Scorned by a friend, championed by the enemy?

There must have been quite a run on dental surgeries over the last couple of days which continues today and possibly for a few days to come. The reason is not a sudden national oral hygiene awareness, but a condition borne of gnashed teeth to the point of shattering!

King Hamad meets Ahmedinejad

Why I hear you ask? Well, Ahmedinejad was Bahrain’s Santa yesterday. Yes, I know, his timing has always been off a bit, it’s still a few weeks until the presents are opened, but he came bearing very welcome gifts nonetheless, ones that the whole nation – especially the government and business community – has afforded them a huge sigh of relief. Bahrain, no thanks to our familial-tied Qatar, will now have guaranteed access to up to 2 billion cubic feet of gas a day to run its power stations which subsequently will directly shore the burgeoning plethora of energy-hungry projects; hence, one could say that Iran – much to the chagrin of even some parliamentarians and rabid anti-Iran personages – will have a direct hand in Bahrain’s future growth.

There must have been quite a run on dental surgeries

But, will that now translate into a recognition that Iran will have much more political influence over decisions made in this country? I would say very probably. After all, one doesn’t bite the hand that feeds. One hopes; however, that influence is somewhat tempered with a modicum of good sense and neighbourliness.

Much like the Iranian nuclear ambitions, I don’t particularly know where the fallouts of this agreement will take us. I am willing to give it a chance and a good measure of the benefit of doubt as I would assume that the architects of such vital agreement are a bunch of cool and calculating business heads rather than ones who are given to believe their own rhetoric. But then it could also be purely political in which the price paid could well be the US Navy is sent packing! But let’s just assume that it’s all business first and all other considerations second.

will that now translate into a recognition that Iran will have much more political influence over decisions made in this country?

You’re more than welcome Father Ahmedinejad and thanks for the prezzies. They are much appreciated. You should have stayed and chilled with us a bit. Maybe now that business is once again firmly established between our so far estranged countries, this minnow will dampen a bit of your fire to the better of all concerned.

It is indeed business which is the catalyst of rapprochement, rather than the naturally divisive worlds of religions and politics.

Comments

  1. redbelt

    Actually, Qatar did not say no completely.
    They said we need 1.5 years to finalize a needs assesment study. Until it is, we can not act upon our resources. Which is rather fair.
    However, I am not in favour of the Irani deal. That is a lot of political power handed over to foreigners.

  2. mahmood

    That’s why we both signed a memorandum of understanding, a provisional commitment to supply, a strategic bilateral agreement or any of the other valid binding tools available? And is that why that vapourware called “the Love Causeway” (hold your barf please!) has a provision to house a gas pipe?

    I might be completely mistaken of course, and I hope that I am. But as a more than average consumer of news, I didn’t see anything in the papers about these things in the past few years.

    Anyhow, what I wanted to demonstrate is simply that Bahrain has acted in its best interest and those loud-mouths like Saidi & Co can now shut up and act like politicians rather than wind-up toys.

  3. Nawaf

    You never really know what goes backstage.

    What I do know however is that the UAE, especially Dubai, has cruical and multi-billion dollar deals with the Iranian government. Neverthless the UAE’s government is still fighting for the 3 islands Iran occupies in the “Arabian” gulf.

  4. Pingback: Global Voices Online » Bahrain: Gas Deal with Iran

  5. Ibn

    Mahmood,

    I think this is rather simple:

    The Gulf-states require the USA for their protection, which has been the “deal” since roughly the 70s. No country will dare invade GCC countries without the wrath of the USA. (For oil of course).

    Iran knows that it ‘scares’ the GCCs – especially now with its nuclear program – thus making them even more likely to support US moves against Iran.

    Therefore, in order to gain the GCCs trust and lesson the likelihood that they would support US strikes against Iran, it is giving them free prezzies.

    Basic strategy at this point.

    -Ibn

  6. victoria

    I agree with Ibn. Watch your backs Bahrainis .
    Ahmdinejad is smiling rather too enthusiastically for my liking… Rather like a Boa constrictor sidling up to his next meal.

  7. Ibn

    Victoria,

    The tragedy is that the GCC states are caught between a rock and a hard place. (USA, and Iran). Each alliance comes with its own fine print.

