West Asia News and Discussions (YEMEN, gulf)

[Lalmohan]

i read that support was 50/50 with the army pushing for the conviction on the grounds for the need to maintain moral high ground in such circumstances... and all the politico's going for the simple option

[IndraD]

Migrant workers bear the brunt of Saudi's archaic kafala system
http://www.middleeasteye.net/columns/mi ... -817327584

country’s archaic kafala (“sponsorship”) system, which ties workers to their employers.

I have met workers who have been driven to consider suicide after months of sitting in limbo, unpaid and unable to support themselves or their families
Kafala has become associated with human rights abuses across the Gulf region, because it makes it so difficult for workers to extricate themselves from exploitative employment relationships.

Where employers have completely failed in their responsibilities, the kafala system leaves workers without any viable way out. They cannot get new jobs legally to sustain themselves and their families back home, because that would need the permission of their employers.

So they are left with an agonising choice of whether to stick it out to try to get some of their wages paid, or whether to abandon this hope and go home to try to rebuild their lives.

even if they make this choice, leaving the country can be an extraordinary and sometimes insurmountable challenge – workers need their bankrupt employers to issue them exit permits, return their passports and issue them tickets home.

Company collapses can quickly develop into full-blown humanitarian crises. I have met workers in the Gulf who have been driven to consider suicide after months of sitting in limbo, unpaid and unable to support themselves or their families. Their companies could not issue them with the residency permits they needed, so they had effectively been turned into “undocumented” workers, at risk of arrest and unable to even leave their camps.

These are, in many cases, people who have been doing incredibly demanding, dangerous work, working excessive hours, on some of the region’s most prestigious projects.

[IndraD]

Foreign workers wait outside a Saudi immigration office in Riyadh for exit permits



Huddled in old cars, workers being taken to factory

[Falijee]

Raheel Lured By Saudi Cash To Fight Dirty War In Yemen

CROSS POSTED FROM STFUP

All The King’s Men ( no horses ?)

Dr Hamid Hussain

POSTED IN FULL.

General Raheel Sharif in Saudi Arabia

We don’t do operations. We don’t know how. All we know how to do is write checks”. (A.K.A Money Diplomacy ) Saudi Intelligence Chief Prince Turki al-Feisal to Mark Anderson, CIA Directorate of Operations, Near East Division (1)

Pakistani Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif retired on 29 November 2016 handing over command to General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Four weeks later, Saudi Arabia sent a special plane to Lahore to bring Raheel for a meeting in Saudi Arabia. Even before his retirement, rumors have been circulating that he will be given some role in ongoing conflict in Yemen. Saudi Arabia has cobbled together a thirty nine Muslim (all Sunni) nation coalition. This is mainly a paper organization with majority of member nations not even sleeping partners. All major military operations are conducted by Saudi Forces with sprinkling from Emirati and Egyptian forces.

. Paki newspapers give the impression that the so-called coalition is to fight Daesh/ISIS

In summary, Yemen crisis emerged when in a fracturing state, Shia backed Houthi rebels took control of large swaths of the territory and finally overran the capital. This was a disastrous move by a Zaidi Shia minority in a country divided along several lines. This coincided with the death of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and installation of a new King and re-alignments within the Saudi royal family (inner competition and rivalries among Royal family members is a whole different arena and I have done some work a while ago on the subject). Saudi Arabia was already involved in Syria where majority Sunni rebel forces of all colors are fighting the minority Shia Alawi regime of President Bashar Asad. In Yemen, a change of power dynamics on their doorsteps with Shia rebel forces getting an upper hand rattled new Saudi regime. King Salman bin Abdul Aziz’s favorite son, Deputy Crown Prince and Defence Minister Muhammad bin Salman was the architect of the new aggressive posture and fully supported by Crown Prince and Interior Minister Muhammad bin Nayaf. This resulted in an aggressive air campaign that devastated large swaths of urban centers. Criticism from mounting civilian casualties and no end in sight resulted in second thoughts. Operations were dialed down and Muhammad bin Salman made the right decision of quickly getting out of the limelight.

In my view, in the absence of direct channels of communications, Tehran and Riyadh usually overreact to each other’s moves. This was one such case where Saudis over-reacted and embarked on a dangerous escalation (Naval blockade, air campaign and ground offensives mainly by Saudi and Emirati forces is a separate story). Now, Saudi Arabia has two choices in Yemen. The less risky approach is to accept a de facto partition of the country resulting in support of Yemeni partisans and less direct involvement of Saudi forces. The high risk approach is to double down and try to push opposition through direct military means that entails increased involvement of Saudi forces. Saudis are mulling over their options and have not yet made the final decision. In my view, for a variety of internal, regional and international factors, Saudis will likely go for former option and conflict will be a protracted one. On top of that falling oil prices, defeat of their ally (ISIS ) in Syria and the defeat of their candidate in the US election (Hilary) has further complicated the situation !

