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I have no clue how to make Arabs more proud and self respecting and feel less humiliated and have less of an inferiority complex etc.

Stop supporting political systems that inevitably leave them poor and less developed? Just a thought.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Sep 14th, 2006 at 08:19:51 AM EST
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I agree.

Let's stop driving our cars today.

Colman, don't get me wrong. I am not saying this to criticize you, but just try to think it through.

I look forward to Energize Europe.

by Joerg in Berlin ((joerg.wolf [AT] atlanticreview.org)) on Thu Sep 14th, 2006 at 09:22:04 AM EST
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You think that whoever got in power wouldn't want to sell us oil? Why?
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Sep 14th, 2006 at 09:34:02 AM EST
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I don't understand what this has to do with your earlier comment.

You wrote: We should stop supporting the undemocratic regimes.

I responded that we should not drive our cars then. Then we would withdraw our support of these regimes.

What do you suggest? How do you want to stop supporting those regimes?

Stop development aid for Egypt and others? Sure. What else?

by Joerg in Berlin ((joerg.wolf [AT] atlanticreview.org)) on Thu Sep 14th, 2006 at 09:39:16 AM EST
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Stop development aid. Stop propping up unpopular regimes. Stop treating  Saudi princes as respectable world leaders. Speak against their human rights abuses and their suppression and their outrages. Let their governments fall. And above all, stop bloody interfering.
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Sep 14th, 2006 at 09:43:57 AM EST
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Sorry for being explicit, but this is a silly discussion. The population of most oil-rich Muslim countries is not poor, those without oil (Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Pakistan) or with major wars behind them (Iraq, Afghanistan, less so Iran) are really poor. To stop driving cars won't affect the regimes of the poor countries, and (unless oil production is throttled severely so that other customers buy less for much more) won't make the subsidized population of the oil-rich ones richer. On the other hand, stopping driving cars will help Europe to get closer to energy independence, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (I already don't have a car.)

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Thu Sep 14th, 2006 at 09:44:31 AM EST
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