Egypt Gives Saudi Arabia 2 Islands in a Show of Gratitude

[Ashworth-Attwater]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/11/world ... ebook&_r=0

Since King Salman of Saudi Arabia arrived in Cairo on Thursday for a five-day visit, the leader of the oil-rich kingdom has lavished his Egyptian allies with promises of aid and investment. But this time, instead of writing a blank check with little more than a polite “thank you” to show for it, King Salman will return home Monday with something more substantial in return: two islands in a strategic corner of the Red Sea.

Oh, boy, am I glad the West supported the overthrown of Morsi! He was too pro-Saudi Arabia, amirite? Thank goodnees were're rid of him and his MUSLIM™ Brotherhood! I'm also glad that we're going back to the 19th century where sovereign territory is traded away like real estate. Anyway, needless to say, the backlash has been enormous, even in a country with virtually no free press. But, most importantly, what do you say, NSG? Does this set a kind of shitty precedent ("gives us territory and we'll invest in your country")? Should Saudi Arabia get those islands? Is this thread going to have a lot of shitty, uninformed comments about how evil the Muslim Brotherhood is? Comment below.

[Sanctissima]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/11/world/middleeast/egypt-gives-saudi-arabia-2-islands-in-a-show-of-gratitude.html?mwrsm=Facebook&_r=0

Since King Salman of Saudi Arabia arrived in Cairo on Thursday for a five-day visit, the leader of the oil-rich kingdom has lavished his Egyptian allies with promises of aid and investment. But this time, instead of writing a blank check with little more than a polite “thank you” to show for it, King Salman will return home Monday with something more substantial in return: two islands in a strategic corner of the Red Sea.

Oh, boy, am I glad the West supported the overthrown of Morsi! He was too pro-Saudi Arabia, amirite? Thank goodnees were're rid of him and his MUSLIM™ Brotherhood! I'm also glad that we're going back to the 19th century where sovereign territory is traded away like real estate. Anyway, needless to say, the backlash has been enormous, even in a country with virtually no free press. But, most importantly, what do you say, NSG? Does this set a kind of shitty precedent ("gives us territory and we'll invest in your country")? Should Saudi Arabia get those islands? Is this thread going to have a lot of shitty, uninformed comments about how evil the Muslim Brotherhood is? Comment below.

The usual Saudi gesture of smiling and nodding all the while hiding a dagger behind their back. I just hope Egypt doesn't turn into a second Pakistan. The world needs less Saudi puppet States, not more.

[Valaran]

Does this set a kind of shitty precedent

Most Arab Spring related events have set shitty precedents, I fear. This won't help, to be sure.

Should Saudi Arabia get those islands?

Saudi Arabia practically owns Egypt now (that budget deficit doesn't pay itself), so *shrugs and becomes more cynical*

Is this thread going to have a lot of shitty, uninformed comments about how evil the Muslim Brotherhood is? Comment below.

Well, I've no love for the Muslim Brotherhood or Sisi. If I genuinely had to choose my poison, I would have gone with Mubarak.

[Ganos Lao]

While Saudi Arabia gets islands, the family of a British shopkeeper gets their loved one in a coffin.

What does this have to do with Saudi Arabia?

Well, who is the one who funds mosques in Pakistan, with a known track history of "y'all better hate these groups or else"?

Who inflames anti-Ahmadiyya tendencies in Pakistan?

Who preaches literal wars against infidels in British mosques.

I know, I sound like I'm spewing "The Eternal Saudi" at this point, but it is what it is. Egypt is just enabling Saudi Arabia, giving them a means to "invest" (i.e. fund radical Islam) in Egypt.

Also, you have el-Sisi hating on the MB because they're Islamists.

But then you have him giving away islands to the biggest Islamists of the region.

To top it off? Watch as the Saudis give some funding to Wahhabi/Salafi preachers in Egypt just to stick it to el-Sisi.

The only thing Egypt should give the Saudis is to tell them to sod off.

[Ganos Lao]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/11/world/middleeast/egypt-gives-saudi-arabia-2-islands-in-a-show-of-gratitude.html?mwrsm=Facebook&_r=0



Oh, boy, am I glad the West supported the overthrown of Morsi! He was too pro-Saudi Arabia, amirite? Thank goodnees were're rid of him and his MUSLIM™ Brotherhood! I'm also glad that we're going back to the 19th century where sovereign territory is traded away like real estate. Anyway, needless to say, the backlash has been enormous, even in a country with virtually no free press. But, most importantly, what do you say, NSG? Does this set a kind of shitty precedent ("gives us territory and we'll invest in your country")? Should Saudi Arabia get those islands? Is this thread going to have a lot of shitty, uninformed comments about how evil the Muslim Brotherhood is? Comment below.