Now the equation of multiple conflicts in Middle East is squarely along sectarian lines. Saudi Arabia and Iran are fully engaged in an all out proxy war spanning over a number of countries (the sectarian poison now reaching to the very souls of some communities is another little noticed dirty secret). Both countries are equally responsible for a dangerous course without realizing extreme vulnerability of their own societies. Iran and Saudi Arabia are presiding over fairly oppressive regimes in their own countries. On both sides, it started from deep suspicion followed by deep mistrust and now leading to outright hatred. In this environment, genuine security interests get distorted at cognitive level resulting in flawed decision making. One of the major factors in Saudi decision making process was the fear that if Shia Houthi rebels are able to consolidate, then Iran will deploy long range missiles on Yemeni soil. This will give Iran a foothold on Arabian Peninsula for the first time and able to directly target major Saudi cities. This is just one example of the real dilemma for Tehran and Riyadh. Now both regimes are presenting themselves as guardians of their respective sects and bulwark against the encroaching ‘other’ to resist any change at home.

In such a complex and potentially volatile situation what are the re-percussions of appointment of a former Pakistan army chief in any capacity on Saudi soil with a lucrative benefit package underwritten by Saudi government? General Raheel Sharif is the only Pakistani army chief who left office with very high approval ratings. There is genuine respect and admiration for his conduct among all segments of the society. In army, he is respected for giving the final go ahead for North Waziristan operation and civilians give him the credit of taking back the initiative from terrorists. Targeting criminal elements of political Mafiosi in the port city of Karachi was also lauded by general public. If he decides to join the Saudi led coalition efforts many questions will be raised including taking a second look at his decisions while he was in office. On the other hand, if he decides to join the Saudi led coalition, "someone" may confer on him the coveted title of Field Marshall [/quote]

- Serving and retired Pakistani army officers work in United Nations framework in different conflict zones. It is a well recognized and properly regulated role under the auspices of army’s General Head Quarters (GHQ). Anything outside this framework is an unchartered territory. There is also history of serving Pakistani officers working in Saudi Arabia in the framework of bilateral agreements and process was directly controlled by GHQ. When Raheel was army chief, it was the collective decision of army and civilian government that Pakistan will not join Saudi led coalition. This was in line with general public opinion where all major political parties and independent media strongly advocated for staying away from the fires of Middle East. In my view this almost general consensus of the society was the main factor that forced government to stay neutral despite very close personal and family relations of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with Saudi royal family. Saudis were furious but later calmed down. If he joins now then he will be working directly against the stated policy of his own country and army that was taken under his own command. He has to explain what has changed now that he wants to be part of Saudi coalition. I don't see any "lucrative" employment opportunities in Pakistan , therefore he should go in for the Saudi cash and forget about the consequences !

The question will be raised about the motivation. We all know that Raheel is not of religious bent and has no sectarian bias. The only reason will be a very lucrative package offered by Saudi Arabia. This will be linked with his decision not to push for his own extension as COAS (although many still believe that he tried to get one). It will be fair to ask that rather than retiring on a grade 22 pension, he wants an executive package even if offered by foreigners. Debt ridden poor Pakistani nation pays a very lucrative severance package to its army chief including prime residential, commercial and agricultural lands that is suffice to support him in his retirement and his next one or two generations. It is more than adequate compensation for their services especially when it is compared with the benefit package offered to the army chiefs of neighboring India and Bangladesh.

The next question will be did he enter in this discussion about his future role with Saudi government while he was COAS and if yes did he inform his government?

- What can be his role? He will be hired and paid by Saudi Arabia and not any neutral entity or a party that has no direct conflict of interest with the outcome. His role will be essentially promoting and implementing official Saudi policy. This leads to next question of whether he will be involved on military or diplomatic front or both. Let’s dissect that. If he will be involved on military front, obviously he will not be wearing Saudi army uniform. His role could only be that of a military advisor. What qualifications he has to fulfill this military advisor role? He is an infantry officer who saw his force take back large swath of territory captured by militants in a totally different strategic and operational environment. Success was due to combination of factors including a re-organized and re-trained army led by highly motivated junior and mid-level officers, highly professional input from senior commanders and planning by an excellent General Staff branch led by one of the most respected officer. Raheel deserves the credit for some of his bold decisions. Pakistani experience has no semblance with events on ground in Yemen. He is not known for his intellectual brilliance where a scholar soldier can think beyond his own horizons and can give strategic insight in a different conflict. Military operations are conducted by Saudi forces with their own chain of command. They are not bound to follow recommendations of a non-Saudi advisor. There is very high likelihood of friction between a foreign advisor and host government as well as local military commanders. In such cases, advisor gets frustrated as no one is listening to his advice. On the other hand, if anything goes wrong i.e. large scale civilian casualties, the advisor will share the blame even if no one is heeding to his advice. If it does not hurt his ego that the Saudis are just going to "use his famous name " and will not listen to his advice, then he should just close his eyes and only think about the cash that will be coming in !

