'Wahhabism behind Yemeni extremism'
Source: Press TV
Press TV interviewed Political Commentator Zayd al-Isa regarding the Saudi troops brutal terrorizing of peaceful Bahraini citizens.
Press TV: Mr. al-Isa, I would like to get your reaction to the news today of the sacrilege of a mosque and Qur'an by Saudi forces in Bahrain.
al-Isa: This is not something actually new. This is something the Saudi forces and the Saudi religious institutions are actually used to according to the Salafi-Wahhabi ideology, which is practiced, propagated and exported by Saudi Arabia. They have done similar acts of destroying cultural and religious institutions in Bosnia, and they have done it against cultural symbols in Afghanistan.
They have done it inside Saudi Arabia against Islamic religious institutions, and against Islamic mosques in al-Medina. It has happened in other parts of Saudi Arabia, and it fits perfectly with their Salafi-Wahhabi ideology which destroys the symbols of Islam. That is the ideology they propagate, and it's the ideology they have exported to Afghanistan for the Taliban in the schools. All the fatwas issued by the so-called religious scholars of Saudi Arabia are in the overwhelming majority government employees.
Saudi Arabia is a dictatorship and no one could issue a fatwa or a statement without the sole endorsement and backing of the government of Saudi Arabia. There was a clear example of that when one of the scholars actually resisted King Abdullah's call at a university, and he was actually sacked immediately.
This actually gives a green light. It gives religious legitimacy and religious justification for the killings, murders and bloodshed that is taking place in Bahrain, Iraq and also in Afghanistan. It's issued with the clear back and clear consent of the Saudi Arabia government.
What is happening in Bahrain is an outright invasion and clear cut occupation. What we are witnessing is a systematic and deliberate campaign of cold blooded murder by the King of Saudi Arabia. It's the blood of innocent, peaceful unarmed protesters who simply stood up to actually ask for their rights to be treated like normal citizens and to stand up against the uncontrollably discrimination of the original inhabitants of the country. It is to stand up against the brutal Bahraini dictatorship of the King.
He is a true dictator that has been in power for 30 years to discriminate against his own population and to actually change and shift the demographic composition of the country by importing mercenaries and giving them Bahraini citizenship to alter the democratic balance in the country.
The King of Saudi Arabia has actually warned the King of Bahrain that unless he manages to quell the protesters and to squash the popular movement he would send his forces into Bahrain. He made good on his threat and has sent his forces into Bahrain waging a war against the unarmed population. The King of Saudi Arabia has unleashed the most ferocious, and the most murderous onslaught against the unarmed civilians. We witnessed in the last twenty-four hours the Saudi forces coming in and adopting a clear policy of shoot to kill. It is the most violent, most brutal and ruthless crackdown against innocent civilians.
Now this could not have happened without the full consent of the American Administration to actually have their assistant based in Bahrain and to visit within less than 48 hours in Bahrain meeting the King himself. So he was aware of it. Although, the blood of the Bahraini people is on the hands of the King of Saudi Arabia and on the hands of the King of Bahrain; however, ultimately the moral responsibility lies with the United States.
Press TV: Our Press TV correspondent just mentioned that the Saudis are going to be helping with negotiations in Yemen. Can they be trusted to help bring forth a peaceful solution, or will their involvement complicate the matter?
al-Isa: The situation in Yemen is getting incredibly precarious. The Yemeni leader Saleh, or so-called dictator, is becoming increasingly isolated. He is dramatically losing the support base that he had from the tribal leaders, and also from the army. But what's happening is extremely dangerous and ominous because we have two military factions facing off each other in the capital Sana'a and this situation could easily degenerate and culminate in a military show down, or a military confrontation between the two parties. To answer your question, the Saudis are in no position to mediate because they are a party to the conflict.
They are part of the problem and not part of the solution. They can never be part of the solution because Sana'a is actually backed by them to the hilt. He has actually gotten the unequivocal, unqualified support from Saudi Arabia. He's been their loyal and obedient puppet and actually defended Saudi Arabia and was more concerned about Saudi Arabia and the latest fighting with the Houthis and invasion by the Saudi forces to Yemen.
The main condition to accept a cease fire with the Houthis was a term to respect the integrity of the Saudi border. He wasn't concerned about the conditions related to Yemen. His main concern was actually to satisfy, and make sure the Saudi border is actually respected and secured. So that is the sort of person he is and still is today. It is time now for negotiated transition of power.
But to actually give the Saudis the responsibility of negotiating, I don't think will arise. The main attention after all this time is to manage the change. They knew the change would happen sooner or later. They wanted time and more breathing space to make sure this change will only lead into a cosmetic and superficial change, which would be placed by another head or leader who would make sure his priorities would be protecting the Saudi border and be an obedient servant to the Saudi monarchy.
Let's not forget that Saudi Arabia treats Yemen and Bahrain as a battle zone; as a shield. It is simply considered its backyard. A country like Saudi Arabia that invades Bahrain and which commits genocidal massacres in Bahrain, and also these ghastly plans against humanity cannot be expected to broker. They could not be neutral in a peace deal or basically go after human rights and democracy in Yemen.
We have seen the protesters that are leading the popular uprising have rejected those negotiations which were to take place in Saudi Arabia. The parties are not interested in the negotiations, but Saleh has welcomed it and is pleading and begging for it. The main people on the ground that have been bearing the brunt of the atrocities, and actually being shot at on the ground have not accepted that. They have not given anyone the responsibility to negotiate on their behalf.
Interview with Zayd al-Isa, Political Commentator from London.
