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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 18-Feb-2011
18-Feb-11 News -- Bahrain's government chooses the massacre scenario

Web Log - February, 2011

18-Feb-11 News -- Bahrain's government chooses the massacre scenario

Britain may require elderly to pay for medical care

Bahrain's government chooses the massacre scenario

World officials are shocked at the violent response of the Bahrain government to peaceful protesters, including women and children, in Manama, the capital city. At dawn on Thursday, police smashed into demonstrators with guns, clubs and teargas, killing at least four people, according to Al-Jazeera.

The following video is pretty bloody, but shows what's happening:

Both Tunisia and Egypt have chosen a non-massacre scenario, and both of those governments have been overthrown. The Bahrain government decided to learn that lesson, and follow the path of Thailand and Iran.

And like both of the latter countries, Bahrain is in a generational Awakening era. This means that the riots and demonstrations will only continue, with increasing violence over a period of years.

And this puts into question of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, which is headquartered in Manama, with responsibility for the area stretching from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea and the entire Persian Gulf.

Bahrain is just a group of 33 small islands. For millennia, Bahrain has alternated between Arab rulers and Persian rulers. For almost two centuries, it's had a government of Sunni tribal leaders, although the population is 2/3 Shia.

Thus, unlike Tunisia and Egypt, Bahrain has a substantial ethnic fault line between the monarchy and the majority population. (See "14-Feb-11 News -- Reader question about the Egypt and the Muslim Brotherhood.")

Persian Gulf region. Bahrain's 33 small islands are a tiny dot in this map

Persian Gulf region. Bahrain's 33 small islands are a tiny dot in this map

This is the difference that motivated Bahrain's government to take the massacre route. Furthermore, unrest in Bahrain could easily spread to its neighbors, especially Saudi Arabia.

The Arab News reports that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers met in Manama on Thursday, and took a unified stand to counter any threat to the bloc's member countries. According to Bahrain's foreign minister, "The GCC ministerial council declared its total support to Bahrain because GCC's security and stability is indivisible."

Additional links

Britain is adopting policies that may force its elderly to pay for their own medical care. Telegraph

Thanks to a feverish recovery effort, Iran's Natanz nuclear facility has recovered more quickly than expected from the cyberattack by the Stuxnet virus. Washington Post

Because of growing xenophobia between ethnic Russians and Caucasus Muslims, and because of the recent terrorist attack on Moscow's airport, Russian policy are considering a policy of requiring mandatory fingerprinting and DNA registration of all migrants who seek work in the country. AFP

Like the US, Russian analysts are concerned about the capabilities of China's recently announced J-20 stealth fighter. But unlike the US, they're keeping quiet about their concerns, following a policy of not discussing any China threat in public. This isbased on an old Russian saying about not calling the bear out of the woods. Jamestown

According to a study by the Catholic League, the religions that gaining the most in membership are the ones that hold conservative views on abortion and gay marriage, while many of the religions that have liberal views have declined in membership. Of the major religions, the ones gaining in membership are: the Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Assemblies of God, the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Those witnessing a decline include: the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ. the United Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the American Baptist Churches U.S.A. Catholic League

In case you unexpectedly get lucky, New York City is launching a new iPhone/Android app that will tell you the nearest place giving out free condoms. Reuters

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 18-Feb-11 News -- Bahrain's government chooses the massacre scenario thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (18-Feb-2011) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 18-Feb-2011 18-Feb-11 News -- Bahrain's government chooses the massacre scenario

Bahrain's government chooses the massacre scenario

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 18-Feb-2011
18-Feb-11 News -- Bahrain's government chooses the massacre scenario