Arabs slam Pak stand on Yemen and Call on Pakistani Parliament to Fall in Line

[TankMan]

Or with a glass of Folonari red wine on a rainy Friday night.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

@Rakan.SA @Saif al-Arab

BTW, i don't understand why Saudi Arabia never cultivated its relations with Egypt the way it has with Pakistan??

Why is that?? Egypt too is a Sunni Muslim country, but its also a Arab country with population of 89 million people. How come Saudi and Egypt aren't as close as Saudi and Pakistan??

Just a question out of curiosity.

Relations between KSA and Egypt have been extremely close and are extremely close. The only exception were a few years under Nasser who ironically was originally from Hijaz himself. The relations between Arab regimes should be much better. Even among GCC states (KSA and Qatar KSA and Oman etc.). Sadly they are not but we ordinary people pray and hope that the Arab people will cooperate together and solve common problems and leave the petty rivalries aside for the betterment of the people and the region. We pray that our regimes will get the strength to cooperate with each other and not create problems.

Pakistan can also ask themselves why relations with Afghans are not better but I am sure that the regular Pakistani and Afghan get along very well especially if they happen to be Pashtuns or Baluch. Similarly Arab Sunnis in for instance Northern KSA and Shia Arabs in Southern Iraq visit regularly, do trade, go hunting together, belong to the same families, clans, visit each others leaders, hold poetry competitions etc. Same between Iraqis and Eastern Syrians and many, many other examples. The "internet generation" are maybe too obsessed with sectarianism but the older generations respected each other and considered each other as brothers and sisters. Family told me and I have spoken with elders too that told the same. Also with Saudi Arabians and Yemenis. Although there was friendly banter and occasionally trolling also with the old generation. Some hilarious feuds too, lol. Situation is the same today with most people.

 

[Desert Fox]

we are very close. but egypt was about to collapse economically. its still suffering.
just imagine what would have happened if egypt collapsed!
its starting to take its role back slowly in the arab world with the help of saudi and gulf states.

Well, that's good to see Saudi bailing out Egypt.

I feel like Egypt is the Pakistan of the Arab world. They have a experienced and strong Army, though weak economy (just like us), and they have a population of 89 million (and growing).

But unlike Pakistan Egypt is an Arab country, shouldn't that be more reason to form relations with Egypt on the same level as Saudi relations with Pakistan?

I mean, just as an observer it does kinda seem odd that Saudi Arabia's relations with Pakistan (a non-Arab Sunni country) are stronger than Saudi's relations with Egypt (a Sunni Arab country).

@Rakan.SA @Saif al-Arab

 

[Rakan.SA]

Relations between KSA and Egypt have been extremely close and are extremely close. The only exception were a few years under Nasser who ironically was originally from Hijaz himself. The relations between Arab regimes should be much better. Even among GCC states (KSA and Qatar KSA and Oman etc.). Sadly they are not but we ordinary people pray and hope that the Arab people will cooperate together and solve common problems and leave the petty rivalries aside for the betterment of the people and the region. We pray that our regimes will get the strength to cooperate with each other and not create problems.

Pakistan can also ask themselves why relations with Afghans are not better but I am sure that the regular Pakistani and Afghan get along very well especially if they happen to be Pashtuns or Baluch. Similarly Arab Sunnis in for instance Northern KSA and Shia Arabs in Southern Iraq visit regularly, do trade, go hunting together, belong to the same families, clans, visit each others leaders, hold poetry competitions etc. Same between Iraqis and Eastern Syrians and many, many other examples. The "internet generation" are maybe too obsessed with sectarianism but the older generations respected each other and considered each other as brothers and sisters. Family told me and I have spoken with elders too that told the same. Also with Saudi Arabians and Yemenis. Although there was friendly banter and occasionally trolling also with the old generation. Some hilarious feuds too, lol. Situation is the same today with most people.

sectarian problem only came when the iranian revolutionary started. before that there wasnt any problems.
when iran goes to every arab country and starts a shia militia what do you expect will happen.
hezb alshaytan franchise is in every country.
im sure they got one inside pakistan. il bet my life on it.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

@ebray ignore the trolling from Iranians aimed at our brothers and sisters in Horn of Africa and especially the great Habesha people that are our long-lost cousins and a beautiful people of great civilization with ancestral ties to the ME. Afro-Arabs and Habesha people are no different to any other ethnicity in KSA or people and we all consider them our own and will defend them. But some trolls were calling us Arabs East Africans and that we are not. East Africa is a beautiful region of the world with ancient, ancient history. Some say that this was were the human race arose first. Please ignore those comments. I can assure you that most normal and sane Arabs do not care about race although there are some idiots mistreating Afro-Arabs and other minorities/races. In the Arab world you have people of all origins and we Arabs ourselves are a mixture of various peoples (mostly Semitic) with ties to the remaining Asia, Europe, Africa and most importantly the MENA region.

