Saudi Arabia's Turn

[croak]

All protests and marches are to be banned in Saudi Arabia, the interior ministry has announced on state TV.

Its statement said security forces would use all measures to prevent any attempt to disrupt public order.

The announcement follows a series of protests by the kingdom's Shia minority in the oil-producing eastern province.

BBC News - Saudi Arabia imposes ban on all protests


Now, I doubt that the protests will end because of this statement. So how will the government decide to deal with them? I guess we'll see.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Saudi Arabia is the one that needs to go down. I am hoping the protests continue

 

[Sunstone]

Now, I doubt that the protests will end because of this statement. So how will the government decide to deal with them? I guess we'll see.

I would not put the government past using violence.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Anything in Saudi Arabia will be put down quickly, even faster than Iran.

Then, they'll tell the world all about it without batting an eyelash.

Then they'll just keep selling us oil.

 

[Breathe]

Agree with EP. My opinion as an outsider is Saudi's gov't is the one that needs to go down most of all, as well as Iran's, of course.

 

[Copernicus]

Saudi Arabia is the one that needs to go down. I am hoping the protests continue

Be careful what you wish for. Saudi Arabia is one of the world's major suppliers of oil.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Be careful what you wish for. Saudi Arabia is one of the world's major suppliers of oil.

Who cares? I don't care about oil. I don't even drive a car. I walk and bike.`Oil is killing the planet

 

[Copernicus]

Who cares? I don't care about oil. I don't even drive a car. I walk and bike.`Oil is killing the planet

Poverty, famine, epidemics, riots. Who cares? Most people care. You will, too, if you get your wish, because you haven't really thought through what matters to you. Perhaps you feel that you are a survivor and you couldn't care less about other people. Most of us do care, though.

 

[Alceste]

Be careful what you wish for. Saudi Arabia is one of the world's major suppliers of oil.

If the people controlling the oil go down, the oil remains.

 

[Kathryn]

Saudi Arabia is one of the most corrupt places on earth. The main reason why their blatant corruption and human rights violations have been tolerated is because they are, as far as we know, the region on this planet with the most oil reserves. They are steeped in oil.

As much as I want to see their corrupt regime toppled, I do worry about how this would affect the world in general. When oil and gas prices go up, everything goes up in price. Most of the world is in some state of recession currently. Everything has a tipping point. Inflation is rampant.

Proceed with caution.

 

[Panda]

Who cares? I don't care about oil. I don't even drive a car. I walk and bike.`Oil is killing the planet

Oil is used for a lot more than petrol for cars. How will the goods you use be transported? Where do you think plastics come from?

 

[Kathryn]

It amazes me how short sighted people can be! Like it or not, we live in a global village. No one can be an isolationist anymore, realistically.

 

[Revoltingest]

Where do you think plastics come from?

New Jersey

 

[Panda]

New Jersey

Um, huh?

 

[croak]

Who cares? I don't care about oil. I don't even drive a car. I walk and bike.`Oil is killing the planet

Are you saying you don't use one of the following products: A partial list of products made from petroleum? (By the way, bicycle tires are included.)

If you don't, that's pretty amazing, but most of the world does, and therefore most of the world will be affected.

If only issues like this were black and white... they never are.

 

[YmirGF]

If only issues like this were black and white... they never are.

Indeed. That said, I am willing to wager that Saudi Arabia comes out of this largely in tact, with business, as usual.

I haven't been paying too close attention. Have they ejected any foreign journalists yet?

 

[Sunstone]

If oil prices soar, the price of everything will go up, and Americans will be inconvenienced. But some very poor people around the world will starve.

 

[croak]

Indeed. That said, I am willing to wager that Saudi Arabia comes out of this largely in tact, with business, as usual.

I haven't been paying too close attention. Have they ejected any foreign journalists yet?

There doesn't seem to be any new news.

Here's a summary of the situation: Region in turmoil - Spotlight - Al Jazeera English

 

[Sunstone]

Looks like the King is trying to buy off the protesters with economic reforms and pay raises. Typical. Wonder if it will work?

 

[LuisDantas]

While I see Egyptian Phoenix's point, I fear I must agree with Kathryn and others.

It may well turn out to be for the better eventually if the Saudi government falls. But it will not be painless for outsiders.

The economic impact is of course hard to gauge at this point, but it is potentially very serious. You're too young to have heard of it first-hand, but there is a scary precedent.

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