Arab Spring

[randolph]

Originally Posted by ila

It did no such thing. Iran already had power and influence throughout the Middle East What it did do is give Iran an opening in Iraq to try to increase their influence there. Al Qaida and the Taliban did not gain any influence as a result of the US invasion of Iraq. Both of the those groups were well established before the invasion of Iraq.

True Iran has power and influence but Iraq acted as a counter to that power and influence.

There is good evidence that our invasion of Iraq resulted in more Arabs joining Al Quida

Also, the Iraq invasion diverted our attention away from Afghanistan allowing the Taliban to regroup.

[ila]

Originally Posted by randolph

Also, the Iraq invasion diverted our attention away from Afghanistan allowing the Taliban to regroup.

It's true that Iraq did take the US attention away from Afghanistan, but the US was not the only country involved there. The other countries that had soldiers there were managing quite well.

[randolph]

Ila, as moderator, has asked me to retract my use of the term "camel jockey" in a post and I do so. My intention was not to offend anybody, I was referring to the past plight of Arabs. I regret the use of the term and apologise to forum members and anybody else who saw it. Camel driver is what I should have used.

[randolph]

The next few years are going to be quite exciting in the middle east. Israel's isolation and continuing intransigence regarding settlements is causing divergent Palestinian groups to consolidate and prepare to confront Israel. I am sure Iran will be glad to provide them with increasingly more sophisticated and accurate missiles. Israel seems to be on a suicidal path.

[randolph]

News --

ASSIUT, Egypt - A campaign of intimidation by Islamists left most Christians in this southern Egyptian province too afraid to participate in last week's referendum on an Islamist-drafted constitution they deeply oppose, residents say.

This does not bode well for the Arab Spring.

[randolph]

Will the Arab Spring result in secular states being established thruout the middle east? Let us hope so especially for the Christians living in predominately Muslim countries. The Islamists are determined to take over and impose sharia law. This could result in whats happening in Nigeria where Christian churches are being destroyed and Christians being massacred. These crazed Islamists are even destroying ancient Muslim mausoleums in Timbuktu, a world heritage site. All this in the name of their God, Mohammed.

[ila]

Originally Posted by randolph

...All this in the name of their God, Mohammed.

No, it's Allah.