If he is assigned a role on diplomatic front what can he offer? He is a retired general with no special skills for any diplomatic task. As he will be employee of Saudi government, therefore he can only project his employer’s national interest and not as a mediator. If he is tasked by United Nations or Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) then he can have some credibility to act as a mediator. In any case, we must remember that Pakistan army chiefs make on the list of influential persons of Time magazine only because they hold the baton. Once you hand over the baton, you have no regional or international role. My suggestion is that after hanging boots, Pakistani generals should focus on improving their golf game rather than venturing into unknown territories. This Pakistani author does not seem to have a very high opinion of Pakistani COAS

- It is no secret that Pakistani civilians have been fighting on the killing fields of Iraq and Syria on both sides of the conflict. Iran and Saudi Arabia have recruited Pakistani youths to be sacrificed on the altar of sectarianism. As no serious research has been done therefore we don’t know the numbers. Even if numbers are small it adds fuel to the sectarian fire inside Pakistan. A former Pakistan army chief joining one party no matter in what capacity will invariably arouse anger among other partisans. If this door is opened, then will Pakistan also accept the notion that a Shia Lieutenant General who retires as Corps Commander and four weeks later hired by Iranian government as its defense advisor in Syria. Food for thought.From the name, it appears that the Pakistani author is a shia and therefore he does not look kindly to a Sunni Ex COAS, serving as a "servant of the Saudis"

How Pakistan army brass will see Raheel’s appointment? It is stated policy of Pakistan and collective decision of Pakistan army that Pakistan should stay away from the Yemen conflict. This means that he will have no support from Pakistan and his role will be essentially as an employee of Saudi Arabia. My own feeling is that Raheel’s visit was planned early but was delayed so that new army chief can have some input about the issue. It is a known fact that Bajwa was not Raheel’s choice just as Raheel was not Kayani’s choice. Bajwa brought in his own team quickly. Bajwa was busy taking control of his institution and bringing his own team therefore Raheel issue was down the list. Bajwa visited Saudi Arabia and although we don’t know what transpired between him and Saudi royal family but one can assume that Raheel’s role came up for discussion. If Bajwa has vetoed this proposal for a variety of reasons then Saudis will re-think. They will listen to a Pakistani army chief with baton rather than the one without it. In this case, Saudis may modify their proposal and offer Raheel such a deal that he cannot accept it and everything fades away. The other possibility is that they give him a consolation prize with an office, chauffer driven car and even a Gulfstream jet to fly around for one or two years but no real role in the game. That will not be a good position for Raheel to get into. One the other hand, after listening to the Saudi position and expectations, Raheel may himself decide that it is not good for him or his country and walks away. This will be the best case scenario. At the present, Raheel is "mulling" over his options ; the Saudis however "want" him badly ( private plane to La-Whore, private audience with King, Umra wish etc etc )

- In recent past, there has been lot of resentment among junior army officers where senior army officers immediately after hanging the boots take a flight abroad and stay for extended period of time in some cases courtesy of foreign rulers. It is fair to ask the question that in what capacity they are working especially after serving at very high and sensitive positions where they are privy to state secrets? This matter is more serious than the so called Memo Gate scandal when an ambassador was dragged on coals for his alleged indiscretions. The author is insinuating that Raheel cannot be "trusted" to keep Paki Fauj secrets !

Pakistan needs friendly relations with Saudi Arabia in view of economic and other interests. In view of trouble on both eastern and western borders, Pakistan also needs a working relationship with Iran. It is not in Pakistan’s interest to have troubled relations with either Saudi Arabia or Iran. Pakistan has to walk on a delicate line so that they are not entangled in Saudi Arabia-Iran rivalry as it is not good for Pakistan’s health. The ‘bang’ part of Saudi led operations is completed and now it has entered in a stalemate and ‘dirty’ phase. Any involvement of a senior retired army officer from a foreign country at this stage will only soil his own clothes. In summary, if Raheel accepts Saudi offer, the only benefit is a generous personal financial package with no meaningful contribution towards Yemen crisis and a lot of uncomfortable questions rising about him as well as complications for Pakistan and its army. He retired on a very high note and he will be remembered by history how he faded away and not by balance in his bank account. Before rejecting this Saudi offer, Raheel should consult his extended family ; if he is willing to maintain a low profile and make do with whatever "ill-gotten" gains that he has accumulated, during his tenure as COAS, he should reject the offer; if he is willing to "swallow his ego" for the sake of Saudi cash, then he should accept the offer

