tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593189288898730807.post9038203985202668450..comments2023-09-02T19:33:30.329+08:00Comments on The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer: Whither the Arab Revolts? – A Response to Ali A. AllawiThe Turbulent World of Middle East Soccerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08780576145703699280noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593189288898730807.post-23741906697598033402013-08-07T18:55:16.046+08:002013-08-07T18:55:16.046+08:00Thanks. I take your point on Iran. That does not c...Thanks. I take your point on Iran. That does not change very different perceptions. The protests were the result of deep divisions, not the source. Unfortunately, the debate over what happened and is happening in Bahrain has become so entrenched and polarized that there is no dialogue. The effect is evident as society effectively becomes increasingly segregated. The power balance within the ruling family complicates any effort to achieve a resolution witness the most recent parliamentary recommendations and the framing much like in Egypt and elsewhere of protest in terms of violence and terrorism. The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08780576145703699280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593189288898730807.post-80198122550547435712013-08-07T18:44:04.219+08:002013-08-07T18:44:04.219+08:00Dear Dorsey,
I responded with distinct points and...Dear Dorsey,<br /><br />I responded with distinct points and bodies of literature in which I did not mention nor insinuate Iran at all, while it would be easy to jump to conclusions may I kindly ask you to have another look at the points and URLs I provided before hastily avoiding them and answering self-conceived questions, so perhaps a constructive dialogue could be achieved. OptimusPrimal117https://www.blogger.com/profile/03813785862728912749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593189288898730807.post-34799881998945186202013-08-07T18:39:45.470+08:002013-08-07T18:39:45.470+08:00There are two fundamentally exclusive narratives: ...There are two fundamentally exclusive narratives: that of the government and that of its opponents. There is no doubt that Bahrain was a popular uprising. There were also indeed incidents of violence, some of which preceded the uprising. They serve as evidence of a problem that the government allowed to fester. The problem is domestic. None of this justifies the government's response. Addressing concerns of a majority of the population is the solution, not brutal crackdowns. The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08780576145703699280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593189288898730807.post-60894922608795377012013-08-07T18:27:10.630+08:002013-08-07T18:27:10.630+08:00I want to start by saying that the political crisi...I want to start by saying that the political crisis in Bahrain is one that cannot be compared to the other political upheavals across the Middle East. To start with, in Bahrain the protests started at the heart of Manama (Lulu Roundabout), where a large business community resides next to the financial center. While many protestors categorize themselves as peaceful, there were instances of indicate violent behavior from protestors prior to events of 2011. In 2010, radical groups, funded by internal and external sources, attempted to carry out violent and coordinated attacks throughout the Kingdom. When the crisis started beginning 2011, within days protestors located at the roundabout started attacking passers-by and threatening businesses if they did not shut down. <br />Protests were not peaceful in Bahrain, where acts of political violence have been occurring for years. Bahraini authorities believe that some of these protestors received training by Hezbollah to attack police and destroy private properties. This video shows a number of so-called peaceful protestors attacking police members earlier last year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwgMW34XUC4. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16446592466100270797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593189288898730807.post-39475711049344195872013-08-07T15:43:40.752+08:002013-08-07T15:43:40.752+08:00Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I fear that...Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I fear that we disagree on Bahrain. If I read your comments correctly, you are implying that sectarianism, which is by definition divisive, was fueled by outside forces, Iran. That is indeed the government's narrative. Even if that were the case, which is not my view, there had to be something to fuel; with other words an un-addressed issue. Moreover, government responses have escalated rather than deflated the issue and certainly failed to address it.The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08780576145703699280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593189288898730807.post-35511414252167768112013-08-07T15:11:23.802+08:002013-08-07T15:11:23.802+08:00It is important to make distinctions during the tu...It is important to make distinctions during the tumultuous events of the Arab Upheavals, for the reader’s benefit. With this said, each country that witnessed unrest has specific dimensions. I agree with the fact that the Arab Gulf states were not immune from the regional upheavals (I mean a $130B incentive pack alone dispels this fallacy). However, it is also necessary to give each country the proper research in order to avoid pitfalls like over simplification that generally plague mass media.<br />While I do recognize the benefits of maintaining certain narrative consistency, there are issues of accuracy to deal with. In Bahrain, economic discrimination has often been cited (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/15/us-bahrain-protesters-idUSTRE71E3YN20110215) a key grievance for those who took to the streets. Yet, if one closely observes conditions (http://cejiss.org/editors-desk/editor%25E2%2580%2599s-policy-analysis-demographic-warfare) on the ground, the picture doesn’t add up. Discontent is a natural trait of humanity, and to simply state that discontent is ‘bubbling’ within a region is a generic simplification, which warrant further consideration. <br /><br />Bahrain’s political crisis was not a spontaneous event like other counties that faced unrest. In fact, it was methodically built up by political evocation of sectarian tensions and its eventual radicalization (http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/6224/06_27.pdf?sequence=1), which holds regional (http://wikileaks.org/cable/2005/01/05MANAMA111.html) implications as well. Additionally, two demonstrations (http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/02/21/bahrain-one-country-two-rallies/), one at the Lulu roundabout and the other at the Fateh mosque, that occurred during the height of Bahrain’s recent political troubles clearly divided society on more or less even grounds, an aspect that was neglected in your brief reporting on Bahrain. This suggests that a ‘popular revolt’ is grand oversimplification. Lastly, the other trap used by media reporting on Bahrain’s case is that the military was involved in riot control activities, as it was made abundantly clear in the BICI report (para 1102) to the contrary. <br /><br />Accuracy and accountability are vital criteria for critical analysis, and Mr. Dorsey, while I find your insights on sports and politics in the Middle East quite fascinating and novel; the other areas you comment upon, in my opinion, are not up to the same standards. <br /><br />PS: Your theory on football supporters being an indicator of upcoming political unrest was spot on, perhaps focusing on such endeavors will be more beneficial. <br />OptimusPrimal117https://www.blogger.com/profile/03813785862728912749noreply@blogger.com