Saudi police open fire at protest

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: AP

(AP) – 12 minutes ago

CAIRO (AP) — Saudi police have opened fire at a rally in the kingdom's east in an apparent escalation of efforts to stop planned protests.

Government officials have warned they will take strong action if activists take to the streets after increasing calls for large protests around the oil-rich kingdom to press for democratic reforms.

A witness in the eastern city of Qatif says gunfire and stun grenades were fired at several hundred protesters marching in the city streets Thursday. The witness, speaking on condition of anonymity because he feared government reprisal, said police in the area opened fire. The witness saw at least one protester injured.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hfi7_Azuxaz0vM6kFhPPvsQ21BXg?docId=f58908b2f44045268de6f4c2d602bad3

[leveymg]

1. They're taking the Libya track - it may not work in KSA, given the depth of

popular dissatisfaction and the pre-existing political/religious/class divisions and well-established opposition activities.

Overreaction may just accelerate the process of setting off a civil war.

[denverbill]

2. Well, I wonder who Obama will side with on this one? No I don't.

Personally I would be ecstatic to see the House of Saud fall, but I doubt any Democrats or Republicans in Washington agree with me, except for a tiny handful of extremists that actually believe in democracy and oppose dictatorship.

[Aerows]

3. Saudi Arabian gun ownership is 6th in the world

...this could get ugly.

[Strelnikov_]

4. House of Saud falls . . the United States falls

There is a remote possibility of a peaceful transition that will maintain exports. I don't count on remote.

KSA plus Libya 23.5% of world export market.

US consumes ~30% of world export market. Only 1 M bbl/day from KSA, but we will be bidding against the ROTW on what remains of said market to get the additional 11.5 M bbl/dy we import.

Still time to sell the SUV.

Top world oil exporters, 2009, Thousand bbl/dy

1..SaudiArabia..7,322...0.......0
2..Russia.......7,194...7,194...7,194
3..Iran.........2,486...2,486...2,486
4..UAE..........2,303...2,303...0
5..Norway.......2,132...2,132...2,132
6..Kuwait.......2,124...2,124...0
7..Nigeria......1,939...1,939...1,939
8..Angola.......1,878...1,878...1,878
9..Algeria......1,807...1,807...1,807
10.Iraq.........1,764...1,764...1,764
11.Venezuela....1,748...1,748...1,748
12.Libya........1,525...0.......0
13.Kazakhstan...1,299...1,299...1,299
14.Canada.......1,144...1,144...1,144
15.Qatar........1,066...1,066...0
...............======..======..======
...............37,731..28,884..23,391


http://www.eia.doe.gov/countries/index.cfm?topL=exp

[Uncle Joe]

5. Kicked and recommended for Saudi democracy.

Thanks for the thread, Viva_La_Revolution.

[phantom power]

6. oh boy... saddle up the tiger

[David__77]

7. I do wonder how this will pan out.

Most Sunni Muslims I would think are relatively pacified, if not entirely happy. The Shia are the main base for any opposition against the Saudi state, and always have been.

[freedomnorth]

8. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4764363

[robertpaulsen]

9. Saudi police open fire at protest

Source: Associated Press

CAIRO – Saudi police opened fire Thursday to disperse a protest in the mainly Shiite east, leaving at least one man injured, as the government struggled to prevent a wave of unrest sweeping the Arab world from reaching the kingdom.

The rare violence raised concern about a crackdown ahead of more planned protests after Friday prayers in different cities throughout the oil-rich kingdom. The pro-Western monarchy is concerned protests could open footholds for Shiite powerhouse Iran and has accused foreigners of stoking the protests, which are officially forbidden.

Despite the ban and a warning that security forces will act against them, protesters demanding the release of political prisoners took to the streets for a second day in the eastern city of Qatif. Several hundred protesters, some wearing face masks to avoid being identified, marched after dark asking for "Freedom for prisoners."