The usual Saudi gesture of smiling and nodding all the while hiding a dagger behind their back. I just hope Egypt doesn't turn into a second Pakistan. The world needs less Saudi puppet States, not more.

Sanc, if it were possible, the entire region would consist of other Pakistans. That's the Saudi dream.

[Jochistan]

"Uninformed comments about how evil the Muslim Brotherhood is"

If you're okay with death for apostasy, holding women responsible for their own rape, killing people for "sexual ddegeneracy", I guess there wasn't any problem with them being there.

Egypt is appeasing Saudi Arabia. Which is pretty bad. But they're cracking down on their ideology and the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood too.

[Sanctissima]

The usual Saudi gesture of smiling and nodding all the while hiding a dagger behind their back. I just hope Egypt doesn't turn into a second Pakistan. The world needs less Saudi puppet States, not more.

Sanc, if it were possible, the entire region would consist of other Pakistans. That's the Saudi dream.

They've already got the UAE and Qatar by their balls, and the Bahraini government too. Until recently they had Yemen's government, and they've weaved their way into much of Europe's Muslim population (although I'm hoping the non-Salafi refugee influx will dilute that problem). I'm afraid the dream is very much turning into a reality.

[Valaran]

Could they at least have given Sinai (or rather, part of it) to the Saudis? Egypt has proven spectacularly crap at fighting IS there, and if the Saudis want land, they should at least work for it.

[Great Feng]

I like empires....
But not Saudi Arabia.

[Ganos Lao]

"Uninformed comments about how evil the Muslim Brotherhood is"

If you're okay with death for apostasy, holding women responsible for their own rape, killing people for "sexual ddegeneracy", I guess there wasn't any problem with them being there.

El Sisi did good in dealing with them, but then had to ruin that by dealing with the Saudis.

[Azurand]

"Uninformed comments about how evil the Muslim Brotherhood is"

If you're okay with death for apostasy, holding women responsible for their own rape, killing people for "sexual ddegeneracy", I guess there wasn't any problem with them being there.

El Sisi did good in dealing with them, but then had to ruin that by dealing with the Saudis.

Not to mention embracing unnecessary authoritarian measures and basically only putting a lip service to the Copts.

[Ganos Lao]

El Sisi did good in dealing with them, but then had to ruin that by dealing with the Saudis.

Not to mention embracing unnecessary authoritarian measures and basically only putting a lip service to the Copts.

Exactly.

El-Sisi had one job, and here he goes off on silly diversions.

[Rio Cana]

Seems everyone skipped the part about those islands belonging once to Arabia. They handed them over to Egypt for safe keeping in 1950.

In the end, Egypt is making a smart economic move. They are giving up two rocks and getting a 32Km. (20 mile) bridge that is going to be built between Arabia and Egypt via Tiran island. Arabian money will help develop Sinai. Seems Egypt wants to repopulate the Sinai. But no one is going to move there unless there is work and infrastructure.

Read this on that bridge - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi%E2% ... t_Causeway

[Ganos Lao]

Seems everyone skipped the part about those islands belonging once to Arabia. They handed them over to Egypt for safe keeping in 1950.

In the end, Egypt is making a smart economic move. They are giving up two rocks and getting a 32Km. (20 mile) bridge that is going to be built between Arabia and Egypt via Tiran island. Arabian money will help develop Sinai. Seems Egypt wants to repopulate the Sinai. But no one is going to move there unless there is work and infrastructure.

Read this on that bridge - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi%E2% ... t_Causeway

Oh, I knew about this, don't get me wrong. But it's still unfortunate they cozy up to the Saudis.

[Cetacea]

Seems everyone skipped the part about those islands belonging once to Arabia. They handed them over to Egypt for safe keeping in 1950.

In the end, Egypt is making a smart economic move. They are giving up two rocks and getting a 32Km. (20 mile) bridge that is going to be built between Arabia and Egypt via Tiran island. Arabian money will help develop Sinai. Seems Egypt wants to repopulate the Sinai. But no one is going to move there unless there is work and infrastructure.

