Are We Witnessing The Start Of A Global Revolution?

[Scott Sando]

For the first time in human history almost all of humanity is politically activated, politically conscious and politically interactive... The resulting global political activism is generating a surge in the quest for personal dignity, cultural respect and economic opportunity in a world painfully scarred by memories of centuries-long alien colonial or imperial domination... The worldwide yearning for human dignity is the central challenge inherent in the phenomenon of global political awakening... That awakening is socially massive and politically radicalizing... The nearly universal access to radio, television and increasingly the Internet is creating a community of shared perceptions and envy that can be galvanized and channeled by demagogic political or religious passions. These energies transcend sovereign borders and pose a challenge both to existing states as well as to the existing global hierarchy, on top of which America still perches...



The youth of the Third World are particularly restless and resentful. The demographic revolution they embody is thus a political time-bomb, as well... Their potential revolutionary spearhead is likely to emerge from among the scores of millions of students concentrated in the often intellectually dubious "tertiary level" educational institutions of developing countries. Depending on the definition of the tertiary educational level, there are currently worldwide between 80 and 130 million "college" students. Typically originating from the socially insecure lower middle class and inflamed by a sense of social outrage, these millions of students are revolutionaries-in-waiting, already semi-mobilized in large congregations, connected by the Internet and pre-positioned for a replay on a larger scale of what transpired years earlier in Mexico City or in Tiananmen Square. Their physical energy and emotional frustration is just waiting to be triggered by a cause, or a faith, or a hatred...



[The] major world powers, new and old, also face a novel reality: while the lethality of their military might is greater than ever, their capacity to impose control over the politically awakened masses of the world is at a historic low. To put it bluntly: in earlier times, it was easier to control one million people than to physically kill one million people; today, it is infinitely easier to kill one million people than to control one million people.[1]



- Zbigniew Brzezinski

Former U.S. National Security Advisor

Co-Founder of the Trilateral Commission

Member, Board of Trustees, Center for Strategic and International Studies





An uprising in Tunisia led to the overthrow of the country’s 23-year long dictatorship of President Ben Ali. A new ‘transitional’ government was formed, but the protests continued demanding a totally new government without the relics of the previous tyranny. Protests in Algeria have continued for weeks, as rage mounts against rising food prices, corruption and state oppression. Protests in Jordan forced the King to call on the military to surround cities with tanks and set up checkpoints. Tens of thousands of protesters marched on Cairo demanding an end to the 30-year dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak. Thousands of activists, opposition leaders and students rallied in the capitol of Yemen against the corrupt dictatorship of President Saleh, in power since 1978. Saleh has been, with U.S. military assistance, attempting to crush a rebel movement in the north and a massive secessionist movement growing in the south, called the “Southern Movement.” Protests in Bolivia against rising food prices forced the populist government of Evo Morales to backtrack on plans to cut subsidies. Chile erupted in protests as demonstrators railed against rising fuel prices. Anti-government demonstrations broke out in Albania, resulting in the deaths of several protesters.



It seems as if the world is entering the beginnings of a new revolutionary era: the era of the ‘Global Political Awakening.’ While this ‘awakening’ is materializing in different regions, different nations and under different circumstances, it is being largely influenced by global conditions. The global domination by the major Western powers, principally the United States, over the past 65 years, and more broadly, centuries, is reaching a turning point. The people of the world are restless, resentful, and enraged. Change, it seems, is in the air. As the above quotes from Brzezinski indicate, this development on the world scene is the most radical and potentially dangerous threat to global power structures and empire. It is not a threat simply to the nations in which the protests arise or seek change, but perhaps to a greater degree, it is a threat to the imperial Western powers, international institutions, multinational corporations and banks that prop up, arm, support and profit from these oppressive regimes around the world. Thus, America and the West are faced with a monumental strategic challenge: what can be done to stem the Global Political Awakening? Zbigniew Brzezinski is one of the chief architects of American foreign policy, and arguably one of the intellectual pioneers of the system of globalization. Thus, his warnings about the 'Global Political Awakening' are directly in reference to its nature as a threat to the prevailing global hierarchy. As such, we must view the 'Awakening' as the greatest hope for humanity. Certainly, there will be mainy failures, problems, and regressions; but the 'Awakening' has begun, it is underway, and it cannot be so easily co-opted or controlled as many might assume.

