In tiny Arab state, Web takes on ruling elite

[Jared Moya]

The government on this flyspeck of an island nation, home to an American Navy base, recently renewed its effort to block dozens of opposition Web sites. So Abdulemam, 28, a computer engineer, had to spend about 10 minutes whipping through various computer servers around the world before finally pulling up his Web site, BahrainOnline.org.

 

It was National Day, Dec. 16, and some five miles away, the beautifully landscaped boulevards of Manama, the capital, were packed with revelers enjoying bands and fireworks. Pictures of the ruling princes blanketed the city, which was also awash in the national colors, red and white. Red and white lights were even wrapped around the palm trees lining the main thoroughfares.

 

But most of the couple of hundred people posting messages in the "National Forum" section of BahrainOnline mocked the idea of celebrating the day in 1971 when a Sunni Muslim king ascended the throne to rule over a Shiite Muslim majority.

Read the complete article

[DigitalJunkie]

What a mess Pres. Bush has got us into! With Sunni, Shiite & Kurds fighting for their own political power & money. A new gov. may never take hold for long (power & corruptions).

If I'm right, Bush's exit strategy may never come true!

[Jared Moya]

Well, and I hate to foray into politics as many here seem to disagree with my worldview, but you have to consider that the mess in the Mid East has been long overdue. It started with the European colonial powers carving it up like a pie with no regard for tribes, religion, etc., and created a situation where only a leader with a brutal mentality could keep them in line. Another perfect example is Africa, its a mess for same reason. So the events in the Mid East are much needed house cleaning.

[DigitalJunkie]

You're right, they may need brutal leaders to keep the country in one piece, but U.S. likes to be in control of Iraq! So, how can we leave Iraq if it's still a mess?

[Jared Moya]

Who knows, the place is gonna have to be divided up into regions, shia, sunni, kurd, otherwise they'll all just keep killing one or another, but the US promised Turkey we wouldnt create a Kurdish state in the North as Turkey has a very large Kurdish population in their Southern state.