[Falijee]

Saudi Arabia's dream of becoming dominant Muslim power in world has gone down in flames

Patrick Cockburn | The Independent | Updated: Jan 7, 2017, 02.06 PM IST

LONDON: As recently as two years ago, Saudi Arabia's half century-long effort to establish itself as the main power among Arab and Islamic states looked as if it was succeeding. A US state department paper sent by former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, in 2014 and published by Wikileaks spoke of the Saudis and Qataris as rivals competing "to dominate the Sunni world".A year later in December 2015, the German foreign intelligence service BND was so worried about the growing influence of Saudi Arabia that it took the extraordinary step of producing a memo, saying that "the previous cautious diplomatic stance of older leading members of the royal family is being replaced by an impulsive policy of intervention".

An embarrassed German government forced the BND to recant, but over the last year its fears about the destabilising impact of more aggressive Saudi policies were more than fulfilled. What it did not foresee was the speed with which Saudi Arabia would see its high ambitions defeated or frustrated on almost every front. But in the last year Saudi Arabia has seen its allies in Syrian civil war lose their last big urban centre+ in east Aleppo. Here, at least, Saudi intervention was indirect but in Yemen direct engagement of the vastly expensive Saudi military machine has failed to produce a victory. Instead of Iranian influence being curtailed by a more energetic Saudi policy, the exact opposite has happened. In the last OPEC meeting, the Saudis agreed to cut crude production+ while Iran raised output, something Riyadh had said it would always reject+ .

At a popular level, there is growing hostility to Saudi Arabia reflected in the near unanimous vote in Congress to allow families of 9/11 victims to sue the Saudi government as bearing responsibility for the attack.

Under the mercurial guidance of Deputy Crown Prince and defence minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the most powerful figure in Saudi decision making, Saudi foreign policy became more militaristic and nationalistic after his 80 year old father Salman became king on 23 January 2015. Saudi military intervention in Yemen followed, as did increased Saudi assistance to a rebel alliance in Syria in which the most powerful fighting force was Jabhat al-Nusra, formerly the Syrian affiliate of al-Qaida.Nothing has gone well for the Saudis in Yemen and Syria. The Saudis apparently expected the Houthis to be defeated swiftly by pro-Saudi forces, but after fifteen months of bombing they and their ally, former President Saleh, still hold the capital Sanaa and northern Yemen. The prolonged bombardment of the Arab world's poorest country by the richest has produced a humanitarian catastrophe in which at least 60 per cent of the 25 million Yemeni population do not get enough to eat or drink

The attempt by Saudi Arabia and Gulf oil states to achieve hegemony in the Arab and Sunni Muslim worlds has proved disastrous for almost everybody. The capture of east Aleppo by the Syrian Army and the likely fall of Mosul to the Iraqi Army means defeat for that the Sunni Arabs in a great swathe of territory stretching from Iran to the Mediterranean. Largely thanks to their Gulf benefactors, they are facing permanent subjection to hostile governments.

Saudi Arabia has enlisted the services of Pakistan's Gen Raheel Sharif , ostensibly to "fight terrorism", but in reality to salvage it from the Yemen imbroglio !

[IndraD]

Pk army generals have huge investments in Saudi along with top politicians in billion dollars: in one video Jaheel Hamid made allegations that politicians have sold out country to Saudi, after which he was arrested when he reached Saudi.
He was released on conditions that he will keep mum (re saudi): Therefore it is unlikely Raheel will be able to reject Saudi offer even if he wants .
Pk army is being used as mercenaries these days (Turkey is asking for Pk pilots to fly F16, Pk army was rushed in to crush Bahrain uprising to name a few).
In Syria also Pk army had a role in helping rebels to what extent is unknown.

[IndraD]

Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Awards Al Saud Medal to COAS Gen. Raheel Sharif
In 2014 Saudi & Pk intelligence officials met extensively regarding how Pk army can help Saudi achieve their strategic goals in Gulf.

[Singha]

All of these saudi worker woes shoukd be splashed acoss sm because msm will ignore

A aection of im worship the sand the shieks walk on

[IndraD]

Ramana Retweeted
Senge H. Sering ས།ཚ། ‏@SengeHSering 8h8 hours ago
Pakistan commands 34 Muslim-nation military alliance against Iran. But PAK media claims, PAK-Iran are UMMA brothers

[Lalmohan]

All of these saudi worker woes shoukd be splashed acoss sm because msm will ignore

A aection of im worship the sand the shieks walk on

i think some gelf returnees are into cognitive dissonance and related problems - they have to say its all good otherwise why did they go? if IM then of course it was good, it is the land of zam zam cola...

those who have never been will imagine 72+28+zam_zam

[Falijee]

When it comes to Pakistan, it is useful to remember (i) Pakistan has been classified as a "rentier state" ie available to the highest bidder, ready to spread its legs, if the price is right (ii) when something in Pakistan( Govt, Fauj, all other sectors !) does not make sense, it is useful to focus on the first rule of investigating reporting - "follow the money" . From this point of view, Raheel's new job makes sense (offer he cannot refuse!)

