The Arab spring is in full "BLAST" agian

All it took was a ignorant, wanna be film producer to get the Middle East and a few other countries all hyped up. What is with the hate towards America? This great nation has done more GOOD than evil in the history of the World. We have given more aide and help to other countries. We spend more $$$$ on foreign help than our OWN people! I would love to see an attempt or invasion on American soil. Please is you don't want American help or you enjoy your own people being murdered, raped, or ruled by dictatorship. Then please don't ask for the UNITED STATES help....post by a proud pissed of American....just saying

It's pretty well established that there isn't another nation capable of attacking the United States at this point in history. (except for terrorists acts)

Russia seems to be only able to engage in regional attacks, and China rests with an impenetrable defense.

The question is, does everybody in the middle east really want our help, or are they angered by the presence of western culture taking root in their country? (note the KFC's burning down)

The dictatorships all started collapsing during the Arab spring, that is the problem. This is a power vacuum, and when that happens pandemonium results. If anything, the dictators provided stability in a region that we were able to work with and understand for the most part, kind of like the USSR. (the 90s were absolute chaos for Russia)

I'm not surprised in the least that this violence and chaos is happening now.

Transitional States are breeding grounds for dissent. They're "Civilized" Civil-wars with Multiple revolutions all happening at once. this allows any splinter group to yell out their beliefs and a confused people that are new to their freedom are receiving an influx of new ideas that are confusing with each other.

It is possible that the Unrest could spread into civil war in a few of them like it did in Somalia

Luke <--- Ditto

I like your comments guys and both of you are correct. Freedom is the most priceless feeling and like you guys stated can be very overwhelming. Please forgive me if I insulted anyone or seemed like a bigot. That wasn't my intention, but there are moments I get frustrated. Hopefully these emotion pouring throughout the East don't turn into anything to ugly. god knows it could get very, very ugly. Again guys you put up valid responses.

The extreme fanatical muslims are not a stupid people whatever else we may deem them. They jump at any opportunity to bay for western heads to roll, literally, using any excuse to fan the flames. It should not be surprising if it is proved the film in question was in fact made by them for just this purpose.

There are reports of people getting paid to riot, rent-a-mob. It's what they desire, fervour and the chance to gain the moral highground. They are not really cavemen living in the year 250AD, they know it is irrational to kill because someone insults the Prophet. But, it rallies the troops, causes the war they so desire.

See, it's like warring with Wendy, the US can listen to her endless rants and put up with her minor skirmishes OR it can go to war and get bogged down in trash talk, politics and a fight that costs a fortune without gaining anything.

So which route do we choose?

I vote we start using their own tactics, highlighting their brutality and murder to non combatants, basically make them look so bad opinion wants nothing to do with them. Bullies will get their upcomance.

I know, naive aren't I, but I remind you I have lots more years of using my naivety than most of you.

Very true Crafty...that was my original thought process. To me it seems these Muslims are so starved for attention that they will do just about anything. If they are so high on Ala why don't they practice his beliefs. Maybe they are the evil ones who only want war? Personally I would rather turn the whole area into glass, but that isn't gods message nor humane. Wishful thinking though.

...however having a military presence/infrastructure in the middle east only gives them a target, economic interest in their nations gives an unfair advantage to their argument that we are just trying to profit from their resources. It's a loosing argument because this is really a question of the western presence in the Muslim world.
I mean really, if the general consensus is cut off all ties, why the hell are there KFC's in Lebanon and Cinnabons in Libya? Let's get out of dodge people! Let's design our own "prime directive" avoid contact with less technologically advanced societies until they reach our levels, then we will start talking. Simple as that. Nobody said we HAD to trade with them. We don't NEED their oil, right? It's a finite resource anyway, and the Saudi leadership knows (and denies) that they are in their second half of their supply. I know the oil supply in the middle east tends to be of the "sweet" variety, and that the north american "sour" requires more refinement, but we will deal with it. Embassies shut, bases closed, and keep a close eye. (long time ties such as Libya and Tunisia with Italy for example will have to stay, not our problem).

