Thousands protest in Jordan for political, economic reforms
CNN) -- Islamists, leftists and union members marched Friday in downtown Amman, demanding more significant economic and political reforms to help struggling citizens.
About 3,000 people gathered in the Jordanian capital for the event, according to national police spokesman Lt. Col. Mohammad Al Khateeb. Half of those demonstrated, while the remainder walked alongside or watched from the sidelines.
Al Khateeb said there were protests in six other cities on Friday, with crowd estimates totaling 2,200.
The demonstrations in Amman were the third in as many Fridays, with protesters gathering in front of the Al Husseini Mosque to decry government policies they blame for rising prices, low wages and unemployment.
There were also calls for Prime Minister Samir Rifai, who took office in December 2009, to step down, and for the dissolution of parliament.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/01/28/jordan.protests/Yemen
Behind the unrest in Yemen
The people of Yemen have joined the protests in the Middle East and Africa against long-running regimes.
The unrest in Yemen – the poorest country in the Arab world – would not be as significant on its own. Within the context of uprisings in nearby countries such as Egypt and Tunisia, however, it takes on a new meaning, said Asef Bayat, professor of sociology and Middle Easter Studies at the University of Illinois.
"The demonstrations in Egypt and Tunisia has caused a 'demonstration effect,'" says Bayat.
Half of Yemen’s population is illiterate, so if the young and educated spread their message against President Ali-Abdullah Saleh’s 32-year reign to tribal leaders, a groundswell of tribes may join in.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/28/behind-the-unrest-in-yemen/?iref=allsearchIf Egypt falls, Syria must follow
By Farid Ghadry, a Syrian-American who co-founded the Reform Party of Syria (RPS) dedicated to freedom and human rights in his native country, blogs at ghadry.com. The opinions expressed are his own.
When watching the riots in Tunisia and Egypt, the question on everyone’s mind is, what outcome will these organic and popular uprisings will produce?
The world may be witnessing a new dawn in the Middle East fostered by enlightenment or a new Egyptian government trailing behind Syria as the latest conquest the Mullahs of Iran can claim is the result of their wise policies.
With Hezbollah’s latest dismantlement of a Lebanese government, aided by the complicity of the Assad regime and an Egypt whose future remains uncertain, it is essential for US and European policy makers to view Syria as a clear and present danger rather than the country stabilizing the region. No matter what happens, Egypt is a changed country. If it falls in the “L” column, Syria and Iran will play an essential role in supplying Egypt, as they did to Hezbollah, with the necessary tools to destabilize North Africa. This outcome will place a heavy military burden on Israel, the result of which may engulf the region with intermittent wars for many years to come.
http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2011/01/28/if-egypt-falls-syria-must-follow/Please respect FT.com's ts&cs and copyright policy which allow you to: share links; copy content for personal use; & redistribute limited extracts. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights or use this link to reference the article -
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2bfc75cc-2b1f-11e0-a65f-00144feab49a.html#ixzz1CORfbueSLebanese government still in flux
By Abigail Fielding-Smith in Beirut
Published: January 29 2011 02:56 | Last updated: January 29 2011 02:56
Lebanon’s prime minister-designate, Najib Mikati, ended two days of consultations on forming a government on Friday amid international concern at the shape and policies of the new administration.
Hizbollah, the Shia militant group, triggered the downfall of the western-backed prime minister, Saad Hariri, this month and supported Mr Mikati’s candidacy. The US says that if Lebanon’s government were dominated by Hizbollah, aid to the nation could be jeopardised.
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Hizbollah sees political gains in Lebanon - Jan-27
Both Hizbollah and its ally Syria have urged Mr Mikati to include Mr Hariri, whose supporters staged violent protests this week. But discussions with Mr Hariri’s alliance have so far yielded no result, although Lebanon’s constitution sets no deadline on the process. There have been suggestions that Mr Mikati will form a government of technocrats instead.
One of Mr Hariri’s conditions for joining Mr Mikati’s government is that it continue co-operating with an international tribunal into the murder of his father, Rafiq Hariri, who was the de facto leader of Lebanon’s Sunni community. His killing in 2005 sent shockwaves through the country. The UN-backed court is expected to indict members of Hizbollah for the crime in the coming weeks.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2bfc75cc-2b1f-11e0-a65f-00144feab49a.html#axzz1CORdIXgdThat is the big picture. It is not limited to Egypt... and in fact it is kind of spreading. Each country has it's own reasons... but it is.
Algeria is also tottering... Tunis is gone... so we have a regional revolution in the area.
My guess is that yes, Saudi will also face a few challenges.
So this is the big picture.
Maps...
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