The reflex action of the imperial powers is to further arm and support the oppressive regimes, as well as the potential to organize a destabilization through covert operations or open warfare (as is being done in Yemen). The alterantive is to undertake a strategy of "democratization" in which Western NGOs, aid agencies and civil society organizations establish strong contacts and relationships with the domestic civil society in these regions and nations. The objective of this strategy is to organize, fund and help direct the domestic civil society to produce a democratic system made in the image of the West, and thus maintain continuity in the international hierarchy. Essentially, the project of "democratization" implies creating the outward visible constructs of a democratic state (multi-party elections, active civil society, "independent" media, etc) and yet maintain continuity in subservience to the World Bank, IMF, multinational corporations and Western powers.



It appears that both of these strategies are being simultaneously imposed in the Arab world: enforcing and supporting state oppression and building ties with civil society organizations. The problem for the West, however, is that they have not had the ability to yet establish strong and dependent ties with civil society groups in much of the region, as ironically, the oppressive regimes they propped up were and are unsurprisingly resistant to such measures. In this sense, we must not cast aside these protests and uprisings as being instigated by the West, but rather that they emerged organically, and the West is subsequently attempting to co-opt and control the emerging movements.

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Is Celente Right?

[Realistbear]

We may be seeing the Arab world waking up to the fact that they have been fed optiate for decades by the ruling elites who live in luxury and drive turbo-Bentleys while the rest live in poverty--despite billions paid to them by big oil such as Shell, Total, BP etc. Saudi in particular where 1% of the population enjoy 95% of the wealth.

[The Masked Tulip]

What? You mean like this?

[Damik]

We may be seeing the Arab world waking up to the fact that they have been fed optiate for decades by the ruling elites who live in luxury and drive turbo-Bentleys while the rest live in poverty--despite billions paid to them by big oil such as Shell, Total, BP etc. Saudi in particular where 1% of the population enjoy 95% of the wealth.

the question is what will happen after the "free" elections ....

a/ if the winner is a party with majority it is quite probable it will turn again to the dictatorship -> Iran

b/ if there is a no clear winner it will continue as the democracy -> Iraq

not sure what about Egypt. apparently there is a lot of political fractions and Muslim Brotherhood should get in free elections only 20%. If they get 60/80% it remains to be seen if they stay with their "democratic" rhetoric or not

for the Arabic states is the most important to separate the religion from state and get a few strong political parties, so there is never an overwhelming majority ...

[The Masked Tulip]

You know, one boy with an AK 47 can do a lot of damage nowadays in Cairo.

Simply run around near the hotels inhabited by journos and fire a few shots every now and then, mostly at night, and you have the likes of Sky and the Beeb reporting armed revolution.

[bendy]

it is infinitely easier to kill one million people than to control one million people.

the problem being that killing everyone means either no more riches or the elite having to work themselves.

[HPC001]

the problem being that killing everyone means either no more riches or the elite having to work themselves.

They don't need most of us with all the labour-saving technology available today.

[Damik]

the problem being that killing everyone means either no more riches or the elite having to work themselves.

or you can do it as UAE ... citizens are about 20% of the population ... and the working class are immigrants with temporary residence permit only ... any issue and they send you home ....

[Pindar]

The "moslem brotherhood" was created by the British in the 1920s as a way of controlling Egypt. It still exists today. The "uprising" is nothing more than rabble-rousing by the elite because they are bored with Mubarak and his lack of Zionist-friendly policies. Expect Egypt to usher in a "new era" with a Ukraine-like "color revolution" and then proceed to adopt ever more US-puppet like policies.

[Damik]

The "moslem brotherhood" was created by the British in the 1920s as a way of controlling Egypt. It still exists today. The "uprising" is nothing more than rabble-rousing by the elite because they are bored with Mubarak and his lack of Zionist-friendly policies. Expect Egypt to usher in a "new era" with a Ukraine-like "color revolution" and then proceed to adopt ever more US-puppet like policies.

why? Iraq did not turn this way ....

[Harry Sacks]

I switched off after the initial PM ramping.

[Scott Sando]

I switched off after the initial PM ramping.

