Toby Jones: Oil Wealth, U.S. Backing Enables Saudi Arabia to Crush Dissent in Bahrain and at Home

DemocracyNow.org -
Saudi Arabia—the oil rich kingdom that is the birthplace and former home of Osama bin Laden—
has staved off the widespread popular protests that have swept across the region since January. The country's oil-rich Eastern Province, bordering Bahrain, has witnessed protests from the minority Shia Muslim population. In March, Saudi Arabia sent troops to Bahrain to support its royal family after a month of protests. Democracy Now! interviews Toby Jones, author of the book, "Desert Kingdom: How Oil and Water Forged Modern Saudi Arabia," on the role of Saudi Arabia in suppressing the Bahrain uprising, as well as its own. "We should not assume there is a lack of interest on the part of Saudi citizens in achieving some sort of democratic or political reform. There is deep frustration in Saudi society," says Jones.

Democracy Now!'s Complete Coverage of Popular Uprisings Across the Middle East and North Africa
http://www.democracynow.org/tags/rolling_rebellions

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• amy goodman
• democracy now
• juan gonzalez
• toby jones
• oil wealth
• us
• saudi arabia
• bahrain
• desert kingdom

[z3usamm0n]

@vk732 you have nothing to say and you stopped then you got to my side ! all what I have written is my opinion about this author and his thoughts ! if this is the way that your knowledge know about freedom of speech ! then thanks I got enough !

[vk732]

@z3usamm0n By the way you type without regard to correct language skills, to the idiotic notions you hold: I have no further interest in responding to an idiot. And I highly doubt your university educated, because if you were, the institution you study must be terrible. Have a nice life. Any future replies will be ignored, to protect my sanity from your stupidity.

[z3usamm0n]

@vk732 I didn't say " HE IS LOOKING FOR MONEY " I said US which is United States of America ! mostly I see in front of me how is my country grown by SA government ! I don't care about this prof spending his live in grass to publish a book talkes about my country in ways even he ignored ! well, if you are the university, in which I'm studying then you get the chance to say I'm not well educated ! Sorry but still there is a big gap between us in our visions of this case ! never to be ended !

[vk732]

@z3usamm0n So your saying he spent over 12 years of his life, studying a country just to make money...? As a fellow political scientist , I would caution you against accepting such mild ideas with based facts. Like I said before, read up on the man before you try and tear him down. As to your conclusions on Saudi Arabia being used for academic gain, I think such points are childish... grow up. You dont seem to be educated when you post comments on YT like that.

[z3usamm0n]

@vk732 I'm studying Political science, and I have found that any one wants to be famous in this world using Saudi Arabia in his /her speeches ! to be honest, its not because Saudi Arabia, its all about money and benefits in both sides ! once SA dosen't want to work with US, you will find there are extreme waves against SA in US's media !

[vk732]

@z3usamm0n Second, read his book. HE probably knows way more about issues in your homeland than you do. Dont get offended, get educated!

[vk732]

@z3usamm0n First, before you spout any more ignorance, do some research. This "guy" started off as a PhD from Stanford University, he then traveled and lived in Cairo Egypt writing on political dimensions in the country. This "guy" then received a Mellon Fellowship and traveled with Princeton researchers to study and live in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and UAE for over 3 years. This "guy" then became a professor at Rutgers Univ. and traveled on multiple occasions to Saudi Arabia for research.

[z3usamm0n]

@105Mittens well, what do you think of talking about people or country that you have ever been in ? I guess for me I would say he is taking news from some news papers and then build his book as non-mistake one which is really misunderstanding more than its mistake ! in Saudi, as Saudi, I'm proud of my country for several reasons one of them is our movement takes stages in the global agendas ! I don't need freedom of speech once I have normal life !

[TheCyberE]

Yes, Iran did and have been making communications with these countries - OR that is what Iran wants ppl to believe. Read the Egypt newspapers. I hope this guy has more in his book, then what he talked about here.

[TheCyberE]

He didn't do his homework, unless it's in his book. He is doing the "popular" opinion on the show - in truth, Saudi is the center of oil and big deal in OPEC - which also supplies Asia, etc. So - it isn't Just the US, it is other countries pressuring US not to do much about the human rights because of the oil resource. No one wants to piss him off too much. Once other countries make good solid ground, if Saudi, Bahrain and other countries can more effectively gain some ground.