[Philip]

THis should be in the Iraq td. but here goes.
Is this what IUSIS is waiting for? US ,Crusader and Iraqi forces in Mosul so that they can be wiped out?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 10686.html

Mosul Dam could collapse at any minute 'killing 1.5 million people'
Huge Saddam Hussein-era dam near Isis territory is unstable, experts warn, with even a partial breach capable of causing flooding as far away as Baghdad

Bethan McKernan Beirut @mck_beth Thursday 5 January 2017

An employee works on strengthening the Mosul Dam on the Tigris River, north of the Iraqi city of Mosul, on February 1, 2016 AFP/Getty Images
Engineers and other experts have warned that the collapse of an eight mile (13 kilometre) long dam on the Tigris River in northern Iraq is just a “matter of time”, triggering an environmental disaster which could leave 1.5 million people dead and millions more as far away as Baghdad without food or electricity.

The Mosul Dam, 40 miles (60 kilometres) away from the Isis-controlled city of the same name, holds 11.1 billion cubic metres of water, and has been plagued by problems since its construction in the 1980s thanks to the fact it was built on soluble ground.

It has required constant maintenance to fill the cavities that form underneath the concrete to stop it collapsing ever since.

A 2006 US Army Corps engineering report found the “Mosul Dam is the most dangerous dam in the world” - but the situation has become more precarious since Isis took control of the area in 2014, including, briefly, the dam itself. Many of the 1,500 workers stationed there fled, and the extremists damaged much of their equipment.

READ MORE
US military admits Mosul hospital airstrike may have killed civilians
Reinforced Iraqi troops to launch fresh bid to take Mosul from Isis
Iraqis describe horror of life under Isis in Mosul

“It is just a matter of time. It will be worse than throwing a nuclear bomb on Iraq,” Professor Nadhir al-Ansari of the Environmental Engineering Department at Lulea University in Sweden, who inspected the initial construction, told Al-Jazeera.

A 2015 study from the European Commission's Science Centre found that even a partial breach of 26 per cent would unleash a flood of catastrophic proportions.

A wave of water up to 100 feet (30 metres) high would engulf Mosul in two hours, taking with it people, unexploded bombs, buildings and cars, as well as toxic substances from oil refineries and human waste.

The surrounding flood plains are already home to more than one million people living in tents after being displaced by fighting who would struggle to find protection from the water.
l
Within four days, both the EU and US experts predict, a wave between six - 36 feet (two - eight metres) high would reach Baghdad, 250 miles (400 kilometres) away.

The UN predicted last year that in any flooding scenario, up to four million people will be left homeless, and aid will take up to two weeks to reach those in need if airports, electricity grids and roads are knocked out. Iraq’s oil refineries and up to two thirds of its wheat fields would also be affected.

New £234 million ($300 million) World Bank funded repairs are being carried out by an Italian engineering company, but the fragile security situation in the area is making completion of the work difficult.

Millions in need of aid as Iraqi forces advance on Mosul
Kurdish and Italian soldiers remain on constant guard for extremist attacks. In October, an Isis convoy armed with explosives tried to approach the dam but were killed by Kurdish missiles before they reached it.

A better and more permanent solution would be to build a second dam - but the political and military instability and lack of funds mean this option is highly unlikely.

Iraqi officials have tried to downplay scientists’ and the international community's fears of an imminent disaster, but Professor Ansari remains sceptical the problem will be solved in time.

“I am convinced the dam could fail tomorrow,” he sai

[Singha]

a iraqi army division is sitting around the dam. isis does not control it.

[IndraD]

Starving Yemenis resort to eating rubbish
Millions of people have borne the brunt of Yemen's civil war, nearly into its third year. Massive food shortages have gripped the Arab world's poorest country, with the World Food Programme estimating that around 14 million Yemenis are food insecure, half of whom are classified as severely food insecure.
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/featur ... 00887.html

[Falijee]

X posted from STFUP

Islamic Alliance against terror starts to take shape

Appointment of retired Pakistani general ( Raheel Sharif ) allows the Alliance to develop its military strategies


This "Gulf News" farticle does not make a single reference to the Sunni-Shia tussle going on in Yemen or the Saudi - Iran rivalry for the "hearts and minds of the Muslim Ummah ". So much so for balanced reporting.

PS: Many non-partial observers believe that Raheel is being hired, so he can do "something" for the Saudis in Yemen !

[Bheeshma]

Why won't Iran suppy them scuds? I am sure they are still potent against the wannabe sunni Nato.

