The New York Times reports that Arab rulers seem to be backpedaling again on the issues of Democracy and human rights. In Egypt, local elections have been postponed so that a way can be devised to dilute the power of the Moslem Brotherhood. In Bahrain, elections have been put off in order to devise ways to dilute the Shi'a vote (about 70%). Bahrain's ruler had already established a new legislative system where half the members are appointed by the ruler.
Most likely political noises in the United States about withdrawal from Eye-raq have made them feel complacent again about the need for voting rights, democracy, power- sharing etc.
(P.N. : A leading Arab bureaucrat once commented to me, in a previous life at another time, about noisy demands in some Asian country for democracy "Their bellies must be full, otherwise they would not have the time or the energy for this nonsense!")
In Saudi Arabia, it seems that the whole question of human rights and openness now evolves around the issue of women being able to drive, cars that is. Before some women in the US get overly excited....this is to drive a car, not to choose or vote. I expect that at some point the top clergy will do the bidding of the royals and proclaim that it is OK for women to drive. Which is a step on a longgggg road. Then Saudi men will be happy because they would not have to pay and house an Asian foreign driver who claims to be Moslem when everybody knows otherwise. And they would be so ecstatic about the savings that they would forget about minor issues like justice, financial accountability, and the right of everybody to vote.
The repersussions of President Mubarak's comments about the loyalties of the Shi'as have spread, especially in Iraq, the Persian Gulf states, and Lebanon. The Prime Minister of Kuwait Shaikh N. Mohammed A. Al-Sabah claimed that Mubarak's statement did not refer to Kuwait and its 30%+ Shi'as at all. Come again?? Êtes-vous sûre, M. le Premier Ministre? (Perhaps Mubarak was referring to every other country but Kuwait?)
Iran's President AhamadiNejad announced that his country has enriched low grade uranium and thus is eligible for the 'Nuclear Club'. That is very re-assuring by the president who might believe that 'The End Is Near'. Just the kind of development the Middle East needed right now. Oy vey.
The stalemate in Iraq continues....
Cheers
Mohammed
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