Brothers in Terror: President Obama with King Abdullah
Saudi troops have allegedly been terrorizing Bahraini citizens by perpetrating beatings, kidnappings, shootings and rapes in majority Shia villages.
Press TV interviewed Political Commentator Zayd al-Isa regarding the Saudi troops brutal terrorizing of peaceful Bahraini citizens.
Press TV: Mr. al-Isa, I would like to get your reaction to the news today of the sacrilege of a mosque and Qur'an by Saudi forces in Bahrain.
al-Isa: This is not something actually new. This is something the Saudi forces and the Saudi religious institutions are actually used to according to the Salafi-Wahhabi ideology, which is practiced, propagated and exported by Saudi Arabia. They have done similar acts of destroying cultural and religious institutions in Bosnia, and they have done it against cultural symbols in Afghanistan.
They have done it inside Saudi Arabia against Islamic religious institutions, and against Islamic mosques in al-Medina. It has happened in other parts of Saudi Arabia, and it fits perfectly with their Salafi-Wahhabi ideology which destroys the symbols of Islam. That is the ideology they propagate, and it's the ideology they have exported to Afghanistan for the Taliban in the schools. All the fatwas issued by the so-called religious scholars of Saudi Arabia are in the overwhelming majority government employees.
Saudi Arabia is a dictatorship and no one could issue a fatwa or a statement without the sole endorsement and backing of the government of Saudi Arabia. There was a clear example of that when one of the scholars actually resisted King Abdullah's call at a university, and he was actually sacked immediately.
This actually gives a green light. It gives religious legitimacy and religious justification for the killings, murders and bloodshed that is taking place in Bahrain, Iraq and also in Afghanistan. It's issued with the clear back and clear consent of the Saudi Arabia government.
What is happening in Bahrain is an outright invasion and clear cut occupation. What we are witnessing is a systematic and deliberate campaign of cold blooded murder by the King of Saudi Arabia. It's the blood of innocent, peaceful unarmed protesters who simply stood up to actually ask for their rights to be treated like normal citizens and to stand up against the uncontrollably discrimination of the original inhabitants of the country. It is to stand up against the brutal Bahraini dictatorship of the King.
He is a true dictator that has been in power for 30 years to discriminate against his own population and to actually change and shift the demographic composition of the country by importing mercenaries and giving them Bahraini citizenship to alter the democratic balance in the country.
The King of Saudi Arabia has actually warned the King of Bahrain that unless he manages to quell the protesters and to squash the popular movement he would send his forces into Bahrain. He made good on his threat and has sent his forces into Bahrain waging a war against the unarmed population. The King of Saudi Arabia has unleashed the most ferocious, and the most murderous onslaught against the unarmed civilians. We witnessed in the last twenty-four hours the Saudi forces coming in and adopting a clear policy of shoot to kill. It is the most violent, most brutal and ruthless crackdown against innocent civilians.
Now this could not have happened without the full consent of the American Administration to actually have their assistant based in Bahrain and to visit within less than 48 hours in Bahrain meeting the King himself. So he was aware of it. Although, the blood of the Bahraini people is on the hands of the King of Saudi Arabia and on the hands of the King of Bahrain; however, ultimately the moral responsibility lies with the United States.
Press TV: Our Press TV correspondent just mentioned that the Saudis are going to be helping with negotiations in Yemen. Can they be trusted to help bring forth a peaceful solution, or will their involvement complicate the matter?
al-Isa: The situation in Yemen is getting incredibly precarious. The Yemeni leader Saleh, or so-called dictator, is becoming increasingly isolated. He is dramatically losing the support base that he had from the tribal leaders, and also from the army. But what's happening is extremely dangerous and ominous because we have two military factions facing off each other in the capital Sana'a and this situation could easily degenerate and culminate in a military show down, or a military confrontation between the two parties. To answer your question, the Saudis are in no position to mediate because they are a party to the conflict.
They are part of the problem and not part of the solution. They can never be part of the solution because Sana'a is actually backed by them to the hilt. He has actually gotten the unequivocal, unqualified support from Saudi Arabia. He's been their loyal and obedient puppet and actually defended Saudi Arabia and was more concerned about Saudi Arabia and the latest fighting with the Houthis and invasion by the Saudi forces to Yemen.
The main condition to accept a cease fire with the Houthis was a term to respect the integrity of the Saudi border. He wasn't concerned about the conditions related to Yemen. His main concern was actually to satisfy, and make sure the Saudi border is actually respected and secured. So that is the sort of person he is and still is today. It is time now for negotiated transition of power.
But to actually give the Saudis the responsibility of negotiating, I don't think will arise. The main attention after all this time is to manage the change. They knew the change would happen sooner or later. They wanted time and more breathing space to make sure this change will only lead into a cosmetic and superficial change, which would be placed by another head or leader who would make sure his priorities would be protecting the Saudi border and be an obedient servant to the Saudi monarchy.
Let's not forget that Saudi Arabia treats Yemen and Bahrain as a battle zone; as a shield. It is simply considered its backyard. A country like Saudi Arabia that invades Bahrain and which commits genocidal massacres in Bahrain, and also these ghastly plans against humanity cannot be expected to broker. They could not be neutral in a peace deal or basically go after human rights and democracy in Yemen.
We have seen the protesters that are leading the popular uprising have rejected those negotiations which were to take place in Saudi Arabia. The parties are not interested in the negotiations, but Saleh has welcomed it and is pleading and begging for it. The main people on the ground that have been bearing the brunt of the atrocities, and actually being shot at on the ground have not accepted that. They have not given anyone the responsibility to negotiate on their behalf.
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