[Lalmohan]

for rawheel to be operational never mind successful, he will have to ship over his entire bunch of staff officers. unkil has always been careful not to let the a-rabs learn too much about modern war fighting and planning

mind you there is already a good outsourcing model for retired or rotating pak afsars to help out their sunni birathers over the years - particularly pilots, engineers etc.

[JE Menon]

http://swarajyamag.com/obit/rafsanjani- ... pragmatist

For those interested, an obit on Ayatollah Rafsanjani... not heard much of, of late, but a very very important guy in Iran for three decades. His passing will have an impact on the Levant, in subtle, long-term ways. A slightly less efficient policy flow is likely in the short to medium term.

[IndraD]

Interesting! What is US/Trump's take on this?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32727421
Vatican to recognise Palestinian state in treaty. Israel disappointed. Talks between the Palestinians and the Vatican - which favours a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - have gone on for 20 years.

Pope Francis is making every effort to strengthen the Christian presence in the Middle East at a time when hundreds of thousands of Arab Christians are fleeing Islamist violence.
The Vatican's announcement comes amid growing momentum to recognise Palestinian statehood. Over the last year the European Parliament as well as the UK, Republic of Ireland, Spain and France have all passed non-binding motions in favour.
Sweden has gone further, officially recognising Palestine as a state.
The moves have been criticised by Israel, which says recognition of statehood in this way discourages Palestinians from resuming talks on a final status agreement.

[IndraD]

Bahrain has executed three Shia men who were convicted of killing three police officers in a bomb attack in March 2014, the authorities say.
They were killed by a firing squad on Sunday, state news agency BNA reports.
Human rights officials say there are serious concerns that evidence may have been obtained under torture.
They are the first executions to be carried out in Bahrain since a 2011 uprising, led by the Shia majority, calling for greater political rights.
The Sunni-ruled kingdom has escalated a crackdown on its Shia critics over the past year, including revoking the citizenship of the country's most prominent Shia Muslim cleric.

[IndraD]

http://swarajyamag.com/obit/rafsanjani- ... pragmatist

For those interested, an obit on Ayatollah Rafsanjani... not heard much of, of late, but a very very important guy in Iran for three decades. His passing will have an impact on the Levant, in subtle, long-term ways. A slightly less efficient policy flow is likely in the short to medium term.

Can you explain more on how is his passing going to affect Levant crisis?
As usual very well written J E Menon saar! Looking for more.

[Falijee]

Another Confirmation : Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the main sponsors of terrorism in Africa, former UN Secretary General

Kofi Annan former UN Secretary General said in an interview with correspondent of Comesa website: UN researches show that 15 commanders of armed groups permanently shuttle to and from Doha between 2003 to 2016. One of the main missions of the Al-Jazeera Network is to create crisis in Middle East and sow dissention between Sunnis and Shias and Muslim and Christian and foment other kinds of sectarianism in the region in cooperation with Qatar’s and Mossad’s security services.

The former Qatari Foreign Minister officially announced during a press conference that Syrian crisis was created by Qatar with British and Israeli command and then it was continued by Saudi Arabia’s leadership. Hereby, this analysis is certain that support if Boko Haram and ISIS in Africa is related to Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

But can organization/ state take concrete action to get rid of this "Islamic menace "

[IndraD]

The day has come! Saudi introduces tax, other Sunni Gulfates to follow

Saudi Arabia has introduced a value-added tax (VAT) with the approval of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), indicating the end of life without
The decision was taken on Monday and implies a five percent levy on some goods across the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, which unites Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Other Gulf countries are also expected to follow and introduce the VAT system by the beginning of 2018.

The move has IMF backing, which recommended the Gulf States impose revenue raising measures. The countries have already introduced taxes on tobacco and fizzy drinks.

“A Royal Decree has been prepared,” the official Saudi Press Agency said.

The tax on tobacco, now at 50 percent, will be increased to 100 percent, the same level as those for energy drinks and sodas.

[IndraD]

Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Launch Rare Suicide Attack on Saudi Frigate
The Red Sea attack killed two crew members, according to a Saudi Arabia-led military coalition

[IndraD]

Trump in latest has told Israel PM that he doesn;t believe in 2 state solution re Israel & Palestine. But he is not clear if he believes in one state solution or no solution. At the same time Israel has been asked to stop building new settlements.
Trump's view
1. re no 2 state
2. shifting centre of Israel to Jerusalem
is at variance with NATO & Europe as such who so far have believed that Israel conflict can be resolved by 2 states and stopping settlements.
West of Jordan river has been area of conflict where Israel has built 1000s of settlements for Jews thereby meaning they consider parts of Palestine as their own.

[IndraD]

Saudi King travels to Indonesia

Descending regally from his private plane in a customised gold-coloured escalator, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud began the first visit in almost 50 years of a Saudi leader to the world’s most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia, on Wednesday.