Here's one without ramping

[Britney's Piers]

The start of World War III.

[Hyperduck Quack Quack]

I fear that the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt might have the end result of them becoming Islamic fundamentalist states. In Tunisia, they've just allowed exiled extreme Islamists to return, in Egypt I heard a report that 34 memgers of the Muslim Brotherhood have been freed from jail. What's happening in Egypt has echoes of what happened in Iran in 1979 - a popular democratic uprising against an unpopular regime that was rapidly overtaken by a second, Islamic revolution.

Then there was the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in Iraq - to begin with it looked like the people were grateful to the west for ridding them of their dictator, but the sentiment soon turned anti-western and the Islamist insurgency created havoc that continues, even if they've failed to take power.

Uprisings have occurred in Tunisia and Egypt. The country between these two is Libya, ruled by Colonel Gaddafi, who's been in power for decades. Will the people rise up against his regime? He tends to be portrayed by the media as popular with his people, but do we really know?

.

And I expect President Assad of Syria is watching his back all the time now too.

Ironically, while the fear is that a swathe of north Africa and the Middle-East could fall into the hands of Islamic fundamentalists, the likelihood of a democratic counter-revolution in Iran seems to grow as the years pass.

I don't think we're witnessing the start of a global revolution, but we could be witnessing revolution throughout the Arab world which could affect the balance of power in the world.

[Damik]

I fear that the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt might have the end result of them becoming Islamic fundamentalist states. In Tunisia, they've just allowed exiled extreme Islamists to return, in Egypt I heard a report that 34 memgers of the Muslim Brotherhood have been freed from jail. What's happening in Egypt has echoes of what happened in Iran in 1979 - a popular democratic uprising against an unpopular regime that was rapidly overtaken by a second, Islamic revolution.

Then there was the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in Iraq - to begin with it looked like the people were grateful to the west for ridding them of their dictator, but the sentiment soon turned anti-western and the Islamist insurgency created havoc that continues, even if they've failed to take power.

Uprisings have occurred in Tunisia and Egypt. The country between these two is Libya, ruled by Colonel Gaddafi, who's been in power for decades. Will the people rise up against his regime? He tends to be portrayed by the media as popular with his people, but do we really know?

.

And I expect President Assad of Syria is watching his back all the time now too.

Ironically, while the fear is that a swathe of north Africa and the Middle-East could fall into the hands of Islamic fundamentalists, the likelihood of a democratic counter-revolution in Iran seems to grow as the years pass.

indeed; it seems that the youngsters unemployment and perhaps Iraq's experience do the job .... Iran's regime does not have a good sleep these days as well ....

[Damik]

I fear that the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt might have the end result of them becoming Islamic fundamentalist states. In Tunisia, they've just allowed exiled extreme Islamists to return, in Egypt I heard a report that 34 memgers of the Muslim Brotherhood have been freed from jail. What's happening in Egypt has echoes of what happened in Iran in 1979 - a popular democratic uprising against an unpopular regime that was rapidly overtaken by a second, Islamic revolution.

Then there was the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in Iraq - to begin with it looked like the people were grateful to the west for ridding them of their dictator, but the sentiment soon turned anti-western and the Islamist insurgency created havoc that continues, even if they've failed to take power.

Uprisings have occurred in Tunisia and Egypt. The country between these two is Libya, ruled by Colonel Gaddafi, who's been in power for decades. Will the people rise up against his regime? He tends to be portrayed by the media as popular with his people, but do we really know?

.

And I expect President Assad of Syria is watching his back all the time now too.

Ironically, while the fear is that a swathe of north Africa and the Middle-East could fall into the hands of Islamic fundamentalists, the likelihood of a democratic counter-revolution in Iran seems to grow as the years pass.

I don't think we're witnessing the start of a global revolution, but we could be witnessing revolution throughout the Arab world which could affect the balance of power in the world.

I believe that Iraq is now on a strong way to the democracy .... it seems that their political system will resist any dictatorship tendencies ...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/31/us-iraq-politics-cabinet-idUSTRE70U4M520110131

Maliki was reappointed to a second term in December under a fragile power-sharing deal among Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish political parties

Maliki's new government came to office after months of wrangling among factions over posts

[Scott Sando]

Your all just parroting what the msm says, the people have been reppressed and the've had enough, good for them, I for one am in complete solidarity with people who want freedom. Look what this guy says at 0.52 into the video, I'm with him.

