Skeptic Project

Posted: Jan 17, 2011 - 21:31

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Genuine American Monster

Level: 70
CS Original

If revolts spread through the Arab world this could be bad.

Omni-Science

Posted: Jan 17, 2011 - 21:36

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Ordo Ab Chao.

Level: 8
CS Original

Let me ask first.

What the fuck is going on in Tunisia?

Posted: Jan 17, 2011 - 22:04

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HAIL HYDRA

Level: 6
CS Original

Google, Omni, google.

Posted: Jan 17, 2011 - 22:07

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Genuine American Monster

Level: 70
CS Original

Sort of sad reading Zeitards romanticizing the Tunisian situation.

Nothing romantic about revolution. Its bloody and chaotic and people die.

Posted: Jan 17, 2011 - 22:17

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HAIL HYDRA

Level: 6
CS Original

The scope of the revolution is, however, unclear. I think this will not become a massive movement across the region given that the political situations are drastically different from country to country (though many citizens of those nations would love to be able to replace their current regimes). I think the risk that this becomes a pan-Arabic movement is rather slim.

Posted: Jan 17, 2011 - 22:19

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Genuine American Monster

Level: 70
CS Original

I hope you're right. It has sparked protests in Jordan, a country where brutal repression is not the norm.

Posted: Jan 17, 2011 - 22:28

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HAIL HYDRA

Level: 6
CS Original

think back to Iran and how that failed to translate into a massive upheaval in the region. Even if there is some transference of grievances, the nature of unrest is not likely to be universal or sustained. But, we will have to wait and see.

Posted: Jan 17, 2011 - 22:29

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Genuine American Monster

Level: 70
CS Original

A valid point.

I guess we shall simply have to wait and see.

Posted: Jan 18, 2011 - 00:43

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Level: 3
CS Original

The Middle East right now is kind of like Europe back in 18th and 19th centuries. Lot of revolutions, and almost always the current government was replaced with an even worse one and nothing ever changed.

Wolf Bird

Posted: Jan 18, 2011 - 07:23

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I shoot you dead.

Level: 9
CS Original

I think I agree with Kaiser. Tunisia will cause a brief flare-up, but if everything in Iran in summer '09 didn't cause a region-wide meltdown, I doubt this could. But, you never know.

I find TZM's romanticizing of all this typical and disturbing.

#10

advancedatheist

Posted: Jan 18, 2011 - 08:39

(0)

Level: 3
CS Original

Edward Luttwak argues that we pay too much attention to the Middle East. Apart from oil, it doesn't matter that much in world affairs:

The middle of nowhere
http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2007/05/themiddleofnowhere/</p>

China, by contrast, matters a great deal now, and its importance continues to grow.

BTW, we need less Eurocentric terms than "the Middle East," "the Far East," etc. China doesn't seem "far" if you live there. Do the Chinese refer to Europe as the mysterious "Far West"?

#11

Posted: Jan 18, 2011 - 13:34

(0)

Level: 3
CS Original

The only aspect I'd disagree with you on is the presence of terrorism. I cant say it'd be good for anyone in the West if the Middle East became dominated by radical theocracies (all religious based governments are bad imo, not just muslim ones; imagine a government based on radical christian woo..) like Iran or Afghanistan under the Taliban. However most Muslims dont care for this kind of government either so its highly unlikely it would happen.

#12

Posted: Jan 18, 2011 - 13:41

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HAIL HYDRA

Level: 6
CS Original

advancedatheist, you should look at Edward Said "Orientalism" on the nature of our terminology. There are similar discourses in the "East" and its rather hard to escape.

#13