The Saudi monarch clearly did not view the visit lightly. Accompanied by an entourage of 1,500, including 25 princes and several government ministers, King Salman also brought 459 tonnes of luggage for his nine day trip.

Two elevators and two Mercedes Benz S600s were included among the travel essentials for his three day visit to the capital, Jakarta, which will be followed by six days of “relaxing” in the popular holiday resort of Bali.

The Indonesians, who hope the visit will bring Saudi investments of up to $25 billion, were equally eager to impress. Enthusiastic crowds, including tens of thousands of students, lined the route of his heavily guarded motorcade to the presidential Bogor palace.


King Salman and his entourage will be staying in four luxury hotels in central Jarkata, with about 10,000 security personnel deployed to protect them.


King descending down his gold escalator

[IndraD]

Saudi Arabia has deported almost 40,000 Pakistanis over the past four months, claiming that they could be involved in the commission of terrorist acts, Moheet.com reported on Friday.

Over 39,000 Pakistanis have been deported from Saudi Arabia in the last four months, the Saudi Gazette reported on Tuesday.

The deportations were attributed to visa violations, crime and security concerns linking the deportees to terrorist organisations, but come amid a background of migrant worker unrest that has plagued the kingdom over the past year.

Citing “informed security sources”, the Saudi Gazette said that a number of the Pakistanis deported were linked to the Daesh group or terrorist activities. Others were deported over crimes including drug trafficking, theft, forgery and physical assault.

[JE Menon]

https://swarajyamag.com/world/trumps-mi ... -and-islam

Trump's likely approach to the Middle East

[ramana]

From STFU thread ....

EXCLUSIVE: Pakistan sends combat troops to Saudi southern border

The Pakistan army is sending a brigade of combat troops to shore up Saudi Arabia’s vulnerable southern border from reprisal attacks mounted by the Houthis in Yemen, according to senior security sources. The brigade will be based in the south of the Kingdom, but will only be deployed inside its border, the sources told Middle East Eye. "It will not be used beyond Saudi borders," one said. So, Pakistan has decided to "openly" take the side of the Saudis in the Sunni- Shia war in Yemen.

Looks like the deporting 40K Pakis worked for KSA.

Note the TSPA will not cross the border of KSA.

Same conditions Zia Ul Haq had maintained in the 1980s when 2 divisions were deployed in KSA.
In 1987 they were sent back to Pakistan for refusing to fight against the Iranians who were breathing down Iraq neck.

KA wondered what was the point except to feed them camel biryani while the stayed in barracks instead of defending.

What this deployment means is KSA is worried that Houthis are winning and will attack them.

[ramana]

Yemen has to be settled soon. Its getting stale.

[IndraD]

https://swarajyamag.com/world/trumps-mi ... -and-islam

Trump's likely approach to the Middle East

We ll written Menon saar: fully agree. Of course Trump will be one of heaviest pro Israel potus ever.

[IndraD]

Somali pirates hijack oil tanker with eight Sri Lankan crew on board, the first commercial ship taken since 2012: http://reut.rs/2nl5IAR

Gulf of Aden is again struck by hijackers. What are chances IS is trying to foray into sea piracy?

[IndraD]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39264349 Saudi Arabia launches girls' council - without any girls

[kit]

http://www.janes.com/article/68719/us-a ... ot-missile

A million dollar missile for a piddling uav .. no guesses as to which country !

[Austin]

^^ Even Israel has used Patriot missile to shoot UAV , In one instance it did not hit the UAV.

[ramana]

KSA, Bahrain, UAE, and Egypt break relations with Qatar.

[Gyan]

http://www.janes.com/article/68719/us-a ... ot-missile

A million dollar missile for a piddling uav .. no guesses as to which country !

More like USD 10 million dollar missile.

[Philip]

This Arab crisis reminds me of a great quote from that classic film Lawrence of Arabia Peter O'Toole (Lawrence) expounds his idea of an independent Arab state in the MEast ,carved out of the Ottoman empire. Anthony Quinn (Auda)snorts,"The Howitat, Ajili, Rala, Beni Saha; these I know, I have even heard of the Harif, but the Arabs?"

