This blog explores the contemporary political and cultural trends from a distinct perspective
New Modes of public protests
Published on January 31, 2011 By Bahu Virupaksha In Current Events

More than 150 years ago, a correspondent for the New York Times, bearded and with a penchant for purple prose wrote: A spectre is haunting Europe and it is that of Revolution. Today we can say that the spewctre of political change is haunting the Middle East and the fall of Ben Ali who rule Tunisis for nearly 25 years the imminent regime change in Egypt shows that the people of the Middle East have got tired of the keptocarcies that have been in power thanks to Western backing. The demonstrations are full of educated youth who are demannding political change and democracy. It would be a mistake to regard these changes as manifestations of al-qaeda inspired regime change. For too long the people have chaffed under brutal authoritarian regimes that have rendered thmselves irrelevant in the  cyber age.

The protestes are using twitter and facebook to rally support and this was precicely the two cyber age phenomenon that the street demonstrators used in Iran early last year. This this new and novel form of politicalmobilisation we can add yet another, the Qatar based sattilite channel, Al-Jazeera.  The authoritarian regimes have forbidden this newschannel to operate from their territories, but they cannot prevent the reception of the Arabic news coverage through sattelites channeled via the ubiquitous dish antenna. Al Jazeera has become the most powerful voice of dissent in the Middle East. Eschewing the normal farwe of news channels with celebrity talks shows and mindless entertainment, Al Jazeera has pioneered a heady cocktail of corruption, political chicanery and personal/political resentment. It does not preach radical Islam as alleged by the Western media. It ruthlessly exposes the corruption and abuse of power that has become endemic in the region. Using simple market speech, the Al Jazeera news coverage is able to reach deep into Arab society where the national news channels enjoy very little credibility.

The next regime that willtopple is Mubarak's regime in Egypt. Already the Army, the last bastion of a discredited regime is showing signs of restlessness. It is only a matter of time before that regime crumbles. The action taken by Mubarck against the Palestinians is the single most important reason for the growing resentment. The Islamic Brotherhood is co course waiting in the wings, but the resentment on the street is real and primal. The fall of the Saudi regime is the ultimate prize but the brutal Saudi monarchy has alredy begun showing signs of panic.

The news channel Al Jazeera, unlike the consensus market driven news channels is fanning the flames of political change and all power to them.


Comments
on Jan 31, 2011

Yes indeed - everything evil is the fault of the "west".  t does make it easy for the simple minded - got a problem?  be a victim, and the victimizer is the west.  Works well, but of course like all things simple minded, it does not prepare you for the future troubles, nor help you plan for the future.  But why bother planning?  just use the victim card and demand money!  Like the Ant and Grasshopper fable, you do not have to work or care for your house.  You will just use it like locusts use a virgin field.

on Jan 31, 2011

Yes indeed - everything evil is the fault of the "west

My statement was a statement of fact. The Tunisian regime was backed by the "West" and so is the regime that is tottering in Egypt. I have not blmaed anyone nor have I played the "victim" card. I have written a critique as I see it wihout fear or favor.

on Jan 31, 2011

Bahu Virupaksha

Yes indeed - everything evil is the fault of the "west
My statement was a statement of fact. The Tunisian regime was backed by the "West" and so is the regime that is tottering in Egypt. I have not blmaed anyone nor have I played the "victim" card. I have written a critique as I see it wihout fear or favor.

Your statement was NOT a statement of fact, but your OPINION.  Best to learn the difference.  Just because 2 countries have relations does not make one control the other.  But then that would not be conducive to your victimology, so I can see where it will go in one ear and out the other.

But of course being the myopic nature of your OPINIONS and your insistence on victimology, I doubt you will learn anything.  Besides being wrong, your OPINION prevents you from seeing the true causes of the upheavals and predicting or mitigating them in the future.  Much like the Obama administration which is trying to take credit and deflect blame instead of addressing the root issues.

on Feb 01, 2011

But of course being the myopic nature of your OPINIONS and your insistence on victimology, I doubt you will learn anything.

The events are unfolding even as I write. Once again I will be proved right. Hosni Mubarck will fall but that does not mean that an Age of Aquarius will dawn. It only means that the Al Jazeera inspired cocktail of public resentment and private angst will spin out of contol and Israel will have a REAL NIGHMARE AT HAND. i AM writing about an event that is careening out of control right now. I amy be wrong in my assessment but yet say that what I have writeen has a very high degree of probability.

on Feb 01, 2011

"have got tired of the keptocarcies that have been in power thanks to Western backing"


Sounds like blame to me.

A wise man once said "who's more foolish, the fool or the fool that follows?"

Personal responsibility, what a strange concept isn't it?

on Feb 01, 2011

Once again I will be proved right.

Once again? LOL, that's funny. At least you can make me laugh a bit.

on Feb 01, 2011

Once again I will be proved right. Once again? LOL, that's funny. At least you can make me laugh a bit

Good for you. I was right on Iraq, Afghanistan, on the rial of the soldiers found guilty of war crimes in Mahmoudiyya and scores of other matters. They are are on this site and I have not deleted or edited them. In my profession I cannot afford to be wrong on such matters.

on Feb 22, 2011

I had rightly predicted that the example in Tunisia will spread and now Col Gadaffi is the next Head of State to topple.

on Feb 23, 2011

Bahu Virupaksha
I had rightly predicted that the example in Tunisia will spread and now Col Gadaffi is the next Head of State to topple.

That was not the thesis of your post.  You are being disingenuous in claiming a prognostication when your thesis had nothing to do with contemporary reality.  In otherwords you are claiming credit where none is due.

I predict you will claim credit for the next despot to fall - I am the new Nostradamus for that prediction. 

on Feb 24, 2011

The action taken by Mubarak against the Palestinians is the single most important reason for the growing resentment.

Well, no. The Palestinian thing was not an issue at all. You predicted wrongly.

You are also wrong about the protests being against American-backed dictators. It just turned out that American-backed dictator leave office comparatively peacefully. Gaddafi is for all intents and purposes a dictator backed by Cuba and Venezuela (and all three dictators were backed by the Arab League).

You also overestimate the love other Arabs have for Palestinians. In reality they don't care about them. They treat Palestinians like scum. It's the west that gives them money and cries for them, not the Arabs. Arab countries regularly keep Palestinian in concentration camps, throw them out of the country or revoke their citizenship, even in Palestine (i.e. Transjordan). The Arab public has never protested because of that.

The revolts were about freedom and nothing else. They were not about "Palestine" or about the US except in as much as the most prominent leader of the Egyptian revolution is a Google employee and that the Egyptian middle-class that led the revolt is American-educated.

Mubarak has also done nothing "against the Palestinians" (who are represented by the PLO) but against Hamas. Hamas is not very popular in Egypt.

According to the latest polls, less than 20% of Egyptians support the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas while 37% support the peace treaty with Israel (22% oppose it). Those 37% for the peace treaty are likely a higher percentage than you would find among western non-antisemitic peace activists which is one reason why I prefer Egyptians (and all Arabs) over western "pacifists".

on Feb 24, 2011

Good for you. I was right on Iraq, Afghanistan, on the rial of the soldiers found guilty of war crimes in Mahmoudiyya and scores of other matters. They are are on this site and I have not deleted or edited them. In my profession I cannot afford to be wrong on such matters.

I was in Iraq and everything looked completely different from your descriptions. You were totally wrong.

Which profession is that?