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The show must go on.Over 60 people killed by he regime in Bahrain.Villages attacked by police and militairy.One thing, the people fighting for some form of democracy are receiving publicity.Strange fellow Ecclestone. I get the inpression he couldn't care less.
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Couldn't care more about money - couldn't care less about about anything else. Mind you - he has form; he's happy with having a GP in China which isn't exactly a shining light on human rights. I hope there is no trouble but I think there might be
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seems to me to be badly thought out. It was pretty clear it would happen again this year little had changed in the country. They had to have known that so why they wanted to come back until the political situation was sorted i don't know. He is a strange fellow indeed.
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Bahraini politics is nowt to do with us.
Having said that, simple safety considerations should be the deciding factor.
Bernie is an odious little creep, with the morals of a market trader dealing in dodgy goods.
Last edited by: Roger on Sat 21 Apr 12 at 08:28
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I think that if Bahraini politics is suppressing their population's rights of free speech and public gatherings it is to do with us and we should not be appearing to endorse the regime by sending a multi million $ media and sporting event to take place there.
The Times has a hard hitting carton today. It shows a dwarfish mop-headed driver in a F1 car, in the background is a pile of dead bodies with a hose pipe coming out of it and the nozzle is being held by a man Arab clothing refueling the car with with blood. Harsh but true!
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It has something to do with us Roger.Agree about China regarding human rights there is none.
Berny is eighty one he looked confused to me.Iam not attacking his age he is sharp.It's also up to the teams to make a stand.All about the money.
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Does what happens in Bahrain affect the UK?
Yes - Interfere
No - Stay out of it.
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>> Strange fellow Ecclestone. I get the inpression he couldn't care less.
One person can't solve all the world's problems. Life for the rest of us has to continue.
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Of course it has Roger - The UK is a former colonial power there, we had major influences on their borders, we still have trade and defence ties with it, and there is a large UK ex-pat population there - other than that of course its none of our business.
Eccleston comes across as either and odious little creep or a hard nosed businessman. I don't like him.
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Today's front page Matt cartoon: pure bliss.
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I have given up the DT but miss Matt. Could you give us a short word picture and share the joy?
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I wonder how much of our petrol and oil comes from Bahrain.
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Thanks esc! The usual way beyond brilliant cartoon. He has worked for the Telegraph since 1988 and it is rumoured that he turned down and 6 figure pay rise to go to another paper, and declined as he is happy where he is.
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On the other hand, how many people in this country - or indeed the rest of the world - were aware of how serious the situation in Bahrain was before the controversy about the GP?
In the long term staging the race may be of benefit to the people of that country, whatever you think of Bernie or his motives.
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It has been going on since the general Arab uprising that got the rid the headmen of Tunisia and Egypt so I guess it is known to anyone who reads a newspaper or watches TV news from time to time.
Staging a GP isn't going to change the minds of a feudal family dynasty who are still living in the first half of the last century and running their country as it was there too.
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It's been in the news, but not in the public conciousness. Everybody knows about the unrest in the Arab countries, but I suspect few have taken much interest in the situation in individual states, me for one.
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What does surprise in such a small population in Bahran that the wealth is not shared.The amount of money these leaders make must be off the charts.Shame on them.
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They have powerful strategic allies Dutchie, The US Navy 5th fleet is in their waters armed with 430 Tomahawk missiles ready to take out Iran’s air-defense system in its entirety and turn its military airfields into rubble.
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>> It's been in the news, but not in the public conciousness. Everybody knows about the
>> unrest in the Arab countries, but I suspect few have taken much interest in the
>> situation in individual states, me for one.
Till Now. This has really backfired on the rulers. They had managed to keep it mostly out of the news, and had they cancelled the GP months ago, thats where it would remain. But now? Headline grabbing stuff.
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Don't forget that the F1 rules say that if a race is cancelled two years in a row the venue is dropped from the calender. The Rulers of Bahrain have a lot to loose financially if this race does not happen and will go to any lengths to make sure it is run.
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In all the excitement and agitation, people easily lose sight of the real nature of the Bahaini regime which, like those of Tunisia and Egypt, is not actually a brutal and backward tyranny but a relatively benign despotism given, one has to add, 'the region's general standards'.
No, I wouldn't like to be a poor Shi'ite farmer in some godforsaken desert village in Bahrain. But there are much worse things to be elsewhere in the Middle East, and regimes, most still in place, far more bloodstained and violent than the Bahraini royals.
Perhaps 'the region's general standards' are the real problem for the agitators. Alas, they are almost to a man imbued with those standards themselves. Look at revolutionary Egypt and revolutionary Libya. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose... people don't have much of a clue what democracy entails, and moreover hardly any of them want it.