Ok? ok, done deal. (and nobody was offended in the process)

Amen, and if (e.g.) Christians, rednecks, conservatives, or (insert your favorite stereotype here) etc., rioted and took heads every time an offensive reference was made about them (us) in some film, the world would be in a constant state of bloodshed. It's time for the Muslims to get over themselves. This is not racist, it's just tough love. Time for them to grow up, the entire world just ain't gonna love everyone all the time. That's life. Suck it up and be men about it.
On the home front, I ask, just what is it going to take for the U.S. to finally cut off aid and comfort to these enemies?? If you keep giving candy to the baby every time he screams, what's he going to do? Keep screaming, that's what.

I note that Pres. Obamas office has as good as told the Isrealis that they are on their own with Iran. Good job I say. I don't reckon that will deter Israel though, but the US has drawn a line saying that it wont be the worlds policeman/bully anymore.

4 more years for Obama please.

It's not just a matter of aid going to some of these countries, its a little more reciprocal than that. We do benefit from our presence there.


And Israel needs to be on good behavior also..

Pfft.... If Obama gets reelected, be prepared for me to move in wif you and Mrs. Crafty, old man. lol You still want Obama reelected now???? ha ha ha

I think the original argument is very valid point from a bystander point of view. If you consider the values of the country you will see the frustration.

Iraq is a shining example, we spent billions of dollars there, we spent billions of dollars fixing it, but who benefitted? The obvious response is that the citizens of Iraq, and we can presume to believe that the well being of the average citizen did improve, but who else? It's far less common knowledge that Halliburton's profits have DOUBLED! The largest shareholder of Halliburton is Dick Cheney. This information implies an alarming FACT. I don't use opinions the facts just fall into place here, and you can decide how to take it. Our country is willing to sell out it's country for commercial gain, is an opinion, that one can access from this, and I don't care if you believe that or not. Throw in the truth that profitable corporations can not exist in unstable countries, the reason we don't outsource to Africa. Rebuilding countries so KFC's can sell their garbage is part of an agenda.

This situation is not an isolated situation, similiar acts from the US and Europe happen all throughout history. These completely different values pretty much have to breed cognitive dissonance. Really doesn't it?

Innit

It does seem ridiculous that this is all happening over some cheap ass video made for youtube off all places.
Facebook toppled the middle eastern dictators, youtube provided a voice for more hatred. We live in powerful times. Considering all of that, it is more important than ever to consider our words, and take ownership and responsibility for our actions.

I took a pulse of opinion on comments on Yahoo news threads, and from what I saw, stupid hatred is not exclusive to just foreign countries.

C'mon man! You cant believe that some goofy youtube video had anything to do with this! Its simple, if you want to find an excuse to fight, you will find one easily. There is no doubt that there are a plethora of videos, songs, comments, pictures etc.... that could be used as an excuse to fight.

I wouldn't say excuse, rather it was the one catalyst that ignited the fire, and there has been allot of anger fuming before that.

Values are real strong guys. I tried to use an alternative example, but I'll try another. The Colbert Report was just on, and he had an author from Harvard on, talking about the civil war, referencing the gruesome effects of the civil war. I think I'm going to read that book. I bring that up, because it is something we can relate to a little easier about the value differences people hold. Not only the value of socio economic differences, but also what our emphasis on human life is, how important progress is, civil rights are, etc. People of your own country have very different values that people fight for or against all the time. Women Sufferage, Civil Rights, Revolutionary War, Civil War, Cold War, Vietnam War, are examples of not threatening circumstances but oppositions of values. Whether it be communism, civil liberties, or social liberty expansion they were all acts of unity against an oppisition with strong contradicting values.

