Saudi Arabia vows 'iron fist' to end violence
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Sunni -Shia strife likely to escalate?
Saudi Arabia vows 'iron fist' to end violence
Posted February 21, 2012 10:29:24
Saudi Arabia has vowed to use an "iron fist" to halt attacks against security forces in the country's east.
The Sunni Muslim kingdom has accused an unnamed foreign power, widely understood to mean Shiite Iran, of backing attacks on its forces in the Eastern Province.
Shiite activists have accused the kingdom's own security force of using violence against protesters.
Clashes first began at the height of the Arab uprisings last year and were provoked by the detention without charge of political campaigners
"It is the state's right to confront those that confront it first... and the Saudi Arabian security forces will confront such situations... with determination and force and with an iron first," the interior ministry said in a statement.
"Some of those few (who attacked security forces) are manipulated by foreign hands because of the kingdom's honourable foreign policy positions towards Arab and Islamic countries."
The statement came in response to a sermon preached in the Qatif area of the Eastern Province last week which criticised the government's handling of the situation, in which at least six people were killed.
Members of the minority have long complained of discrimination, which they say makes it harder for them to find government jobs, attend university or worship in open, than members of the Sunni majority.
Since the protests and clashes started last year, they have also complained of police checkpoints and patrols.
However, the government denies discriminating against Shiites and said the increased security is intended to protect Qatif residents and repeatedly blamed the violence on attacks on security forces.
Four people were killed in November, one in January and one earlier this month, the interior ministry has said in past statements.
Reuters
Saudi Arabia vows 'iron fist' to end violence
Posted February 21, 2012 10:29:24
Saudi Arabia has vowed to use an "iron fist" to halt attacks against security forces in the country's east.
The Sunni Muslim kingdom has accused an unnamed foreign power, widely understood to mean Shiite Iran, of backing attacks on its forces in the Eastern Province.
Shiite activists have accused the kingdom's own security force of using violence against protesters.
Clashes first began at the height of the Arab uprisings last year and were provoked by the detention without charge of political campaigners
"It is the state's right to confront those that confront it first... and the Saudi Arabian security forces will confront such situations... with determination and force and with an iron first," the interior ministry said in a statement.
"Some of those few (who attacked security forces) are manipulated by foreign hands because of the kingdom's honourable foreign policy positions towards Arab and Islamic countries."
The statement came in response to a sermon preached in the Qatif area of the Eastern Province last week which criticised the government's handling of the situation, in which at least six people were killed.
Members of the minority have long complained of discrimination, which they say makes it harder for them to find government jobs, attend university or worship in open, than members of the Sunni majority.
Since the protests and clashes started last year, they have also complained of police checkpoints and patrols.
However, the government denies discriminating against Shiites and said the increased security is intended to protect Qatif residents and repeatedly blamed the violence on attacks on security forces.
Four people were killed in November, one in January and one earlier this month, the interior ministry has said in past statements.
Reuters
Interesting, I suspect this has more to do with Saudis internal problems than anything coming from Iran, and the Royal family are using Iran's tub thumping as an excuse to quell it.
The thought of the Saudis actually getting tooled up for a scrap just doesn't seem realistic to me....unless they can train some Filipinos up pretty smartish
The thought of the Saudis actually getting tooled up for a scrap just doesn't seem realistic to me....unless they can train some Filipinos up pretty smartish
Well, the article states that
Clashes first began at the height of the Arab uprisings last year and were provoked by the detention without charge of political campaigners
So somehow this will all be turned round to evil Iran again, despite the west being vocally, (and materially?) behind the uprisings in other Arab countries for the same human rights issues? Is there some sort of rules about who can fund, or aid an uprising, because we've been doing a fair amount of it ourselves recently. As for Saudi, and it's human rights record, it leaves a lot to be desired.
Clashes first began at the height of the Arab uprisings last year and were provoked by the detention without charge of political campaigners
So somehow this will all be turned round to evil Iran again, despite the west being vocally, (and materially?) behind the uprisings in other Arab countries for the same human rights issues? Is there some sort of rules about who can fund, or aid an uprising, because we've been doing a fair amount of it ourselves recently. As for Saudi, and it's human rights record, it leaves a lot to be desired.
Yup, I used to work with a RSAF Warrant Officer who seemed to hold a lot more clout than his rank deserved.....I found out later that he had been personally thanked by the King for his part in quelling an attempted coup in the 70's by some RSAF Officers.
It involved a C130, pallets, his right foot and the Empty Quarter
It involved a C130, pallets, his right foot and the Empty Quarter
Isn't this just the same as what's happening in Bahrain? A ruling minority clan not wanting to give democracy to the majority clan. The west keeps quiet because the ruling minority . . .
A) Have oil, buy aircraft from us and . .
B) Are anti Iran/communism/stopping holiday makers wearing a bikini/whatever
The arab spring is great as long as the dictators being opposed are the ones we don't like.
A) Have oil, buy aircraft from us and . .
B) Are anti Iran/communism/stopping holiday makers wearing a bikini/whatever
The arab spring is great as long as the dictators being opposed are the ones we don't like.
Apache said:
Yup, I used to work with a RSAF Warrant Officer who seemed to hold a lot more clout than his rank deserved.....I found out later that he had been personally thanked by the King for his part in quelling an attempted coup in the 70's by some RSAF Officers.
It involved a C130, pallets, his right foot and the Empty Quarter
Was he a pirate with a wooden leg?It involved a C130, pallets, his right foot and the Empty Quarter
Don't worry about that egypt is going to attack teh US in a few months.
http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/3321.htm
http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/3321.htm
Pesty said:
Don't worry about that egypt is going to attack teh US in a few months.
http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/3321.htm
What a fruitbat.http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/3321.htm
Pesty said:
Don't worry about that egypt is going to attack teh US in a few months.
http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/3321.htm
Good strategy - attack the US, 2 minutes later the US defeats them & has to annex them maybe.;)http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/3321.htm
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