 

[Rakan.SA]

Well, that's good to see Saudi bailing out Egypt.

I feel like Egypt is the Pakistan of the Arab world. They have a experienced and strong Army, though weak economy (just like us), and they have a population of 89 million (and growing).

But unlike Pakistan Egypt is an Arab country, shouldn't that be more reason to form relations with Egypt on the same level as Saudi relations with Pakistan?

I mean, just as an observer it does kinda seem odd that Saudi Arabia's relations with Pakistan (a non-Arab Sunni country) are stronger than Saudi's relations with Egypt (a Sunni Arab country).

@Rakan.SA @Saif al-Arab

both relations are strong. the dynamics are a bit different.
now we decided to start an arab army. most will be from saudi and egypt. its optional for any arab country to join.
i think it will be based in egypt but it will be saudi lead

 

[Pak_Sher]

What i don't get is why does our neutrality in this whole Iranian-GCC rivalry bother certain countries so much??

And besides, Pakistan's guarantee to protect Saudi territorial integrity and Islamic Holy Sites still stands, none of which are threatened by rag tag Houthis.

Read the highlighted:

UAE slams Pak vote on Yemen​

(STAFF REPORT) / 11 April 2015

Warns of heavy price for ambiguous stand.

Dubai — The UAE on Friday strongly condemned a Pakistani decision to stay out of the conflict in Yemen, rejecting Saudi demands for Islamabad to join its military coalition against Houthi rebels.

“The Arabian Gulf is in a dangerous confrontation, its strategic security is on the edge, and the moment of truth distinguishes between the real ally and the ally of media and statements,” Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash tweeted after a unanimous resolution passed by a special session of Pakistan’s parliament.

The resolution, however, backed the government’s commitment to protect Saudi Arabia’s territory, which has so far not been threatened by the conflict.

Gargash said Pakistan is required to show a clear stand in favour of its strategic relations with the six-nation Arab Gulf cooperation Council, as contradictory and ambiguous views on this serious matter will have a heavy price to pay (was that a threat?).

“This is nothing but another chapter of laggard impartial stand,” Gargash said, criticising identical views held by Turkey and Iran about the armed conflict in Yemen, as affirmed by the Turkish foreign minister, who had said a political way out of the crisis is the responsibility of Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Tehran seems to be more important to Islamabad and Ankara than the Gulf countries, Gargash added. “Though our economic and investment assets are inevitable, political support is missing at critical moments,” Gargash said.

“The vague and contradictory stands of Pakistan and Turkey are an absolute proof that Arab security — from Libya to Yemen — is the responsibility of none but Arab countries, and the crisis is a real test for neighbouring countries.”

The Pakistan parliament resolution turned down long-standing ally Riyadh’s request for troops, ships and warplanes, saying: “Pakistan should play a mediating role and not get involved in fighting in Yemen.”

“Parliament of Pakistan...underscores the need for continued efforts by the government of Pakistan to find a peaceful resolution of the crisis,” the resolution said.

“(Parliament) desires that Pakistan should maintain neutrality in the Yemen conflict so as to be able to play a proactive diplomatic role to end the crisis.”



Saudi Mufti calls for youth conscription

Riyadh — The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Al Shaikh, who is also chairman of the senior scholars authority has called for military conscription of youth.

Shaikh Abdul Aziz said: “We must prepare our youth properly to become a shield for us in the holy war against the enemies of religion and the nation.”

In his Friday sermon at Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque in Riyadh, he said: “We should well look after our youth and prepare them for enlistment, which will enable them dis-charge their duties effectively.”

“This step is important for our youth towards their religion and for protecting their homeland,” he said, adding that the nation should always be prepared to face enemies.

“We are leading a secure life, a boon that others envied us for,” Shaikh Abdul Aziz said and added that while we should be thankful to Allah for this mercy, our nation should remain alert to defend the religion and country through compulsory military training.

“We should be careful and cautious of the enemies who want to spoil our religion, morals and economy, as well as destroying our unity”, he said, adding that to face such chal-lenges, “we must prepare our youth militarily, intellectually and educationally”.



