Why Middle East Violence?

[Coldicote]

Middle-east countries seem to be following one another into violent uprisings - Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen. It's easy to lose track of underlying causes. What grievances do they have and isn't it to be expected that governments will try to subdue uprisings? I wish the media would be more specific about what it is that people are rebelling against. What do you understand to be the reasons - is it repression, lack of democracy or what?

[VHG]

I think a little research would answer your questions.

Gaddafi (see his Wikipedia entry) has been in charge of Libya since a military coup in 1969.

He was not elected at that time, and has not put himself up for election since.

He has ruled with oppression, terrorism and an "iron fist".

So I think the people of his country have a right to protest.

Think back to when we in the UK had Kings and Queens who had total power.

We had our fair share of wars and uprisings and killings, and even had a major civil war, before the role of the royal family and government was sorted out.

The people in those countries just want the same rights.

[Zeuhl]

These countries are still in a post-colonial phase - many have borders contrived by the ex colonial powers with little correlation to ethnic divisions.

they are societies grown from tribal and paternalistic forms of government with no track record of democracy.

Rulers have been assisted in retention of power by alliances with external powers interested in oil and strategic positioning.
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[Coldicote]

Many thanks for your answers. I think it is important that we understand the background to these problems which isn't always made clear. Perhaps readers who have been to these countriesn can tell us more of what life was like there.

[rov1100]

The word 'Freedom' keeps cropping up amongst the rioters. That was why we deposed Saddam Hussain. How ironical that riots are now taking place on the streets in Iraq.

So 1,000,000 dead and their future in doubt. Must be lessons learned in the use of foreign policy.

[danchip]

there are numerous underlying causes which started the unrest but many including Mubarek and Gadaffi believe that it has been Al Qaeda who started it off!

This is a very plausible theory as the Brotherhood of Islam are looking to become more powerful in muslim countries throughout northern Africa and as Mubarek stated his government was the only thing stopping them taking over! The same applies for Gaddaffi's leadership because they do/ did not allow elections the only way they could be ousted was by military force, if this was to hapen then western non muslim countries would have seen what was happening and helped out the existing government to stay in control. T

The only other option was to get the people of the respective countries to oust the government wait till the elections and deploy the big bully tactics and take over thus providing yet another safe haven for terrorists, cut links between these countries and western countries and also use the proceeds of rich oil reserves and other resources to finance terrorism!