Nimr al-Nimr execution: Former Iraq PM al-Maliki says death will 'topple Saudi regime'

[WestVirginiaRebel]

UK Independent:

The former prime minister of Iraq, Nuri al-Maliki, has said that the execution of the prominent Shi'ite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr by Saudi Arabia will be the downfall of the Gulf kingdom's government.

 

Mr al-Maliki, who was prime minister of Iraq between 2006 and 2014, said in a statement that his countrymen "strongly condemn these detestable sectarian practices and affirm that the crime of executing Sheikh al-Nimr will topple the Saudi regime as the crime of executing the martyr al-Sadr did to Saddam," referencing the death of another prominent cleric in Iraq in 1980.

 

Hundreds of armoured vehicles were sent to Qatif in Saudi Arabia to contain protests in response to the execution, while demonstrators in Bahrain have been tear-gassed.

 

Several protests have taken place in majority Shia Qatif and in Bahrain, following the execution of Sheikh al-Nimr and 46 others for ‘terrorism offences’.

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The fall of the House of Saud?

[Valin]

The Middle East Couldn’t Possibly Get Worse. Could It?

John Hinderaker

January 2, 2016

 

The Sunni-Shia schism goes back more than a millenium and has been a more or less constant feature of geopolitics in the Middle East for a long time. The closest the balance has come to being upset within recent memory was the Iran-Iraq war, in which the United States sensibly did what we could to prevent either side from winning.

 

Now, though, the long-simmering feud is heating up, primarily, I think, because of Iran’s growing military ascendancy. The latest manifestation is Saudi Arabia’s simultaneous execution of 47 men by beheading or firing squad in prisons across the country. The 47 were executed for “terrorism,” mostly on the basis of being members of al Qaeda. But one of those killed was Shia cleric Nimr Al-Nimr, whom the Saudi government arrested in 2012.

 

(Snip)

 

We generally think of demonstrators as opponents of the government, but that isn’t necessarily true. (Occupy Wall St., for example, was basically an inept arm of the ruling Democratic Party.) Here, as in 1979, those who stormed the Saudi embassy were doing the Iranian government’s bidding. Note how the mob threw fire bombs at the Saudi embassy and “forced their way” into the embassy, but then were “cleared by police.” Likewise, they were allowed to start a fire that was then “swiftly extinguished.” I am pretty sure that if Iran’s government wanted to protect the Saudi embassy, it could do so.

 

Demonstrations were not limited to Iran. This photo is of Saudi women in the coastal city of Qatif, which is mostly Shia:

 

 

 

This video apparently shows Shia demonstrators in faraway Kashmir:

 

(Snip)

[Draggingtree]

Saudi Arabia executes Shiite cleric, Iranian protesters storm Saudi embassy

By: Joe Cunningham (Diary) | January 2nd, 2016 at 09:30 PM

 

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran are at a high after the former executed 47 prisoners, including a prominent Shiite cleric. Saudi Arabia announced the executions, which included al Qaeda militants and at least four Shiite dissidents. The executions led to protests in Iran, where several protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran and set fires.

 

The cleric executed was Sheikh Nimr al- Nimr, who spoke frequently in opposition to the Saudi Arabian government, calling for greater rights for the Shiite people of the predominantly Sunni nation. He was convicted for his part in organizing rallies that turned violent, though he claimed he never advocated violence against the Saudi government or the Al Saud ruling family. http://www.redstate.com/2016/01/02/saudi-arabia-executes-shiite-cleric-iranian-protesters-storm-saudi-embassy/

[Valin]

Saudi Arabia breaks off ties with Iran after al-Nimr execution

Jan. 3 2016

[Valin]

@WestVirginiaRebel

Moved

Saudi Arabia cuts ties with Iran, foreign minister says

Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran, the Kingdom’s foreign minister announced on Sunday, deciding "enough is enough" with the Islamic Republic, according to a source with knowledge of the Saudi government's thinking.



"Enough is enough," the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. "Again and again Tehran has thumbed their nose at the West. They continue to sponsor terrorism and launch ballistic missiles and no one is doing anything about it. The Saudis really don't care if they anger the White House."



The move comes amid escalating tensions between the countries following Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric on Saturday. A group of Iranians attacked the Saudi Embassy with Molotov cocktails and stones earlier Sunday following the death of Sheikh Nimir al-Nimir, and the Saudis have indicated they don't believe the Iranian government tried to stop the protesters.



Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian suggested the Saudi government was using the severing of diplomatic ties as a way to distract from al-Nimir's death, FARS news agency reported.

Saudi Arabia has ordered its personnel back from Iran and asked the Iranian diplomatic mission and other entities to depart the Kingdom within 48 hours, Reuters reported.

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