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I don't see Bahrain as close to benign and the only other truly "Gulf State" that has had any dissent (SFAIK) is a few small disturbances in Oman, and I am not sure about any activity in Saudi Arabia. The constituent Emirates are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain I have heard of no disturbances in any of these, nor in Qatar which is not a member state.
If the Bahrainis don't want democracy, in the medium to long term, what are they marching and protesting about? I know some of it is stop the F1 race but it isn't all.
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In the Telegraph today t.co/QAx7Okx4, an expat with experience of 35 years of life in Bahrain,has commented:
"expatinbahrain Today 08:52 AM
I am not a big fan of F1 and have never gone to see it in the last several years that it has been held in Bahrain, although my children have religiously attended all of them,I who have been an expat living in this wonderful country from the last 35 years can sfetly vouch that all that negative press that the kingdom is getting pertaing to human rights abuse is utter hogwash. The majority of the population is sick and tired of the being held at ransom by these molotov throwing manaics, for whom this has become a weekend activity. The terrorize the local and expat population who live close to their villages , with tyre-burnings and illegal protests. Nowhere in the world would the Govt. allow the protestors to subdue the right of the peace loving majority, however here they are allowed in the name of human right to do so. Look what happens in the Western World when(UK ,France,USA) when the try some thing similiar.The are brought to book and tried and punished accordingly, while here they go scot free because the same Western Countries pressure the Middle East to allow them to protest peacefully. Well killing, maiming the Asian expats and the Police force is not exactly peaceful and then again a peaceful protestor would not cover his face with a balacalava and have a molotov in his hand. These protestors mostly belong to the poor villages and do little to uplift their lives, inspite of the Govt. providing free health services, education,housing and a tax free haven to citizena and expats alike. These younsters have been led astray by the diatribes of the turban-clad mullahs, whos do so at the behest of the Iranian Govt.(Shias) The Iranian govt. which considers Bahrain to be their 14th State, want a foot old in the Arab world( mostly Sunnis) by inciting,financing and training the local youth of Bahrain to riot and disrupt the country all in the name of human rights, are infact wanting to jump on the bandwagon of the Arab Spring that took place in Tunisia,Egypt and Libya. Well the ground realities are different in Bahrain, which is one of the most democratic countries in the region, besides being one of the safest in the world. After reading these yellow journalstic articles and seeing the lop-sided views portrayed in BBC,CNN,Press TV, even I would believe this drivel if I had'nt witnessed it 1st hand in this wondeful country. Readers beware, there is always another side to the story. Please do not blindly believe all that the Khawajahs,Mushaimas,Rajabs and the Shehabis spew to tarnish the image of Bahrain in the world areana. Introspect before you trow the first stone. "
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That is long story John H.Nobody believes anything blindly but do we get all the facts from mainstream news.Of course there is a other side to any story nothing is black and white.But when doctors who are treating people whith injuries are put in prison one wonders.The country is super rich so no excuse for poverty.Something isn't right when people are prepared to get killed from the poor villages John.
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A catalyst seems to be deep antagonism between Sunni and Shia Muslims, same throughout Islam it seems. Same as we used to have, and seems on the way back, between Catholics and Protestants in NI.
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>> same throughout Islam it seems. Same as we used to have, and seems on the way back, between Catholics and Protestants in NI.
There's a sort of analogy but it isn't a close one. The schism in Islam dates from the first fifty years after the death of the Prophet. Sunna means tradition and Shi'a means cult. The schism is exacerbated by the assassination of the fourth caliph Ali, the Prophet's close relation and favoured successor, and of his son Hussein a few years later (In Kufa and Kerbela in present-day Iraq) in the mid-7th century AD. Sunnis are the majority in Islam but there are several majority-Shi'a countries of which Iran and Iraq are the biggest. Iran of course is not an Arab country and that makes a difference.
Needless to say most Muslims couldn't care less about the schism and don't care much for an excess of religion either. But there are beardies and slimy politicians more than willing to stir up lethal trouble for short-term gains. In Bahrain the demands are really for political representation for the Shi'a majority, government and rule being monopolized by a Sunni royal dynasty. But the schism sort of supercharges the feelings involved when push comes to shove. It only takes a couple of dead demonstrators - and they sometimes get killed even in the West, I would remind people - to whip up a huge, miserablist rage.
There is a very large red 'WE WUZ ROBBED!' button on the dashboard of the Muslim psyche. Press the button, smell some teargas, mourn a martyr or two and off you go. There's a bandwagon effect going on in the Middle East right now.
I don't entirely buy the expat's blog quoted above. Highly paid commercial travellers always talk like that (or slander a place with equal lavishness). But in my judgement - I claim no specific expertise - the demos have been whipped up and most of the demonstrators haven't a clue what they want, except regime change.