With that said, The Arab Springs situation could have been a mere tool to rally forces against their opposition. In other words an excuse. But what is an excuse, if an excuse is simply a way to raise morale for a current value is it justified? The situation is complex, the Arabic people aren't allowed any visual or audio represntation of their profit, and yet an outside culture uses it vulgarly. This is so incredibly distasteful. Imagine for a moment Christians aresentenced to death for the casual use of saying Jesus's name. Then the ummm... Jewish people CG'd Jesus having an all male sexual encounter with 5-6 dudes, what would the christian population do? The severity of their religious doctrines are very intense. And members against their very existance performed an act simply to offend. This is incomprehensible for them.

Futhermore, an individual thats behind this was also an individual that burned the Quar'an to bait more hostility. This is an unamerican act, American's have the freedom to practice any religion, anyone who acts against that practices attacks against our civil liberties gaurenteed by the 1st amendment. And aren't everyone supposed to be gaurentted life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness?

Now I'm not trying to justify their actions, only try to broaden the prespective of the group here. Whether the issue, is past American political situation, Military situation, Diplomatic situation, trade situation, or religious situation their values are different, and America has been exploited and terrorizing many Arabic nations for over 50 years.

I disagree, burning the Koran is a very American act. I believe it has been the case that Americans burned American flags on multiple occasions. In fact, I would be EXTREMELY surprised and disappointed if bibles have never been burned or otherwise desecrated by Americans... or any symbol of anything for that matter.

\o/

Free speech forever!

Death to all who oppose!

The rioting and killing over the socalled Mohammad movie is just a sick excuse for revolutionaries who want to create theocratic nations with dictatorship.

There's nothing in neither that amateurish movie nor in the notorious Mohammad cartoons that could justify such a violent reaction.

And as far as I'm concerned, they can burn all the western flags and bibles they like. It's only textiles and paper.

It's a bigger offense IMO to insinuate that they are better humans than us because they have a superior religion.

That's racism in disguise if you ask me.

And some people STILL insist that religion isn't the root of all evil!

Every theology seeks the same goals in more or less the same way, with a moral standard for living and a desire to understand God's purpose. Even science strives to find 'Gods' purpose, just they dont use the word God.

So why are Humans so dumb as to believe that their way is the right way? Surely they are all equally valid, excepting maybe some lunatic fringe cults who tend to stick to their own anyway.

I reckon this 'my way is best' attitude is so ingrained in our nature that it refuses to be rationalised. Now I dont limit this to radical Muslims, Islam but to Extreme Christians, Siehks, and every philosophy you can think of. Scientologists and the Tea Party spring to mind ;)

Anyway, the tipping point is being reached here. Either the more enlightened people step up to the plate and get people realising we all want the same thing, or we have to fight the mother of all fights about it before we realise what the tarnation we are doing.

History indicates the latter path unfortunately.
Lets hope I'm wrong.

Religion is not the snake here. If people would actually follow the spirit in their religions, all those conflicts would never happen.

Not even islam encourages killing, looting and assaults of random strangers.

They sure are calling for death for insulting the Prophet Mohammed. In fact death has occured over it already.

The belief in revenge for the insults stems from the Koran doesn't it (and I ask that sincerely because I am not a scholar of the Koran) or at least some interpretation of what the Koran says.

You remember Salmon Rushdie?

I'm not just saying Islam either, some absolute crap has been interpreted from the Bible too. It has it's own cross to bear.

^^^ see what I did there

They sure are calling for death for insulting the Prophet Mohammed. In fact death has occured over it already.

The belief in revenge for the insults stems from the Koran doesn't it (and I ask that sincerely because I am not a scholar of the Koran) or at least some interpretation of what the Koran says.

You remember Salmon Rushdie?

I'm not just saying Islam either, some absolute crap has been interpreted from the Bible too. It has it's own cross to bear.

^^^ see what I did there

"The extreme fanatical muslims are not a stupid people"

they actually are quite idiotic they practice flying planes by giving eachother piggy back rides is what i heard...not to mention their education system

theres some very smart guys but i imagne most of them are just stupid pawns

religion is a sad thing