UAE slams Pak vote on Yemen

@Horus @waz @DESERT FIGHTER @Ulla @salarsikander @Armstrong @Umair Nawaz @Jaanbaz @Jungibaaz @Daneshmand @Serpentine

All GCC have ties with India and provide millions of jobs as a big source of foreign exchange to Indians. These foreign exchange remittances do help India to buy weapons. When they have a balance of ties between India and Pakistan, why is UAE all bent out of shape. UAE has already letting black money tax evader Pakistanis stash their money away from Pakistan and also is home to Blackwater. So it is time we wake up and guard our interests. @Horus @Jaanbaz @Umair Nawaz @waz @WebMaster

 

[Meengla]

Pakistanis can only look at 'outsiders' at the crisis in Yemen. Instinctively, Pakistanis (despite @Zarvan and a few others) want peace in that region and don't want to take sides. Just like, despite high tempers, Pakistan never invaded Afghanistan to make 'punitive strikes' or to 'dismantle the terrorist infrastructure', KSA should pull back.


Perhaps the following quote is good as a starting point for reconciliation? The whole article is worth reading, BTW.


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/10/o...wont-help-it.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=0

The United States should encourage a political settlement, focused not on reinstalling a figurehead, but on creating a durable political process that addresses the grievances of Yemen’s regional groups. A two-sector federalized state, which the Houthis have supported in the past, could provide such a framework.

 

[Desert Fox]

Relations between KSA and Egypt have been extremely close and are extremely close. The only exception were a few years under Nasser who ironically was originally from Hijaz himself. The relations between Arab regimes should be much better. Even among GCC states (KSA and Qatar KSA and Oman etc.). Sadly they are not but we ordinary people pray and hope that the Arab people will cooperate together and solve common problems and leave the petty rivalries aside for the betterment of the people and the region. We pray that our regimes will get the strength to cooperate with each other and not create problems.

Pakistan can also ask themselves why relations with Afghans are not better but I am sure that the regular Pakistani and Afghan get along very well especially if they happen to be Pashtuns or Baluch. Similarly Arab Sunnis in for instance Northern KSA and Shia Arabs in Southern Iraq visit regularly, do trade, go hunting together, belong to the same families, clans, visit each others leaders, hold poetry competitions etc. Same between Iraqis and Eastern Syrians and many, many other examples. The "internet generation" are maybe too obsessed with sectarianism but the older generations respected each other and considered each other as brothers and sisters. Family told me and I have spoken with elders too that told the same. Also with Saudi Arabians and Yemenis. Although there was friendly banter and occasionally trolling also with the old generation. Some hilarious feuds too, lol. Situation is the same today with most people.

Good point, i don't know why it is that way, strangely enough. I guess i can see where you're coming from now. But yeah most Arabs i have met personally get along with each other just like family even if someone is from Egypt and the other is from Syria and another from Jordan or KSA, its like they're family (as i have observed). Literally they invite each other and stay over at each others homes as if they've known each other for years. Very strong bond from what i observed.

Though its surprising that such a bond is not reflected on the gov.t level between Arab states. Which is why i also find it hard to understand that the Houthis would want to take over Saudi Arabia or even Mecca and Madina.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

sectarian problem only came when the iranian revolutionary started. before that there wasnt any problems.
when iran goes to every arab country and starts a shia militia what do you expect will happen.
hezb alshaytan franchise is in every country.
im sure they got one inside pakistan. il bet my life on it.

Exactly. Everyone in the Arab world (Muslim, Christian, Atheist, Jew etc.) that does not support the poisonous Mullah regime in Iran knows about all this very well and speak about it openly too. They have a long history of supporting similar terror proxies in Pakistan. Look at the Pakistani users here who are more Iranian than Iranians themselves and more pro-Mullah than Basij. Pakistan must be cautious on all fronts. All radicals must be defeated whether "Sunni" or "Shia". Just like KSA is doing.

Clerics have a special responsibility as well.

Notice I said Mullah regime. Not ordinary people here.

 

[TankMan]

All GCC have ties with India and provide millions of jobs as a big source of foreign exchange to Indians. These foreign exchange remittances do help India to buy weapons. When they have a balance of ties between India and Pakistan, why is UAE all bent out of shape. UAE has already letting black money tax evader Pakistanis stash their money away from Pakistan and also is home to Blackwater. So it is time we wake up and guard our interests. @Horus @Jaanbaz @Umair Nawaz @waz @WebMaster

It isn't like that, you must understand that we can't expect them to isolate themselves for us - in the same way, they can't expect us to help them with everything.

It is in their interest to have relations with India - that doesn't mean they're conforming with the Indian expansionist agenda or supporting them militarily. All it means is that they're being a part of the international community while supporting allies; that's how the world works nowadays.