Police, who were lined up opposite the protesters, fired percussion bombs, followed by gunfire, causing the crowd to scatter, a witness said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of government retaliation.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110310/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_saudi_protests

[jpak]

10. $5 a gallon gas here we come

yup

[Pacifist Patriot]

11. That affordable?

[Javaman]

24. only for the rich. nt

[Pacifist Patriot]

26. I meant I think your estimate is a little on the low side.

[tridim]

13. Yep, and guess who will be blamed. nt

[No Elephants]

15. On the bright side, no one has shot me today--so far.

[robertpaulsen]

16. Minimum summer price if this continues.

From the link:

So far the demonstrations have been small and concentrated in the east among Shiites demanding the release of detainees. But activists have been emboldened by other uprisings have set up Facebook groups calling for protests in the capital, Riyadh, on Friday to demand democratic reforms. One such group garnered more than 30,000 supporters.

The spread of calls for protests, particularly outside the generally tense eastern Saudi Arabia, home to the country's Shiite minority, has prompted government officials to issue strong warnings that it will act against activists taking to the streets.

Saudi Arabia is run by Sunnis. The majority in the east are Shiites. The protests are in the east. Guess where most of the oil is?

[Strelnikov_]

30. Funny how the oil crescent also resembles the Shia crescent

Are the Shia blessed? Damned? Hard to tell when it comes to oil.

Good to see you posting.

Think even 5% of the US population has any idea of the Cat. 5 shitstorm heading their way?

[Strelnikov_]

29. Always knew you were an optimist n/t

[midnight]

12. The rich must be using the one world order suppression book.

[WolfoftheWild]

14. This is the one everybody's been waiting for.

[fasttense]

17. Gas is not cheap. Someone, somewhere is paying for the pollution

with asthma attacks, skin rashes, allergies and brain damage. The droughts and floods caused by global climate change are pay back for cheap gas. The concentration of wealth which causes dictators, tyrants, royals, civil unrest and riots are a cost of cheap gas. The costs are frequently hidden and often paid for by the weakest among us.

If we keep this up, the whole planet will pay for our cheap gas.

[woolldog]

18. Is there any news site where I can get

instant updates on what's going on in saudi arabia?

any twitter sites, or live news feeds (besides al jazeera)?

Thanks.

[robertpaulsen]

21. Sorry, I don't have any for personal recommendation.

Maybe something on this list would be good:

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=gsis&xhr=t&q=instant%20news%20updates%20Saudi%20Arabia&cp=33&qe=aW5zdGFudCBuZXdzIHVwZGF0ZXMgU2F1ZGkgQXJhYmlh&qesig=btZHLP9qeNXwySsW22QqUw&pkc=AFgZ2tnbgbfIUugLb3A2vL1q3Jph45FTdDDYUHgSSJQgsiAz9oqNb9FLYKzUWvy_SE_Jk8kgKt4yj79_g4ny5_yiyUdNyBfojQ&pq=instant%20news%20updates&pf=p&sclient=psy&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=instant+news+updates+Saudi+Arabia&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.&fp=db6c5aa236ec2f49">instant news updates Saudi Arabia

[woolldog]

23. Thank you.

I've tried googling but havent been able to find anything good, instant, constantly updating and that gives me a good overall sense of what's going on there.

This is what I use for Libya:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

Was hoping to find something like that.

[Marblehead]

19. Saudi's

have the oil rigs ready to blow on a moments notice, this was reported a few years back...

[plumbob]

20. When Scott Walker read this, he got a nice stiffie!

He only WISHES he could do this!

[AllTooEasy]

22. A Shiite revolt has no chance in Saudi Arabia. A Sunni uprising...

...is the only option to overthrow that monarchy.

[Javaman]

25. And things are about to get REALLY interesting. nt

[markpkessinger]

27. When Mubarak did this, Obama and Clinton made forceful statements. And now?

They are strangely silent.

[woolldog]

28. They used rubber bullets, not live ammo.

Also, a lot of this is being stirred up by Iran. Obama isn't going to condemn the House of Saud. They're too important a check on Iranian power in the gulf