever it can.
I am very interested in what will happen in Bahrain, Yemend and Jordan though. Seems like Sadi-Arabia is also heating up and I wouldn't be surprised if protests would flare up in Iran as well.

TexasBlue wrote:Iran is a Shiite government that backs the Shiite majority in Bahrain against its Sunni rulers.

Saudi Arabia, which is Sunni, has made it clear it will not accept a Shiite government next door in Bahrain.

People say nothing can solve the Middle East problem. Not mediation, not arms, not financial aid.
I say there is something. Atheism. Suddenly everyone would be looking at each other thinking,
'What the fuck were we doing? That was insane! Why are we all wearing these ridiculous hats? Were we drunk?'

- Frankie Boyle on the Middle East

BubbleBliss wrote:I do believe, that the international community has a responsibilty, to ensure that government do not wage wars on their own people, as seen in Libya.

I agree. This is what the UN should be about.

BubbleBliss wrote:I am very disappointed, that Germany will not be part of the no-fly zone in Libya. I think that with our history, Germany has a responsibility to stop genocide wherever it can.

Why have they chosen not to get involved?

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:

BubbleBliss wrote:I do believe, that the international community has a responsibilty, to ensure that government do not wage wars on their own people, as seen in Libya.

I agree. This is what the UN should be about.

BubbleBliss wrote:I am very disappointed, that Germany will not be part of the no-fly zone in Libya. I think that with our history, Germany has a responsibility to stop genocide wherever it can.

Why have they chosen not to get involved?

Beats me. The official explanation is "because Germany doesn't want to get involved in a long, drawn out military conflict that is not in Germany's primary interest."
However, Germany has agreed to increase air missions in Afghanistan, to allow other NATO States to shift some of their aircrafts from Afghanistan to Libya. Not a smart move, considering that the outcome is the same in the sense of Germany flying more missions, yet now we have to fly more planes to Afghanistan, which is a lot farther away than Libya....

BubbleBliss wrote:I think that with our history, Germany has a responsibility to stop genocide wherever it can.

How is this genocide?

bigger_guns_nearby wrote:

TexasBlue wrote:Iran is a Shiite government that backs the Shiite majority in Bahrain against its Sunni rulers.

Saudi Arabia, which is Sunni, has made it clear it will not accept a Shiite government next door in Bahrain.

People say nothing can solve the Middle East problem. Not mediation, not arms, not financial aid.
I say there is something. Atheism. Suddenly everyone would be looking at each other thinking,
'What the fuck were we doing? That was insane! Why are we all wearing these ridiculous hats? Were we drunk?'

- Frankie Boyle on the Middle East

It is incomprehensible from where I'm sitting. As far I understand it, the actual theological differences between Sunni and Shi'a are just about nil, differing only in their views as to who should lead the umma.

But that small difference has been the cause of a lot of suffering on both sides conducted by the other.

And never underestimate both Sunni and Shia capacity to oppress Sufis.