Bahrain Protests - Page 35

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The Pentagon is developing software to secretly influence social media by developing fake online personas that can sway internet chatting on comment boards to reflect U.S. government propaganda. The Guardian of London reports a California-based firm has won a contract to create an "online persona management service" that would let military personnel control up to 10 separate fake identities at once. The identities would be used to respond to relevant online content with blog posts, tweets, chat comments and other forms of interaction. A military spokesperson said foreign audiences would be targeted, as it would be illegal to use the technology on U.S. citizens.

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On March 21 2011 02:37 Badboyrune wrote:
It really is a quite amazing privilege getting first hand reports from people in Bahrain. Especially now when the issue in Bahrain is escalating while largely being ignored by the western media that focuses on Libya and Japan. I'm deeply thankful to both DragoonPK and o3.power91. Without you guys I, and most others with me I suspect, wouldn't know anywhere near as much about what's going on over there.

I can't quite understand people complaining about their bias or to keep calm and civilized. I'm amazed anyone in their situation are be able to report as calm and objectively.

I'm a bit curious to know how you guys think the Bahraini people would react to western countries interfering like they have in Libya, however unlikely it would seem at the moment. Would it be welcomed by the protesters or would it be viewed as an invasion? And how would you see it if Iran took the same action?

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On March 20 2011 16:00 o3.power91 wrote:
We never dismissed them. We clearly stated NATIVE population. I apologize if there is any misunderstanding.

As for whether or not the dismissed portion have a say in things, I say they have a right in that they should be treated as well as you would treat any other human being. HOWEVER, the government PAYS these people for support. In other words: BRIBERY. This has been confirmed through confessions of many thugs that were apprehended. Obviously, this doesn't apply to all the people. There are immigrants who are loyal to whatever side they are on and many that are neutral. However, it is also these same immigrants who make up the police and military. The same immigrants who are helping the government terrorize us natives. If the immigrants were peaceful, or if they show sympathy towards the people in the country, I wouldn't have an issue. However, this is the land I, as well as the natives, spent our entire lives living in, and now the government is calling OUTSIDERS to hurt us and act as if they are pretend to be of the same nationality. They have NO loyalty and feel no responsibility towards the people or the country, just to their payors.


If you want to ask me if I think immigrants have rights, please consider the fact that I am the son of a native Bahraini and an immigrant. I of all people would acknowledge the rights of foreign residents.

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On March 20 2011 16:08 o3.power91 wrote:
Another thing I want to add about government discrimination:

A friend of mine told me he was once in a cab and was having some small talk with the driver. The driver was originally from Yemen and had only arrived in Bahrain a month previously with full citizenship. One month and already got a job as a taxi driver. I've lived in Bahrain for 18 years and still get lost in some roads. Anyways, back to the main topic. The taxi driver told him of how he got citizenship. Basically a group of Bahraini officials approached his village and just then and there ISSUED FREE PASSPORTS to whoever wanted them.

Another friend of mine is a foreigner who happens to be Shiite. She has been trying for YEARS to get citizenship but to no success. She is only living in the country thanks to her father's worker visa.

Now I ask you, do you think the immigrants (those with Bahraini citizenship) can fairly represent the people?

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On March 21 2011 03:29 Rah wrote:


Are these people outsiders, or are they citizens of Bahrain? I'm beginning to understand why moving in on Libya was a much easier decision, because it seems you and me percieve things differently on who should have a say in a country. Most immigrants move to another country for better oppertunities, which it sounds like these people have done. Even though the tactics the ones in the military and out on the streets use are brutal, should all of these "outsiders" new to the country be forced to go home if your protest win out, or not have a voice? What if they respond with their own protests afterwards because they liked things how they were? It is a lot of people you're dismissing here.

If your voice is one of the more liberal of the opposition, given your background, then I worry for the honest immigrants who have nothing to do with the brutallity, and only took the citizenship offers in hopes of making better lives for themselves. It seems like they are all being dismissed or dehumanized in the eyes of the protesters. This could even be part of the reason they are helping so willingly with the awful deeds they're being asked to do over there, fear of what will happen to them and their new life if your protests win out. As has been said before fear makes people do stupid things.



My answer would be yes. These immigrants now make up a large portion of the people of Bahrain. However I think there should be reforms so that Shiites applying for citizenship and jobs have an equal chance as well. There's too much bias and discrimination, on both sides from what I'm seeing. This may have nothing to do with sects on the protesters' side, but I'm picking up some serious racism towards these immigrants which could be helping to fuel things. Some of this you've even experienced or seen for yourself from the sound of it.

If you want a democracy, every voice of every citizen should be considered equal. That's something even the US has struggled with, and it needs to be addressed early to be avoided. Otherwise you'll only be a group of dictators hiding behind the word "democracy".

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On March 21 2011 04:55 Badboyrune wrote:



I wouldn't quite agree. Imagine if president Bush realizing towards the end of his time in office that there was no way the US would reelect a republican president and decided that the best thing he could do was to give out American citizenship and a bit of cash to any south american willing to support them. Suddenly you'd find yourself in a country where a huge part its citizens are immigrants that have completely bypassed the normal protocols to gain an american passport and that are more or less bought and paid for by the government. Are these south americans who suddenly flooded your country a fair representation of your country? They are official citizens after all.

I really don't know if there's a proper term for this kind of thing, I doubt no one has used this kind of tactics before. It's like they're employing political mercenaries, completely undermining what little shred of democracy there might have been in Bahrain and skewing the 'public' opinion heavily in favor of the ruling family.

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On March 20 2011 21:02 Mangemongen wrote:


Even though I agree on what you're saying you are so greatly far off when you state "the people of a nation are not inherently good." It really cannot be stressed enought that everyone is inherently good and their view of homosexuals is nothing but culture.

Seriously, I think better of someone with a western education.

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