my words , our 5th fleet is stationed in Bahrain. i think thats the county the soldiers took there time off during the gulf war, ppl told me its like a different world on barain. more like the west. not as strict on arab rules.. this is just the beginning. it all depends on how radical the arabs that take control of these counties are.. this was on AOL welcome screen.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/18/pro-democracy-rallies-heat-up-across-arab-world/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C202163

Funeral Processions Mix With Violence in the Arab WorldFeb 18, 2011 – 1:44 PM

Violence mixed with funeral processions and anti-government demonstrations today, with more deaths reported in Bahrain, Libya and Yemen.

Tens of thousands of defiant demonstrators swarmed main streets and squares in North Africa and the Middle East, as calls for change sweep the region on the heels of popular revolts in Tunisia and Egypt.

In Bahrain, at least four people were killed when protesters clashed with security forces near the capital's Pearl Square, CNN reported, citing witnesses. The Associated Press reported that at least 50 people were injured after soldiers opened fire on protesters and that some of the victims were being treated for gunshot wounds at the main hospital. The U.S. Embassy was put on lockdown due to the protests, The State Department said.

At least one helicopter opened fire on the fleeing protesters and then at a Western reporter, The New York Times said.

In Yemen, witnesses say that a grenade was thrown at anti-government protesters, BBC News reported.

Today is the first day of the weekend across most of the Muslim world, and pro-democracy rallies are the culmination of a week or more of similar protests in Bahrain, Yemen, Libya and Jordan. As faithful file out of mosques after Friday prayers, they're joining forces with marchers demanding more freedoms.

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Shiite cleric Sheik Isa Qassim spoke of Thursday's violence at prayers today, referring to the security forces' crackdown in the capital Manama as a "massacre" that aimed to quash free speech.

"The people were lying down peacefully, spending a calm night at the Pearl Roundabout under an open sky. Men, women, children and babies, all have been brutally attacked in a way to prevent escape and to inflict maximum suffering," the sheik said, according to CNN.

"This massacre makes it clear that the government in Bahrain is the most brutal among the governments of the Arab world," he added.

In Egypt, a huge mass of people gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square, where an 18-day standoff led to President Hosni Mubarak's ouster one week ago today. The mood today was festive, celebrating victory and also vowing to hold Egypt's new military rulers to their promises of reform. The Guardian reported that about 1 million people had massed in the square today.

But the mood was more somber in Bahrain and Libya, where mourners are burying dozens killed in violent crackdowns by government forces. Early today, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi joined the crowds in the capital Tripoli but did not speak publicly, Reuters reported.

Twenty-four people have died in Libya during the protests, BBC News reported, citing human rights activists.

In Bahrain, protesters first took to the streets last weekend calling for better opportunities for the country's majority Shiite Muslims, who've long been ruled by a Sunni Muslim monarch. But after violent crackdowns, they've increased their demands, calling now for a toppling of the country's ruling family.

Crown Prince Sheik Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa appeared on national TV and promised dialogue with the protesters, but only once calm had returned, the BBC said.

The prince, who is also deputy chief of the army, called on all protesters to withdraw from the streets.

Yemen's own uprising showed no signs of abating in its eighth day today, as pro-democracy protesters continued their calls for President Ali Abdullah Saleh's ouster after 32 years in power. Protesters set fire to a government building, and a demonstrator was shot dead overnight, The Associated Press reported. Social media dubbed today the "Friday of Rage," and tens of thousands demonstrated, with some marching on Saleh's presidential palace.

"We have been living for 30 years without purpose or hope," a preacher told the crowd at a university mosque in the capital Sanaa, according to AP. Saleh has promised not to extend his current term when it ends in 2013, but protesters say they want reform before then.

In Jordan, protesters are calling for more public freedoms and lower food prices on the seventh straight day of demonstrations. The kingdom's rallies have been more peaceful than those in neighboring countries, with demonstrators demanding more rights but not the toppling of their largely popular king.

I am more interested in what is happening in our country, The protest against repugs on claiming to cut benefits,pay and many different things,in Wisconsin,this is the back bones of our country, our teachers,fireman,policemen~etc. the repug governors in several states are trying to do this!! good for he protesters i join them in spirit and bodily if I could!

We need to tend to our on backyard!

gypsy wrote:I am more interested in what is happening in our country, The protest against repugs on claiming to cut benefits,pay and many different things,in Wisconsin,this is the back bones of our country, our teachers,fireman,policemen~etc. the repug governors in several states are trying to do this!! good for he protesters i join them in spirit and bodily if I could!

We need to tend to our on backyard!

well i agree, but a person can do more than one thing, but what happens in the middle east will effect this country,, it depends on how the events play out, this in the middle east is a big thing,
as for our budget, this is a really hard thing, real hard, we have to get the debt down, and lower spending, some ppl quote money we spend but the vast amounts is in medicare and social sec, the answers to the budget is tough, and there is no way the debt will be solved without pain, but it needs to be spread around, i dont know details, i have not read on it, but we have been through this alot, Bill Clinton and congress shut the gov. down, to a point. bill came out of that one smelling like a rose,

Bill Clinton in my opinion was one of the greatest presidents we ever had despite the negative sexual things he faced/did. The reality is he is a very intelligent man and was on the right track. Politically he was strictly business. I think he knows more than people give him credit for. Just a simple opinion based on nothing..lol I just liked his speeches I guess. I liked he wanted to revamp healhcare too, but of course that was shot down. Just like Obama's will be. People in power won't have it.

oh you took the words out of my mouth,, i loved and still love to hear him talk, he could have done more the last couple years if he had used better judgment sexually. but he was smart, i hate to see him growing older, he came from nothing in arkansas, and became a Rhodes scholar, he to me was the smartest president we have had, just had a weakness with Monica, which hurt the nation, and on healthcare hillary was kinda in charge of healthcare and back then was not popular and did things behind closed door, i wish he had handled that different, but it probably would not have passed anyway, i dont understand why ppl are so afraid of gov. insurance.