    The USA doesnt protect the GCC states because its in love with them. The USA protects the GCC states because its protecting “its” oil supply. They dont care about the Arabs per se.

    The USA has basically bought GCC loyalty. Now Iran wants to buy some. What makes me livid is why Arabs are putting their loyalties up for sale to begin with.

    Oh well. People will sell their mothers and sisters for the right price these days.

    -Ibn

  8. Abbas

    We all speak about hidden agendas, and forget about the obvious agendas…

    Let us not try to be too smart! Because, what is “smart” is in fact, “foolishness”.

    Remember, Iraq invasion, and the story of the “smart” intelligents!

    good day

  9. doncox

    There is a saying “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts”. I think that may apply to Iranians too.

  10. Alcazar

    Mahmood, there is no ‘firm’ deal with Iran – there is an agreement to start negotiations on how and when and how much to supply – no more than that. [And in my humble opinion, a worthless agreement until Iran has a revolution in it’s energy economic policy.]

    Qatar will be feeding gas to Bahrain long before the Iranian ‘negotiations’ have been fruitful.

  11. Steve the American

    Well, well, well, this is FABULOUS news for Bahrain! I imagine the best possible outcome any Bahraini could imagine is for the US Navy to be sent packing to be replaced by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. I’m sure that Iran will be every bit as respectful of Bahrain’s sovereignty as the US government. If not, maybe Iran can duplicate the success it has enjoyed at home by extending its mullah-cracy to Bahrain.

    Best wishes on this new and exciting relationship. Remember that it’s always best to take what’s offered now and let the future worry about itself.

  12. Steve the American

    Ibn: “The tragedy is that the GCC states are caught between a rock and a hard place. (USA, and Iran).”

    Hmmm. That is a tough choice, caught between a dysfunctional theocracy and a successful democracy. Which to choose, which to choose?

    Ibn: “The USA doesnt protect the GCC states because its in love with them. The USA protects the GCC states because its protecting “its” oil supply.”

    Well said, Ibn. Truer words were never spoken. Of course, the US discovered that oil supply, drilled it, transported it to market, and left the lion share of profits to the people who had happenned to pitch their tents on the land above it, who we made our business partners, not our slaves. What bastards we Americans are! Why did you ever consent to such an unbalanced relationship?

    Ibn: “They dont care about the Arabs per se.”

    Largely true, but not entirely true. We Americans don’t particularly enjoy seeing any people suffer and are inordinately willing to lend a helping hand. On the other hand, so much Arab suffering is self-inflicted that it has worn out our pity, inciting only exasperation. And there is that problem with worshipping a faith that demands the destruction of America and endorses the mass murder of Americans in its insane quest to rule the world. We’re not feeling the love there.

    Since the Sep 11 attacks, Muslims have made ten thousand terror attacks killing sixty thousand people and wounding ninety thousand. Perhaps if you cut back on the bloodshed, the relationship would improve. Just a thought.

    Ibn: “The USA has basically bought GCC loyalty. Now Iran wants to buy some. What makes me livid is why Arabs are putting their loyalties up for sale to begin with.”

    Was it a simple purchase? Did the Gulf Arabs think Iran was a better model for their future than the USA, that theocracy was the way to go rather than democracy, but they took the American dollars to spite their best interests? Did they opt for Persian Mullah-burgers instead of McDonald’s, tapes of Khomeini instead of Apple iPods, Iranian seminaries instead of US universities? Was everything about Iran so darned attractive that the Gulf states would naturally ally with it, so that the only way we Americans could get a meeting with the Gulf Arabs was with suitcases full of cash?

    Or could it be, could it just be, that Iran doesn’t have much going for it in any way and the only way it can hope to forge an alliance with its neighbors is by paying them off?

  13. mdc

    Well, Steve, I was going to offer Ibn some cheese with his whine, but you seem to have the situation well in hand. 😉

  14. Ibn

    Ahh, Steve the American, Steve the American… a light breeze blows by my ear… the dust kicks up somewhat … a distant howl of a speeding train approaching from the distance… the howl gets louder… the rail… the train… the wreck.