Read this on that bridge - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi%E2% ... t_Causeway

Tiran Island is occupied by a Multinational Force under Norwegian command but mostly US personnel whose job is to enforce the Israel-Egypt treaty which keeps the vital shipping route around the island open. The transfer back to the Saudis and the construction of the causeway is great for Egypt and Arabia but no doubt Israel is hating on it.

Of course with the US being the bigest investors in Arabia outside the Saudis themselves I'm sure the USA isn't too worried and will get Israel to calm down and everything will go good with Tiran becoming a new tourism destination

[Geilinor]

Seems everyone skipped the part about those islands belonging once to Arabia. They handed them over to Egypt for safe keeping in 1950.

In the end, Egypt is making a smart economic move. They are giving up two rocks and getting a 32Km. (20 mile) bridge that is going to be built between Arabia and Egypt via Tiran island. Arabian money will help develop Sinai. Seems Egypt wants to repopulate the Sinai. But no one is going to move there unless there is work and infrastructure.

Read this on that bridge - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi%E2% ... t_Causeway

Oh, I knew about this, don't get me wrong. But it's still unfortunate they cozy up to the Saudis.

El Sisi is doing it because of Egypt's economic problems.

[Major-Tom]

I'm not even feigning apathy, I don't give a shit. We give larger favors to Saudi Arabia, even if it's a piss poor government, simply because our government has interests there.

So, if Egypt wants to join the party, whatever.

[Jochistan]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/11/world/middleeast/egypt-gives-saudi-arabia-2-islands-in-a-show-of-gratitude.html?mwrsm=Facebook&_r=0

Since King Salman of Saudi Arabia arrived in Cairo on Thursday for a five-day visit, the leader of the oil-rich kingdom has lavished his Egyptian allies with promises of aid and investment. But this time, instead of writing a blank check with little more than a polite “thank you” to show for it, King Salman will return home Monday with something more substantial in return: two islands in a strategic corner of the Red Sea.

Oh, boy, am I glad the West supported the overthrown of Morsi! He was too pro-Saudi Arabia, amirite? Thank goodnees were're rid of him and his MUSLIM™ Brotherhood! I'm also glad that we're going back to the 19th century where sovereign territory is traded away like real estate. Anyway, needless to say, the backlash has been enormous, even in a country with virtually no free press. But, most importantly, what do you say, NSG? Does this set a kind of shitty precedent ("gives us territory and we'll invest in your country")? Should Saudi Arabia get those islands? Is this thread going to have a lot of shitty, uninformed comments about how evil the Muslim Brotherhood is? Comment below.

Seriously, I'd like to know why you and other extremely anti-Sisi people think that The Muslim Brotherhood was redeemable. Sure they're moderate compared to ISIS and the Nejdis. But why do you not think they are evil?

[Ganos Lao]

Oh, I knew about this, don't get me wrong. But it's still unfortunate they cozy up to the Saudis.

El Sisi is doing it because of Egypt's economic problems.

I know, but still, couldn't they have cozyed up to some other country then?

[Jochistan]

I'm not even feigning apathy, I don't give a shit. We give larger favors to Saudi Arabia, even if it's a piss poor government, simply because our government has interests there.

So, if Egypt wants to join the party, whatever.

It's not like they have much of a choice here. At least they're working on snuffing out their influence in Egypt along with the MB.

[Roski]

"Oh good job Saud's. Have a couple islands"

what kinda fucked up foriegn policy is this

[Lonbonia]

I'm a Saudi, and I have to say, Egypt is basically giving away it's legitimacy as a country and bending over to everyone. Egypt shouldn't have given Saudi Arabia those islands.

[TheGemini]

A war between Iran and Saudi Arabia would be a glory indeed. They are in a virtual cold war hence the closer relations with Egypt and the two islands. Hillary Clinton's aide has close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood

[Major-Tom]

I'm a Saudi, and I have to say, Egypt is basically giving away it's legitimacy as a country and bending over to everyone. Egypt shouldn't have given Saudi Arabia those islands.

Do you live in Saudi Arabia atm? If so, are you an expat? Pardon my nosiness, I'm just curious.

[Lonbonia]

I'm a Saudi, and I have to say, Egypt is basically giving away it's legitimacy as a country and bending over to everyone. Egypt shouldn't have given Saudi Arabia those islands.

Do you live in Saudi Arabia atm? If so, are you an expat? Pardon my nosiness, I'm just curious.

I was born in Saudi Arabia, but I've moved to America. I'm done with how the government works and it's growing corruption. I'm still in touch with most of my family which are still back in Saudia.