[Damik]

Your all just parroting what the msm says, the people have been reppressed and the've had enough, good for them, I for one am in complete solidarity with people who want freedom. Look what this guy says at 0.52 into the video, I'm with him.

Iranis also had a lot of aspirations ....

[Scott Sando]

so you would rather people live as slaves to a dictator then push for their freedom. Your in a world of fear,don't be.

[okaycuckoo]

Anyone see the battle of the bridge in Cairo? Happened last Friday, but footage only came out today. Police lines finally swamped by protesters. They brought in the water canon, but the protestors in front stayed bent over in prayer while the pepper water splashed all over them. Brilliant!

[shermanator]

The "moslem brotherhood" was created by the British in the 1920s as a way of controlling Egypt. It still exists today. The "uprising" is nothing more than rabble-rousing by the elite because they are bored with Mubarak and his lack of Zionist-friendly policies. Expect Egypt to usher in a "new era" with a Ukraine-like "color revolution" and then proceed to adopt ever more US-puppet like policies.

Er, you're wrong there. Egypt are one of only two Arab countries who recognise Israel, the other being Jordan. Mubarak's only interested in feathering his own nest and keeping the Americans on side.

There was a funny bit on the BBC news. One group wanted some kind of Islamist takeover while the other wanted democracy. I foresee big trouble if the Islamic fundonuts get in power and reverse Israel/US friendly policies.

[Pindar]

Er, you're wrong there. Egypt are one of only two Arab countries who recognise Israel, the other being Jordan. Mubarak's only interested in feathering his own nest and keeping the Americans on side.

There was a funny bit on the BBC news. One group wanted some kind of Islamist takeover while the other wanted democracy. I foresee big trouble if the Islamic fundonuts get in power and reverse Israel/US friendly policies.

That's the whole point. Order out of chaos and you get an islamic dictatorship into the bargain. This "revolution" has nothing to do with what ordinary people want and everything to do with the desire of the real power brokers to create mob rule and bring about the conditions that allow them to be exploited. Iran is not a free country. Its own "revolution" was devised by the zionists to create a dictatorship that makes it appear to the people that they've "won" when in fact it's the same old zionist puppets pulling the strings. Islamo-fascism is no different from any other kind of fascism since it concentrates power in the hands of a few who answer to their zionist masters at the top of the pyramid.

The real nature of what we are seeing is Israel and its sponsors (Rothschild zionists) manipulating things from behind the scenes so that Israel can be maintained as the regions foremost economic power. The Israelis intervened directly in Lebanon by bombing the cr*p out of Beirut when it was looking like the Lebanon was rising economically and politically. In Iran, Tunisia, Egypt etc. we are witnessing the same phenomenon. We even have the Iranian "moslem" prime minister imposing the will of the banking fascists by introducing western style "austerity measures" in a supposedly oil rich Iran.

[Big Orange]

You're an anti-Semitic nutball.

I'm cynical about this popular revolt and wouldn't be surprised if another group of assholes take Mubarak's place, but I'll be pleasently surprised if Egypt either has a shrewder and relatively benigh dictator instead of Islamic kooks or better still a half-decent democracy.

[Pindar]

You're an anti-Semitic nutball.

I'm cynical about this popular revolt and wouldn't be surprised if another group of assholes take Mubarak's place, but I'll be pleasently surprised if Egypt either has a shrewder and relatively benigh dictator instead of Islamic kooks or better still a half-decent democracy.

You're a programmed idiot. You should check out the meaning of "semitic" some time before brandishing media programmed put-downs like "anti semitic. Oh, and there's a huge difference between zionism and the religion Judaism, in case you hadn't realised.

http://www.jewsagainstzionism.com/

[Scott Sando]

You're an anti-Semitic nutball.

I'm cynical about this popular revolt and wouldn't be surprised if another group of assholes take Mubarak's place, but I'll be pleasently surprised if Egypt either has a shrewder and relatively benigh dictator instead of Islamic kooks or better still a half-decent democracy.

He's not anti semitic he's anti zionist and you can be a zionist from any race.