    Welcome back Steve. 🙂

    Hmmm. That is a tough choice, caught between a dysfunctional theocracy and a successful democracy. Which to choose, which to choose?

    You mean like that democratic spiff on how the US will let school children wear T-shirts saying “Bong hits for Jesus” under free speech, but the former defence secretary will openly call for the Qatari government to censor a news network he doesnt like? (Al-Jazeera).

    Like that?

    Heh yeah, a democracy. Because everytime the US wants to do something in the Arab world, they first take an Arab poll.

    Jest aside, the democratic (or more accurately, the republican constitutional laws) on which the US was founded on, apply only to its citizenry. (Unless like more recently, habeus corpus is suspended because the government suspects one may have terrorist ties).

    The final fact of the matter is that US behaviour outside its borders, is very different from its behavior inside its borders, and more in tune with just about any other nation out there with Imperial ambitions.

    lion share of profits to the people who had happenned to pitch their tents on the land above it, who we made our business partners, not our slaves. What bastards we Americans are! Why did you ever consent to such an unbalanced relationship?

    I for one would like to see how long this ‘business not slave’ notion maintains itself when the GCC wakes up one day and tells the US it can start getting its oil from Mars.

    The fuzzy-wuzzy Americans will no doubt promptly leave the Arabian Gulf, taking all carriers and battleships away with them. They will dismantle their bases and take their military men back with them state side. That year, the US team will also win the world cup, and Steve The American will convert to Islam.

    And there is that problem with worshipping a faith that demands the destruction of America and endorses the mass murder of Americans in its insane quest to rule the world. We’re not feeling the love there.

    Umm, theres some mix up here… we’re Muslims, not Republicans.

    Or could it be, could it just be, that Iran doesn’t have much going for it in any way and the only way it can hope to forge an alliance with its neighbors is by paying them off?

    I agree. A country that needs to pay off another one has nothing inherently good to offer. Thats why the GCC countries are awash in dollars. 😉

    Whew! Well that feels good! Hey keep this up Steve – with all the writers in Hollywood on strike and good comedies now being taken off air, Im glad youve sprung back up for the entertainment! Thank you! 🙂

    -Ibn

  15. Lee Ann

    I agree with alot of what Steve said except for the “left the lions share to the public”….by public did you mean “ruling family” 🙄 .

  16. Hamad

    Well, well, well, this is FABULOUS news for Bahrain! I imagine the best possible outcome any Bahraini could imagine is for the US Navy to be sent packing to be replaced by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard

    We dont want any army or guard on our island leave us alone please give the people of bahrain the rigth to die for thier countery . we can depend on our army and this is the best choice. many small counteries have same our problems but no one rent some one to defend them .

    and if american reson is Iran then go to qatar and defend us from there not from being inside bahrain .

    send us the good americans not soliders .

    gad bless our king

  17. Abbas

    There are people who do things,

    People who talk about things.

    and

    People who wonder what is going on…

  18. victoria

    The tragedy is that the GCC states are caught between a rock and a hard place. (USA, and Iran). Each alliance comes with its own fine print.

    I agree IBN but Bahraini´s had better read the fine print very carefully in this case… they have too much at stake …….freedom doesn´t come free in this world…

  19. Ibn

    freedom doesn´t come free in this world…

    This is true.

    -Ibn

  20. Aliandra

    Ibn

    You might want to ask yourself why you are going to school in a country you can’t stop ranting against(and not just on this thread). Unless America’s sins are irrelevant when it comes to your convenience, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is and do your education in a more respectable country?

    I’ll bet you’ll be a lot happier. 😈

  21. Ibn

    You might want to ask yourself why you are going to school in a country you can’t stop ranting against(and not just on this thread).

    Aliandra, do you know the difference between the Constitution and the speech Collin Powell gave to the UN jusifying attacking Iraq? Or do all papers with “those scribbly things” look alike to you?

    -Ibn

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  23. Steve the American

    Ibn,

    It’s always amusing to view America through the fun house mirror of your mind. You’re obviously reading current events, but somehow they get garbled.

    Steve: “Hmmm. That is a tough choice, caught between a dysfunctional theocracy and a successful democracy. Which to choose, which to choose?”

