Article

2004-05-26 Arabia

Bahraini Army Consists Heavily of Foreigners Despite Local Unemployment - explosive situation?

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Posted by rkb 2004-05-26 14:56|| || Front Page|| [7 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Omigawd! Mahmood's got a blog!

Posted by Fred 2004-05-26 4:03:28 PM|| 2004-05-26 4:03:28 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Is this _the_ Mahmood? I thought he spelled the name differently?

Posted by Phil Fraering 2004-05-26 6:02:37 PM|| [http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2004-05-26 6:02:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 This is news? Most of the work in Bahrain is done by 'foreigners'. Still, he does have a dry wit.

Posted by Pappy 2004-05-26 6:56:24 PM|| 2004-05-26 6:56:24 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Not news that it's true.

Might be news if it becomes a topic of debate ... or if some of the foreigners toting guns and wearing uniforms decide their political loyalties lie elsewhere.

Posted by rkb 2004-05-26 7:43:09 PM|| 2004-05-26 7:43:09 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 According to a MEDEA report, the foreigners in Bahrain's military are Sunnis, which is ticking off the Shiites (who are the 'underclass') to no end. The CIA factbook reports about 6,000 Bahrainis are available each year for military service, and there's a pool of 222,000 military-service age males. Leads me to believe the powers that be are more concerned about the loyalties of their own population.

Posted by Pappy 2004-05-26 10:28:09 PM|| 2004-05-26 10:28:09 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Yes, that makes sense as a motivation.

But with the topic of under- and un-employment in Arab countries heating up, I wonder if there will be pressure to enlist locals rather than imported bodies. ??

Posted by rkb 2004-05-26 10:58:21 PM|| 2004-05-26 10:58:21 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 And guess where all these underemployed and unemployed people will be going in the next year?

IRAQ. Which is going to be an economic powerhouse, and very soon.

Posted by RMcLeod 2004-05-27 12:19:28 AM|| 2004-05-27 12:19:28 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 This comment had me LOL:

"I guess people dont want to give them time to get thier little ass's nice and cosy. Like Mahmood said, the Passport and Immigration Ministry needs to book 20,000 one way tickets on Yemen Airways to Sana'a, I dont think Beluchistan has an airline, but we have a good supply of camals and donkeys which would ensure them a safe journey home."

Posted by Seafarious 2004-05-27 12:49:00 AM|| 2004-05-27 12:49:00 AM|| Front Page Top

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