The Qatar dipl. crisis with the Saudi-Gulfie gang exposes the fault lines inherent in the "Arab" region. Leave alone the Sunni Shiite "grand canyon",each camel driver wanting to buzz off in his favoured direction ultimately ends up in disaster for the caravan. The supposed chief uniformed camel driver from Pak,former boss of the brown khakis,must be sorely disappointed at this turn of events.He at the moment is like a Mexican general...without an army! The Saudis have also for long hated the free-wheeling (by Muslim/Arab stds.) Qatari TV channel "All-that-Jazz",owned by the ruling Thani family. The channel is v.popular in the region esp. in the other oppressive monarchies like Soothi Barbaria.It would be great fun if the Qataris and Saudis actually used their swords against each other instead of ceremonially waving it to hail a new ruler!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/ ... -terrorism

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain break diplomatic ties with Qatar over 'terrorism'
Saudi Arabia said the move was necessary to protect the kingdom from what it described as extremism, reasoning that was echoed by Bahrain
Saudi Arabia TV reports on cutting of ties with Qatar

Monday 5 June 2017 04.01 BST Last modified on Monday 5 June 2017 06.14 BST
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain have broken off diplomatic relations and all land sea and air contacts with fellow Gulf Arab state Qatar, in the region’s most serious diplomatic crisis in years.

Saudi Arabia on Monday said the move was necessary to protect the kingdom from what it described as terrorism and extremism. The kingdom also pulled all Qatari troops from the coalition fighting the ongoing war in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia and UAE block Qatari media over incendiary statements

The official state news agency, citing an official source, said Saudi Arabia had decided to sever diplomatic and consular relations with Qatar “proceeding from the exercise of its sovereign right guaranteed by international law and the protection of national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism”.

Saudi Arabia cut all land air and sea contacts with Qatar “and urges all brotherly countries and companies to do the same.”

The decision comes after Qatar alleged in late May that hackers took over the site of its state-run news agency and published what it called fake comments from its ruling emir about Iran and Israel. Its Gulf Arab neighbors responded with anger, blocking Qatari-based media, including the Doha-based satellite news network Al-Jazeera.

Qatar is home to the sprawling al-Udeid Air Base, which is home to the US military’s Central Command and some 10,000 American troops. It wasn’t clear if the decision would affect American military operations. Central Command officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Qatar long has faced criticism from its Arab neighbors over its support of Islamists. The chief worry among them is the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist political group outlawed by both Saudi Arabia and the UAE as it challenges the nations’ hereditary rule.

Gulf countries led by Saudi Arabia fell out with Qatar over its backing of then-Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, a Brotherhood member. In March 2014, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain recalled their ambassadors from Qatar over the rift.

Eight months later, they returned their ambassadors as Qatar forced some Brotherhood members to leave the country and quieted others. However, the 2014 crisis did not see a land and sea blockade as threatened now.

In the time since, Qatar repeatedly and strongly denied it funds extremist groups. However, it remains a key financial patron of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and has been the home of exiled Hamas official Khaled Mashaal since 2012.

Western officials also have accused Qatar of allowing or even encouraging funding of Sunni extremists like al-Qaida’s branch in Syria, once known as the Nusra Front.
The crisis also comes after US President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia for a summit with Arab leaders. Since the meeting, unrest in the region has grown.

Saudi leaders hail Trump visit as ‘reset of regional order’
Read more
Bahrain’s foreign affairs ministry issued a statement early Monday saying it would withdraw its diplomatic mission from the Qatari capital of Doha within 48 hours and that all Qatari diplomats should leave Bahrain within the same period.

The ministry’s statement said Qatari citizens needed to leave Bahrain within two weeks and that air and sea traffic between the two countries would be halted. It wasn’t immediately clear how that would affect Qatar Airways, one of the region’s major long-haul carriers.

Bahrain blamed Qatar’s “media incitement, support for armed terrorist activities and funding linked to Iranian groups to carry out sabotage and spreading chaos in Bahrain” for its decision.

The UAE’s state news agency WAM reported the Emirates cut ties and gave diplomats 48 hours to leave the country, citing their “support, funding and embrace of terrorist, extremist and sectarian organisations”.

Egypt announced the closure of its airspace and seaports for all Qatari transportation to protect its national security.

Egypt cut ties with Qatar, accusing the Gulf Arab state of supporting “terrorist” organisations including the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s state news agency reported.

Qatar had no immediate comment.

[IndraD]

KSA, Bahrain, UAE, and Egypt break relations with Qatar.

regarding traditional rivalry between Saudi vs Qatar..http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=61189

[IndraD]

From Phillip article link :

Qatar long has faced criticism from its Arab neighbors over its support of Islamists. The chief worry among them is the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist political group outlawed by both Saudi Arabia and the UAE as it challenges the nations’ hereditary rule.

Gulf countries led by Saudi Arabia fell out with Qatar over its backing of then-Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, a Brotherhood member. In March 2014, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain recalled their ambassadors from Qatar over the rift

Bahrain blamed Qatar’s “media incitement, support for armed terrorist activities and funding linked to Iranian groups to carry out sabotage and spreading chaos in Bahrain” for its decision.

Egypt cut ties with Qatar, accusing the Gulf Arab state of supporting “terrorist” organisations including the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s state news agency reported.

Iran backing & Brotherhood support seems to be the key issues..