    Ibn: “You mean like that democratic spiff on how the US will let school children wear T-shirts saying “Bong hits for Jesus” under free speech, but the former defence secretary will openly call for the Qatari government to censor a news network he doesnt like? (Al-Jazeera). Like that?”

    Yes, it’s true that kids in America can wear a “Bong Hits For Jesus” T-shirt, if their parents don’t object. You can say any damned silly thing you want in America without repercussion from the state because we believe in free speech. Every now and then one of those damned silly things turns out to be true.

    That’s opposed to the Islamic approach where a “Bong Hits For Mohammed” T-shirt would send thousands of Muslim madmen pouring into the streets in a rage to kill people, burn down buildings, and lynch poor Ronald McDonald to defend the honor of the Religion of Peace.

    Our way is better.

    I’ve heard Rummy say a lot of things, but I’ve never heard him call on anyone to censor Al Jazeera. I have heard him sharply criticize Al Jazeera’s coverage as biased toward Al Qaeda and the insurgents in Iraq. This is well-justified criticism. There is a reason why Al Qaeda sends its snuff videos to Al Jazeera.

    Many loony lefties and radical anti-Americans believe that any criticism of their position is censorship. It is the hyperbole of radicals unable to defend their position intellectually and so resort to demagoguery. I suspect you fall in this camp.

    Ibn: “Heh yeah, a democracy. Because everytime the US wants to do something in the Arab world, they first take an Arab poll.”

    The Arab world does not get a vote in our democracy. Only our citizens do. That’s how a democracy works. It seems unwise to pander to the medieval religious bigotry of the Arab world as well. Where has it gotten them?

    Ibn: “Jest aside, the democratic (or more accurately, the republican constitutional laws) on which the US was founded on, apply only to its citizenry. (Unless like more recently, habeus corpus is suspended because the government suspects one may have terrorist ties).”

    Actually, habeus corpus is still intact, despite the ravings of the loony left, from where you have drawn the opposite conclusion. My advice to you is to never take advice on the state of America from anyone who has specks of foam on his Che T-shirt.

    Ibn: “The final fact of the matter is that US behaviour outside its borders, is very different from its behavior inside its borders, and more in tune with just about any other nation out there with Imperial ambitions.”

    If we had a desire to have an empire, we’d have the Saudis pulling us along the streets of Riyadh in rickshaws instead of letting them have enough oil loot to gold plate their toilets. The fact is that our business success leads us to be intensely engaged with the rest of the world. Our military follows that engagement to the extent that our trade and national security is protected.

    Americans tend to be isolationists, not empire builders, because we see the rest of the world as horribly screwed up. We don’t want to own foreign countries because we don’t want to own their problems.

    Steve: “…lion share of profits to the people who had happenned to pitch their tents on the land above it, who we made our business partners, not our slaves. What bastards we Americans are! Why did you ever consent to such an unbalanced relationship?”

    Ibn: “I for one would like to see how long this ‘business not slave’ notion maintains itself when the GCC wakes up one day and tells the US it can start getting its oil from Mars.”

    If their America customers buy their oil from Mars, where will the GCC leaders sell their oil? How will they earn the petrodollars to gold plate their toilets?

    Ibn: “The fuzzy-wuzzy Americans will no doubt promptly leave the Arabian Gulf, taking all carriers and battleships away with them. They will dismantle their bases and take their military men back with them state side. That year, the US team will also win the world cup, and Steve The American will convert to Islam.”

    That’s exactly what happenned when France asked America to leave in the 1960s. By contrast, what Muslim country has voluntarily left territory it conquered? Do you think Syria would pull out of Lebanon if asked nicely?

    Your argument fails on two counts. First, you make the wrong assumption that any of our military bases are in the GCC against the wishes of the local government. Oil for security has been the basic deal since FDR and King Saud. Second, you assume that we want our troops in the Gulf. We don’t. It’s a horribly dysfunctional backwater full of horribly bigoted people. The minute we figure out how to make hydrogen fuel out of seawater, we’ll be gone from the Gulf and the Arab world will wither.

    Steve: “And there is that problem with worshipping a faith that demands the destruction of America and endorses the mass murder of Americans in its insane quest to rule the world. We’re not feeling the love there.”