I agree Tyler on Bill Clinton, is was the greatest prez so far, I said that many years ago.

my Beef is the Repugs are not doing this for money reasons or to cut the deficit, Gov Walker gave 115 million dollars tax breaks for the rich/and big insurance in his state,when he first stepped into office
This ploy to attack unions, is to fight Obama and his reelection,Obamas biggest votes came from the working class and the union based civil servants~ they are trying to do away with unions,the union placed a negotiation-plan to gov walker the smug sob rejected it. it is to control the people who run this country and make it work, our working middle class, they the pugs want to take over everything~

as far as what Egypt does, it won't affect us in the least, it is more fear mongering from the likes of beck and fox,pugs..we all need to protest oil gouging insurance all controlled by the koch bros,and the pugs~

Be sure Watch, Monday night Presidents day,he wasn't just president of the US, but the documentary of Bill Clinton ,now considered President of the World~

What is happening in our country,is far more important than what is happening in Egypt/Arab countries

http://mn2020hindsight.org/view/remember-who-helped-build-u.s.-middle-class

Remember Who Helped Build U.S. Middle Class

By Lee Egerstrom, Economic Development Fellow, February 18, 2011 at 8:00 am

What ultimately happens in Madison, Wisconsin could have a huge impact on the strength of Minnesota’s middle-class, and all workers’ ability to bargain for better wages and benefits.

Just a quick background, Wisconsin’s last few days of mass Capitol protests are a result of conservatives trying to pass anti-union legislation that would end collective bargaining rights for most public employees.

For most of the post-World War II era, the collective bargaining agreements between the major manufacturers, most commonly the automakers, and unions, mainly the United Auto Workers, effectively defined the middle class. Wages and salaries for everyone else typically adjusted upward and downward from these bargained agreements, depending on region and skill level.

Changes in U.S. manufacturing, which in some cases require more highly skilled and college educated workers, led to changes in traditional manufacturing jobs and salary structure, which redefined the role of many manufacturing unions. There are a host of other complicated factors at play that caused this too.

In the meantime, service sector unions have been rising in prominence when it comes to bargaining for fair wages and benefits on behalf of middle-class workers. Public-sector unions represent a large portion of service sector workers.

Conservatives, wanting to shrink government, have launched a direct attack on public employees, which include police, firefighters and teachers. They’ve oversimplified their narrative, equating less union power to less government spending. Essentially, conservatives want to devalue middle-class workers’ worth in an effort to keep taxes low for the wealthy.

While Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s draconian proposals have captured much media attention, there is a conservative effort to attack unions nationwide. Minnesota conservatives have introduced several pieces of legislation seeking to limit worker protections and salaries.

Union and non-union workers should pay close attention to these events. When agreements to bargain for salary, benefits and job-protections are broken it hurts all middle-class Minnesotans.

For those at the top or those with business interests, this would be a good time to break ranks and stand up for your own best interests. It’s not low taxes. Weakening the middle class in a nation that depends on household consumption of goods and services for 70 percent of GDP is a call for more recession. Or worse.

*

me and millions have paid attention for decades, unions are slowly disappearing, where i worked till 2000 for 20 years closed the union plants they had but kept the non union ones,

well i started the topic, and it was the middle east, and what happens there will effect our economy and slow it down if oil prices rise and may strengthen the radical, that are pro terrorist, i dont watch fox, so dont blame them , this is plain common sense my thoughts i first posted when they took to the streets,, that it could happen, but im done on it, it spread to other middle east countrys faster than i thought.. im just saying it could effect us in a dangerous way, it depends on who is in control when the dust settles,or sand, lol,,, im done take care

yes and look at us now.we need negotiators for our workers, some who lay their life on the line everyday
I just finished a day on grand jury,58 indites we had to hear,and judge to send to court,it wakes one up on how the system works,and as i get to state things i told the lawyer in charge handling the judgments our system is broke..we have to have unions and organizers,regulation if we don't then we live like we did in the 8 years bush-shrub cheney grub worm ruled!! Not ever again i hope!! but that is what the pigs(pug) want to do!

rosco 357 wrote:well i started the topic, and it was the middle east, and what happens there will effect our economy and slow it down if oil prices rise and may strengthen the radical, that are pro terrorist, i dont watch fox, so dont blame them , this is plain common sense my thoughts i first posted when they took to the streets,, that it could happen, but im done on it, it spread to other middle east countrys faster than i thought.. im just saying it could effect us in a dangerous way, it depends on who is in control when the dust settles,or sand, lol,,, im done take care

I disagree,we worry about America, and what is happening here.not some coo foreign deity~your post had nothing to do with common sense,it was a fear.what happens here is what we have to deal with and build/control~when we get our ducks in a row, it send a message loud and clear to other countries we are in control not the conflict/fear the pugs disperse!

we do not live in a vacuum. events in parts of the world can effect us just as much as events here, ok , china is taking away more jobs than politicians , ur topic is valid, but needs to have a topic to itself and not overide my point i was making,i'm not coming back to this topic to read.. take care

Rosco, if you do nor watch news,read, but go on what someone tells you,then beg to differ, you live in vacuum

this Egypt Arab uprising will play out to whatever, we have no business getting involved.
when we take care of our problems it shows the world that we are in control,that is not happening with the pugs they love discord, so it weakens the good so they can consume and take over~ and 30%of Americans are dumbed down to believe they are fighting for us,we have to have regulations,that is what the unions do negotiate for the people..
in the case of egypt, you can oppress the people for so long then they fight~ back this is something the pugs do not comprehend!