Instability and tumoil in the Middle East is due to.......water?

[Svnla]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/20/arab-nations-water-running-out

 

[iGas]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/20/arab-nations-water-running-out

Some scientists claimed that there is a shortage, other scientists said that there isn't.

There has been suggestion that Yemen wanted to relocate Sana'a city of 2 millions because they are running out of water. However, international organization suggest that growing unnecessary Khat (drugs plant) consumes 40% of the region water.

IMHO, over population is the problem that we are facing because of the demand on natural resources.

 

[CycloWizard]

Potable water supply is going to become an increasingly important issue. Most nations don't have reliable purification or delivery systems. Plenty of new technologies are already being developed, but they can't necessarily be deployed in other places for political reasons.

 

[dmcowen674]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/20/arab-nations-water-running-out

What does the Arab world do when its water runs out?

The diverse states that make up the Arab world, stretching from the Atlantic coast to Iraq, have some of the world's greatest oil reserves, but this disguises the fact that they mostly occupy hyper-arid places. Rivers are few, water demand is increasing as populations grow, underground reserves are shrinking and nearly all depend on imported staple foods that are now trading at record prices.

Some oil-rich Arab countries are belatedly beginning to address the problem. Having drained underground aquifers to grow inappropriate crops for many years, they have turned en masse to desalination. More than 1,500 massive plants now line the Gulf and the Mediterranean and provide much of north Africa and the Middle East's drinking water – and two-thirds of the world's desalinated water.

Silly article

Its a desert and always has been a desert.

They just got to many people that could be reasonably supported now.

Between water desalination plants, Wars knocking down population and infiltrating the western world to take it over, problem solved.

 

[iGas]

Potable water supply is going to become an increasingly important issue. Most nations don't have reliable purification or delivery systems. Plenty of new technologies are already being developed, but they can't necessarily be deployed in other places for political reasons.

Saudi and a few other oil rich states have advance desalination plants, but that too prove isn't a viable solution for the long run, because the salinity of the water in the area increase thus killing off plant life and fish.

 

[wuliheron]

It's not exactly a new problem or limited to overpopulated desert areas. Just this year Canada agreed to supply the US with water when the need arises! Water isn't any different from oil in that respect. There's only so much of it that's cheap and easy to get at and everyone is still getting 8 mpg with their v8 engines.

 

[CycloWizard]

Saudi and a few other oil rich states have advance desalination plants, but that too prove isn't a viable solution for the long run, because the salinity of the water in the area increase thus killing off plant life and fish.

There are newer desalination technologies becoming available as part of a larger push to improve membranes for water filtration. The new generation of membranes will make a big difference in most drinking water production processes by offering higher throughput and better quality.

 

[Exterous]

Potable water supply is going to become an increasingly important issue. Most nations don't have reliable purification or delivery systems. Plenty of new technologies are already being developed, but they can't necessarily be deployed in other places for political reasons.

Thats why I am sticking in Michigan. We are just biding our time, training our army (There is a reason Detroit and Flint are so dangerous). When the time is right we strike, sieze the Great Lakes and charge obscene prices for our water!

 

[CycloWizard]

Thats why I am sticking in Michigan. We are just biding our time, training our army (There is a reason Detroit and Flint are so dangerous). When the time is right we strike, sieze the Great Lakes and charge obscene prices for our water!

That's actually pretty accurate. The water in the Lakes is very clean now thanks to the zebra mussels. The fishing is getting better again, though I seem to catch a lot more lake trout than salmon in Lake Michigan over the last few years.

 

[Svnla]

That's actually pretty accurate. The water in the Lakes is very clean now thanks to the zebra mussels. The fishing is getting better again, though I seem to catch a lot more lake trout than salmon in Lake Michigan over the last few years.

Don't you guys worry about those big foreign fishes threat to the Big Lakes? Asian carp or something, the ones that jump out of water.

 

[bamacre]

Instability and turmoil in the Middle East is due to current problems (inflation, corruption), not potential future problems. These are humans we're talking about.

 

[CycloWizard]

Don't you guys worry about those big foreign fishes threat to the Big Lakes? Asian carp or something, the ones that jump out of water.

The Great Lakes are pretty secure against them unless people release them as pets. It's my understanding that people don't really keep them as pets, so that shouldn't be an issue. I have read that they are making their way up the Mississippi and its tributaries, but those never touch the Lakes. There may be some downstream of Niagara Falls, but the Falls tend to keep most of them downstream.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

The Great Lakes are pretty secure against them unless people release them as pets. It's my understanding that people don't really keep them as pets, so that shouldn't be an issue. I have read that they are making their way up the Mississippi and its tributaries, but those never touch the Lakes. There may be some downstream of Niagara Falls, but the Falls tend to keep most of them downstream.

I don't think the Great Lakes are "pretty secure against" the Asian Carp. They are knocking on the front door and will find a way into the lake eventually. The chances of Asian Carp infestation might decrease if the government would just close the canal that connects Lake Michigan to the Illinois (Mississippi) River.

 

[K1052]

I don't think the Great Lakes are "pretty secure against" the Asian Carp. They are knocking on the front door and will find a way into the lake eventually. The chances of Asian Carp infestation might decrease if the government would just close the canal that connects Lake Michigan to the Illinois (Mississippi) River.

The last two fish kills in the Little Calumet failed to turn up any Asian Carp and the electric barriers seem to be doing their job, more are being added I think.

 

[JS80]

Look for a company called Greene Planet to be behind all the unrest. They've been granted water rights (under the guise of trying to find long shot oil fields) by dictators who they help get into power by destabilizing their respective countries.