    Ibn: “Umm, theres some mix up here… we’re Muslims, not Republicans.”

    Pretty lame rebuttal, Ibn. I’ve been a Republican for years and I have yet to hear any Republican advocate flying a suicide jet into a skyscraper full of civilians or blowing up commuter trains or making a snuff video. And the whole world does not have to maintain elaborate security at every airport to protect against Republican murderers. And we Republicans don’t celebrate when Muslim suicide bombers blow up a crowd of Muslim kids in Iraq. We just shake our heads.

    Steve: “Or could it be, could it just be, that Iran doesn’t have much going for it in any way and the only way it can hope to forge an alliance with its neighbors is by paying them off?”

    Ibn: “I agree. A country that needs to pay off another one has nothing inherently good to offer. Thats why the GCC countries are awash in dollars.”

    Ibn, the whole world is awash in US dollars. Most of our currency resides outside the US because it is a much more reliable store of labor than the local currencies. Most Third World countries steal their citizens money by wildly inflating their currency.

    The fact is that what success the Middle East enjoys is derived from the West, particularly America. You derive your incomes from oil bought by us. You derive your ease and pleasure from those wonderful gadgets invented by us. You study at our universities. Perversely, you hate us for making your lives better and spin every advantage given you into a horrible imposition by a racist and imperialistic Amerikkka. You should thank your lucky stars that nothing you claim is true.

    Cheers!

    Steve

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  26. Ibn

    Steve The Confederate,

    That’s opposed to the Islamic approach where a “Bong Hits For Mohammed” T-shirt would send thousands of Muslim madmen pouring into the streets in a rage to kill people, burn down buildings, and lynch poor Ronald McDonald to defend the honor of the Religion of Peace.

    “Religion of Peace” means exactly that Steve. But that is not the same as “Religion of Pacifists”. You dont get anywhere in this world by being a panzy pacifist. We arent Amish.

    But lets contrast this to the above: So your paragraph, as opposed to the American approach where:

    The repitition of the phrase “Iraq has WMDs” would actually send thousands of Americans pouring into the streets of insert_Arab_country_here in a rage to kill people, (5000 or so members of the Iraqi Armed Forces dead), burn down buildings, (former government as well as civilian), and lynch said members of former allies..err.. I mean, former government, all to defend the honor of… ok why did you invade Iraq again?

    No really, remind me of why 5000 Iraqis had to lose their lives in the Spring of 2003 at the hands of you Americans again. What was their crime?

    That was just our highlight for 2003. Lets not forget 1991. 1974, 1967, 1956, and 1948 either. How many Arabs/Muslims died by your hands or sanction? I would do the math for you, but my old calculator doesnt handle 10 to the 5th powers very well.

    Topping it all off, some western newspaper had to equate the prophet Mohammad to a terrorist. They claim it wasnt meant to be like that, although thats hard to buy when Mohammad’s turban has a burning fuse attached to it.

    So lets see:

    60 years of betrayal, hypocrisy, and 20,000+ Arabs deaths by western hands + 9 Mohammad_is_a_terrorist cartoons = 21 molotov cockstails thrown at some western embassies + two downed towers on a Tuesday.

    Hmm, the equation looks somewhat unbalanced. Ill let you guess as to which side it is. In fact, from the looks of this, maybe we really are Amish.

    Im curious: just who’s religion do you conservatives follow anyway? Darth Vaders? Its certainly not Jesus’s. That particular Palestinian is probably turning in his heavenly grave.

    I’ve heard Rummy say a lot of things, but I’ve never heard him call on anyone to censor Al Jazeera. I have heard him sharply criticize Al Jazeera’s coverage as biased toward Al Qaeda and the insurgents in Iraq.

    Tsk tsk. No, they werent criticisms. They were clearly all out calls for censorship. When the State Department asks the president of a country to “rein in” one of its media outlets, thats censorship, not criticism.(And I will add a correction: It was Powell, not Rummy as I stated earlier). Here are the links:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1578619.stm

    http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,178347,00.html

    http://www.reason.com/news/show/32687.html

    And some excerpts:

    It is not often that Arab leaders defend domestic media freedoms before their American
    interlocutors. However, that’s exactly what occurred last week when the secretary of state, Colin Powell, asked the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, to put a lid on Al-Jazeera because of its hostility to recent U.S. actions in the region. The emir diplomatically told Powell to mind his own business.

