the Arab change is coming

[Phil Sayers]

They will change. Whether they are forced to by revolution or by slow reform it will happen. Either way it will happen much quicker than the hundreds of years it took for proper democracy to develop in this country.

Increasing levels of education and exposure to ideas (which they cannot prevent even if they wanted to) will force it to happen; the simultaneous effects are a decline in religious belief and an increased assertiveness of what is 'fair'.

 

[downthetrack]

They will change. Whether they are forced to by revolution or by slow reform it will happen. Either way it will happen much quicker than the hundreds of years it took for proper democracy to develop in this country.

Increasing levels of education and exposure to ideas (which they cannot prevent even if they wanted to) will force it to happen; the simultaneous effects are a decline in religious belief and an increased assertiveness of what is 'fair'.

you've change your tune,in two weeks

 

[Phil Sayers]

They will never change. Arabs hate each other more than they hate Israel or the West.

For over a thousand years Europeans watered battlefields on a scale that has never been seen in the Arab world. For much of the time we were slaughtering each other with sword and musket for no more reason than a King's vanity they were the most 'civilised' area of the world.

Eventually we changed (for now) and they don't have anywhere near as much changing to do.

 

[Phil Sayers]

you've change your tune,in two weeks

Not at all. My 'long game' has always been the post above but I just didn't see that Tunisia heralded that time. I remain far from convinced it really will be - concepts like accepting the rule of law and the outcome of elections took a long, long time to be ingrained here and while I do think it will happen quicker in the age of globalisation it will not happen in the space of two weeks.

 

[downthetrack]

to be fair phil ,in post two you did say early days.
poss small civil war in egypt on the cards,hope not though.
not a lot of law at the mo.

 

[IndoMike]

I hear they were paid £100 and a chicken dinner

I heard 10USD & half a chicken, Macks.. this is Cairo, not bleedin' Henley -on - Thames.
I was impressed with the camels entering the scene : Monty Pythonesque..
Mubarak trying to stir it all up.. The only way for the protesters to win now is to go for all out total revolution, which will get extremely bloody with no guarantee that they will win.. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Mubarak's secret police start rounding up "ringleaders" to put the sh*ts up everybody. The West might say this and that to pay lip service but deep down they like Egypt the way it is.

 

[tavyred]

For over a thousand years Europeans watered battlefields on a scale that has never been seen in the Arab world. For much of the time we were slaughtering each other with sword and musket for no more reason than a King's vanity they were the most 'civilised' area of the world.

Eventually we changed (for now) and they don't have anywhere near as much changing to do.

Interesting spin there.
You have posed an interesting question, why is it do you think that the Arab world has changed from being a beacon in the middle ages for civilisation and the advancement of human kind, to it`s present state?
I`ll give you a clue...It`s starts with the letter "I" and ends with "slam"!
Islam is an ancient religion with a wonderful history, but in it purist form it does`nt tend to do democracy, tolerance or the freedom of the individual.
The to road our "enlightenment" has indeed been a bloody one, we have rejected organised religion and slavish devotion to Kings etc. lets hope the Arab world looks at our example and finds another way.

 

[downthetrack]

what times kick of at tahrir square today?
looks very orderly at the moment.

 

[Juggling Monkey]

why is it do you think that the Arab world has changed from being a beacon in the middle ages for civilisation and the advancement of human kind, to it`s present state?

One big factor was the invention of the printing press and the suitability of the latin alphabet to early printing technology. Arabic writing doesn't lend itself to print so well. The same applies to some extent to IT/the Internet.

Ataturk recognised this when he switched Turkey over to its modern alphabet and Turkey has done pretty well out of it.

 

[tavyred]

Ataturk recognised this when he switched Turkey over to its modern alphabet and Turkey has done pretty well out of it.

He also f*cked the Mullahs off, and realised that secularism was the way forward if Turkey was to be successful.