 

[Zebo]

I think I've heard it all now while overlooking the real cause, Islam.

 

[Thump553]

I think the large young un/underemployed educated population angle nearly every commentator points out makes a lot more sense than water. Water would make sense if it was a region vs. region or country vs. country dispute.

 

[piasabird]

Maybe they should just desalinate the Mediteranian. Lots of water in the Nile.

Fine we will trade one tanker with water for one tanker with OIL.

Many muslims practice Polygamy and have multiple wives. Maybe that is part of the problem.

 

[TareX]

Thats why I am sticking in Michigan. We are just biding our time, training our army (There is a reason Detroit and Flint are so dangerous). When the time is right we strike, sieze the Great Lakes and charge obscene prices for our water!

Why does everyone keep saying Michigan is known for its supply of fresh water?

When I lived in Kalamazoo last year (for an entire year), tap water was non-drinkable. It was yellowish, and loaded with heavy metals. Drinking bottled water wasn't a luxury, it was a necessity.

Then I moved to Canada, where the fluoridated (anti-dental carries) tap water is actually healthier than bottled water.

 

[TareX]

I think I've heard it all now while overlooking the real cause, Islam.

The instability is due to ONE reason, and one reason only:

Corruption.
Corruption.
Corruption.
Corruption.

These are "rich" countries, but thanks to Corruption, the money isn't making it to the people -which is also why they are police states.

In Egypt, ministers have been "gifting" away billions of $$ worth of land for free (as if it was theirs) in return for a cut from whatever project this land will be used for. It's been going on for years. Members of the ruling party force themselves into companies...etc. Corruption.

Corruption has penetrated every single sector. At the University, I could have had my uncle make a few phone calls and secure me fullmarks in all my exams. Happens all the time.

You don't pay "fines" on the street, you pay bribes.

It's Corruption.Corruption.Corruption.

In Egypt, it reached a tipping point when hundreds of videos made it to facebook showing govt employees faking votes for the parliament, where the ruling party wanted an obscene majority to set the scene for Gamal Mubarak's succession fiasco in 2011. Not only were they able to forge millions of votes in broad daylight, they gloated and joked about it on TV.

When the Tunisian president was kicked out, Egyptians were like "if they can do it, so can we", and within 3 days into the Egyptian rev, I can tell you for sure that the regime's plan for Gamal's succession had already collapsed.

The thing in Egypt is that the constitution is written in a way that makes corruption flourish. For instance, the entire voting process isn't under judicial supervision, but rather, the ruling party supervision. That, of course, and the fact emergency law has been in effect for more than 2 decades...etc.

It was a revolution waiting to happen, due to corruption. Rampant, despicable corruption. People want transparency. They want their stolen money and treasures back, and they want a democratic parliament and a govt that reflects their will, and a constitution that makes sure this happens.

 

[Zebo]

The instability is due to ONE reason, and one reason only:

Corruption.
Corruption.
Corruption.
Corruption.

These are "rich" countries, but thanks to Corruption, the money isn't making it to the people -which is also why they are police states.

In Egypt, ministers have been "gifting" away billions of $$ worth of land for free (as if it was theirs) in return for a cut from whatever project this land will be used for. It's been going on for years. Members of the ruling party force themselves into companies...etc. Corruption.

Corruption has penetrated every single sector. At the University, I could have had my uncle make a few phone calls and secure me fullmarks in all my exams. Happens all the time.

You don't pay "fines" on the street, you pay bribes.

It's Corruption.Corruption.Corruption.

In Egypt, it reached a tipping point when hundreds of videos made it to facebook showing govt employees faking votes for the parliament, where the ruling party wanted an obscene majority to set the scene for Gamal Mubarak's succession fiasco in 2011. Not only were they able to forge millions of votes in broad daylight, they gloated and joked about it on TV.

When the Tunisian president was kicked out, Egyptians were like "if they can do it, so can we", and within 3 days into the Egyptian rev, I can tell you for sure that the regime's plan for Gamal's succession had already collapsed.

The thing in Egypt is that the constitution is written in a way that makes corruption flourish. For instance, the entire voting process isn't under judicial supervision, but rather, the ruling party supervision. That, of course, and the fact emergency law has been in effect for more than 2 decades...etc.

It was a revolution waiting to happen, due to corruption. Rampant, despicable corruption. People want transparency. They want their stolen money and treasures back, and they want a democratic parliament and a govt that reflects their will, and a constitution that makes sure this happens.

You don't think we have corruption here? George W Bush could barley talk and got into and out of the two "finest universities" in the world. Not to mention instead of Vietnam he got a cushy position in BFE Texas where he never had to show up.

Anyway I was talking violence and terrorism in general that has plagued Islamic countries not just recent uprisings.

 

[wuliheron]

It was a revolution waiting to happen, due to corruption. Rampant, despicable corruption. People want transparency. They want their stolen money and treasures back, and they want a democratic parliament and a govt that reflects their will, and a constitution that makes sure this happens.

Yeah, yeah, and ancient Rome was as corrupt as they come too but lasted for eons. The Roman emperor had his own German bodyguards to protect him from all the corruption. The masses routinely stormed the palace during times of famine, but otherwise tolerated all that corruption.

This "revolution" looks like little more then a bunch of people storming the palace during a time of famine and bringing up every grievance they've ever had as an excuse. Until they actually start taking back control of their country and taking back everything that was stolen from them I'll just assume its a temporary change in administration and liberalization of the current corrupt system.