    “The clumsiest involved the US secretary of state Colin Powell’s urging of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa el-Thani, to bring al-Jazeera to heel and stop “encouraging anti-American feelings”. The Emir, the main shareholder in the Qatar-based station, refused. “

    Awww, al-jazeera is hurting American feelings. Aww, so cute.

    But no one asked us about our feelings when Bill O’Reilly, the hands down most popular show on cable as he himself proclaims, said that the “US should bomb the Afghan infrastructure to rubble” if they didnt hand over Osama, adding for Iraq that their infrastructure must be destroyed and the population made to endure yet another round of intense pain…. Maybe then the people there will finally overthrow Saddam.”

    Furthermore adding,

    “If Libya’s Moammar Khadafy does not relinquish power and go into exile, we bomb his oil facilities, all of them. And we mine the harbor in Tripoli. Nothing goes in, nothing goes out. We also destroy all the airports in Libya. Let them eat sand.. (Emphasis mine).

    Let them eat sand. You cant make this stuff up.

    But lets forget Oreilly for a second. How about the former Executive Editor of the New York Times?

    New York Daily News columnist A.M. Rosenthal, formerly the executive editor of the New York Times, had similarly disturbing advice in his September 14 column. Rosenthal suggested an ultimatum be delivered to at least six countries– Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria and Sudan– giving them three days to hand over documents and information related to weapons of mass destruction and terrorist organizations.

    Rosenthal warned that “in the three days the terrorists were considering the American ultimatum, the residents of the countries would be urged 24 hours a day by the U.S. to flee the capital and major cities, because they would be bombed to the ground beginning the fourth day.”

    Charming. A well known and respected media pundit, who is the most popular guy on cable in the US. A former editor of the NYT, calling on the carpet bombings and actions that would result in mass civilian casualties.

    And here you are harping about petrol filled snapple bottles being lobed at some Western embassies?

    You do have a flair for the ironic dont you?

    The Arab world does not get a vote in our democracy. Only our citizens do. That’s how a democracy works. It seems unwise to pander to the medieval religious bigotry of the Arab world as well. Where has it gotten them?

    And we dont demand a vote either. But the point flew right over your head didnt it? The purpose of this excercise was to demonstrate how the US’s policies of respect, human rights, free speech and pluralism apply inside, but are no where to be found outside. (In foreign policy).

    Regarding bigotry, I can personally attest to the awkward requests by friends of mine for me to tell their families that Im in fact “Italian” and not Arab if the topic should come up during conversation. And this isnt even that racist cesspool Israel where at least I might “understand” it, but right in the heart of the USA – beacon of light unto the nations I am told.

    Its funny actually. A bunch of dudes fly a plane into a couple buildings and now Im supposed to come up with a double life on how im actually an Italian artist of the existentialist persuasion from Naples. It would be so comedic if it werent so tragic.

    So dont dare open that bull horn mouth of yours coming here to lecture me about “bigotry” in the Arab world. We were at peace and co-existing with a multitude of peacefully integrated mini-cultures while you guys were debating what fraction best describes the worth of a black man.

    Americans tend to be isolationists, not empire builders

    ..Im sorry, I was scuba diving off the Arabian gulf and hit my head on an American carrier while surfacing. What were you saying again?

    their America customers buy their oil from Mars, where will the GCC leaders sell their oil? How will they earn the petrodollars to gold plate their toilets?

    Tsk tsk tsk – answer the question, evader. heh, Again, if the GCC tells the US it will start selling its oil to you when Jesus returns, what will happen to that business-not-slave relationship, hmm? (Hint: 1970s oil crisis). Will the US invade and occupy our lands or not?

    That’s exactly what happenned when France asked America to leave in the 1960s. By
    contrast, what Muslim country has voluntarily left territory it conquered? Do you think Syria would pull out of Lebanon if asked nicely?