Even China trades with India, worth a lot of money but at the same time they're constantly supporting Pakistan. That isn't hypocrisy or anything; US and China do the same, they have billions worth of trade despite having conflicting political interests. Economic strategy and geopolitical strategy are different - the last time a major nation isolated itself economically because of politics, well, it was the Soviet Union and needless to say, it doesn't exist anymore.

You may not like it but that's just how it is.

By the way, I wasn't aware that Blackwater was based in the UAE - any source for that?

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Good point, i don't know why it is that way, strangely enough. I guess i can see where you're coming from now. But yeah most Arabs i have met personally get along with each other just like family even if someone is from Egypt and the other is from Syria and another from Jordan or KSA, its like they're family (as i have observed). Literally they invite each other and stay over at each others homes as if they've known each other for years. Very strong bond from what i observed.

Though its surprising that such a bond is not reflected on the gov.t level between Arab states. Which is why i also find it hard to understand that the Houthis would want to take over Saudi Arabia or even Mecca and Madina.

Yes, this is typical behavior of people that live in a diaspora. I am sure that this is the same with Pakistani's in the US. In France most Arabs are from the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) but there are also sizable communities originally from Lebanon, Syria and to a lesser extend Egypt but all stick together by large. Similarly in Denmark most Arabs are from Palestine, Iraq and a few other states and relations are like what you describe regardless of sect. Even Arab Muslims and Christians work very closely in Europe and in the US. For instance there are apparently 3.5 million Arab Americans and many are Christians but they stick together from what I have observed and heard about.

Arab American - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

We should really all cooperate as humans first and foremost to the benefit of us all.

 

[TankMan]

Pakistanis can only look at 'outsiders' at the crisis in Yemen. Instinctively, Pakistanis (despite @Zarvan and a few others) want peace in that region and don't want to take sides. Just like, despite high tempers, Pakistan never invaded Afghanistan to make 'punitive strikes' or to 'dismantle the terrorist infrastructure', KSA should pull back.


Perhaps the following quote is good as a starting point for reconciliation? The whole article is worth reading, BTW.


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/10/o...wont-help-it.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=0

The United States should encourage a political settlement, focused not on reinstalling a figurehead, but on creating a durable political process that addresses the grievances of Yemen’s regional groups. A two-sector federalized state, which the Houthis have supported in the past, could provide such a framework.

KSA is stuck, whether they intervene or not they risk Yemen turning into another Syria. The US doesn't care if their allies (the GCC) goes down with the rest of the middle east and they will continue doing what they are doing, regardless of how many monsters they create.

No amount of intervention will help if the Yemeni government doesn't get its act together, but a two-sector state may turn into a proxy battle zone because of all the regional and international mess going on.

For example, if the Houthis stop fighting, Iran will support other groups to help forward their interests. Other players are also involved and they'll do the same - this will only add to the instability.

Yemen was split into two states before, it then re-unified and we're now talking about splitting again; a split state doesn't seem to be too long-term, and there are too many problems with the political situation, meaning that it's unlikely a proper democratic or federalized state will be formed.

An intervention is just as likely to fail as a diplomatic situation is; this is like MineSweeper on the hardest difficulty with the largest grid - only here, the mines are real.

 

[Desert Fox]

Yes, this is typical behavior of people that live in a diaspora. I am sure that this is the same with Pakistani's in the US. In France most Arabs are from the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) but there are also sizable communities originally from Lebanon, Syria and to a lesser extend Egypt but all stick together by large. Similarly in Denmark most Arabs are from Palestine, Iraq and a few other states and relations are like what you describe regardless of sect. Even Arab Muslims and Christians work very closely in Europe and in the US. For instance there are apparently 3.5 million Arab Americans and many are Christians but they stick together from what I have observed and heard about.

Arab American - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

We should really all cooperate as humans first and foremost to the benefit of us all.

Pakistanis don't really have that kinship form of bond, but it also depends on which part of Pakistan certain people originate from. Pakistanis from rural villages tend to stick together in the West, but the vast majority who come from the cities don't.

Regarding Arabs, yes their bond is very strong, even Arab Christian and Arab Muslims are very tight knit despite different faiths. It is due to the very strong cultural and lingual bond. Its a good thing actually, it preserves the original culture and way of life when immigrant communities stick together like that.

Also, Arabs have a richer and older culture than most other people, and thus tend to take pride in their culture more and stick to it rather than adopt foreign customs like most other immigrants do.

 

[SQ8]

And you're still for us joining this hell? Are you that mad?

Was that a rhetorical question?