And what then? They might end up with a bloodsucking idiot of a backward Imam.
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>> There is a very large red 'WE WUZ ROBBED!' button on the dashboard of the Muslim psyche.
I am given to understand by someone I regard as a partial authority on these matters that there is something objectionable about the above sentence. I believe the meaning isn't the real problem but the choice of words is a bit disrespectful. So if anyone here thinks the same, sorry.
The same source endorses my explanation of the schism in Islam, but is openly disgusted by the pro-regime boxwallah's encomium quoted above.
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>> I don't entirely buy the expat's blog quoted above. >>
He wasn't the only to comment.
read all the others - corrected link: t.co/QAx7Okx4
expatinbahrain
Today 08:28 AM
@Mike 11"I do not understand this. How can expatinbahrain be giving an accurate picture of what is going on when Aljazeera presents a somewhat different picture? Are doctors being punished for treating protestors or are they not? Is Medecine sans Fronteir lying? I should like to know if these people are lying or not - expatinbahrain may wish to tell me?"Aljazeera along with other media wants to sensationalise the human rights issue. The Salmanaiya Hospital ( Govt. Hospital) where locals get free health services) was taken over by the protestors and their sympathizing mediacl staff ( Shias) and Asian Expats and Sunnis were not treated while the Hospital was under occupation. The medical staff also allowed their brethtren to hoard arms,money and other illegal stuff which were provided by Iran, hold Asian hostages at the facility , while stealing medical supply to give to the protestors. These Medical Staff are hired by the Govt. and when their deeds were discovered and the Hospital was freed from these terrorists , ofcourse they were held accountable for their as would any terrorist in other parts of the world would be. These people are running a propoganda war, regularly feeding the media what it wants with false reports and pictures. They attack the unarmed Police ( who only have tear gas, a wooden staff and a shield ) to protest themselves, while are daily bombarded with molotov coctails by the so called" peaceful protestors". @ Aspraso : Syria is another ball game, which you cannot even began to contemplate , while sitting in front of your TV and channel surfing. There the Shia Govt. is supported by the same Iranain Regime which supports the Shia riotors in Bahrain. Double standards!tiger1421 The Rajab and Khawajah cohorts connivingly desseminate false information,photographs and videos to the outside world. Believe what you want/must but the fact remains that the media and people who readily lap up this BS served day in day out by the protestors are truly their lawful prey.
Also, see the comments here:
Hamilton vs Miliband-wagon
www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/7796788/lewis-hamilton-vs-ed-miliband.thtml
Last edited by: John H on Sun 22 Apr 12 at 18:47
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>> Something isn't right when people are prepared to get killed from the poor villages John.
>>
Where were all the objections to the race in China? The Labour Miliband-wagon was strangely quiet on that..
Youtube, Twitter, Facebook are all censored. Demonstrations not allowed. Jail and torture for dissidents without trial. Occupation of Tibet. Religion not allowed.
You can turn up at Bahrain airport and get a visa on the spot. Try that with China.
Don't forget the human rights abuses of Quatada and Hamsa and other "terrorist" Al-Quaida and IRA prisoners in the UK; Rendition of Libyans by CIA with UK government approval; jailing of rioters who looted and burned London a few months ago; .... etc. etc.
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I should have added:
A major, if not the greatest, human rights issue in China is the denial of the right to decide for yourself how many children you want to have. The state tells you you cannot have more than one.
Also, Bahrain has a democratically elected "parliament" and is a Monarchy.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Bahrain
Bahrain allows peaceful protests on routes that are agreed with the Police in advance.
No different to Britain then.
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>> In the Telegraph today t.co/QAx7Okx4, an expat with experience of 35 years of life in
>> Bahrain,has commented:
It appears to me to be written by a typically privileged ex pat who has no skin in the local game except his tax free status, the local British club, and his next rubber at the bridge party.
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...It appears to me to be written by a typically privileged ex pat who has no skin in the local game except his tax free status, the local British club, and his next rubber at the bridge party...
Yeah, bloke's only lived there for 35 years, what would he know?
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>> ...It appears to me to be written by a typically privileged ex pat who has
>> no skin in the local game except his tax free status, the local British club,
>> and his next rubber at the bridge party...
>>
>> Yeah, bloke's only lived there for 35 years, what would he know?
His status quo being screwed up, thats what he knows. And I don't mean on his iPod.
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...His status quo being screwed up...
Down Down or Caroline for me.
For a moment there, I'd almost summoned up a modicum of interest in a foreign affairs story - thanks for putting me straight.
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Once Bernie makes up his mind nothing will stop him.Don't mess with a ex second hand car dealer.>;)
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When you've got it, flaunt it! tinyurl.com/clynbd9
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Berny Ecclelstone says the show must go on. - Meldrew