    Will Syria leave Lebanon if asked nicely? I dont know. Would you leave Iraq if asked nicely?

    And what do you mean “what Muslim country has voluntarily left territory is conquered”? Where is this mega-Islamic dark force thats currently occupying Egypt?

    First, you make the wrong assumption that any of our military bases are in the GCC against the wishes of the local government.

    Where was this assumption made?

    Second, you assume that we want our troops in the Gulf. We don’t. It’s a horribly
    dysfunctional backwater full of horribly bigoted people. The minute we figure out how to make hydrogen fuel out of seawater, we’ll be gone from the Gulf and the Arab world will wither.

    Yes.. so you do want your troops in the gulf – so that you can get our oil. That was the argument from the beginning. Thats why youre there. Not because you want to protect us poor Arabs from Iran, even though you try to play that card, but because you want to protect our..I mean, your oil supply.

    Thats the whole point – you claim on the one hand that we are a backwater bigoted people, but then to try scare us about getting annihilated by Iranian nukes. So why worry? Since when do you care so much about the welfare of bigoted and primitive cavemen who cant be reasoned with because they are Mooooslim, hmm? I know you dont. You know you dont. So please, spare us your crocodile tears should Iran invade us. Dont pretend to care. We know its just another divide-and-conquer trick levied on us to try to ally with you because of your interests against Iran. Be a man and come clean. We can see right through you.

    I’ve been a Republican for years and I have yet to hear any Republican advocate flying a suicide jet into a skyscraper full of civilians or blowing up commuter trains or making a snuff video.

    Which members of which party are most likely to defend the civilian mass-murders of Hiroshima/Nagasaki today? The Green party?

    Ibn, the whole world is awash in US dollars. Most of our currency resides outside the US because it is a much more reliable store of labor than the local currencies.

    Again, whoosh! Right over your head. You indicated that Iran is paying off the GCC because they have nothing good to offer. I agreed, saying that countries who pay one another off usually have nothing good to offer. Then I drew attention to the fact that its dollars that are circulating within the GCC – not because its a “the best store of labour” in the GCC, (what labour?) but because the US has done the same thing with the GCC in this case, as Iran is trying to do. You bought GCC loyalty. Iran is trying to do the same.

    The fact is that what success the Middle East enjoys is derived from the West,
    particularly America. You derive your incomes from oil bought by us.

    I do? What an idiot I have been. Working 60 hour weeks.

    You derive your ease and pleasure from those wonderful gadgets invented by us. You study at our universities. Perversely, you hate us for making your lives better and spin every advantage given you into a horrible imposition by a racist and imperialistic Amerikkka. You should thank your lucky stars that nothing you claim is true.

    ..My god.. you are like a woman – criticize the color of her dress and she explodes thinking youre calling her fat.

    Then she starts to think you hate everything about her. *chuckle*.

    So we criticize your foreign policy, and you think were against the freedom you have to improve the toaster oven. Dude… (are you a dude?) .. youre spazzing out again. Whats with this fetish of yours equating the morality of American foreign policy with American achievements? Some of the best inventions came from the worst political institutions. The Germans pretty much invented the first jet engine, and perfected the first V-2 rocket. So, sorry, your correlation of “we invent sh*t” = “therefore you must love us” holds no water.

    I say America is acting like an Imperial bully, and you say “Yes but we invented rock man! woohoo!”

    I say America is after our oil, and you say “Yeah but look at whose flag is on the moon dude! Yeah! woohoo!”

    I say America is hypocritical in its application of rules in the foreign arena, you say “Yes but we won the gold medal during the butterfly swimming of the ’92 Olympics man! See? Were the best!… oh and did I mention, we invented rock man! woohhoo!”

    …Its amazing. Are concepts in your mind linked by such weak and genralizaed associations fit for a two year old?… a two year old simple mammal that is? Do you not possess sufficient conceptual resolution?

    That is, does your brain just devote one neural cell to all-things-American, thereby rendering you unable to discriminate between certain subsets of it?

    What is it that goes on in your head I wonder? “Hrmph. Moon rocket good. America make moon rocket. Hmph. America good! Me hungry.”

    hahaha! Keep it up Stevo. 🙂

    -Ibn

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