Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The Saudis Intervene in Bahrain

2200 GMT: Another appearance by Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi tonight. Addressing supporters in Tripoli, he chided his opponents: "You are saying Gaddafi is going to leave the country. Do you think Gaddafi would leave?....Those traitors who let Libya down during the Italian imperialism, they have left their children with the shame."

Qaddafi spoke as the opposition held an anti-regime rally in their base in Benghazi in the east.

2105 GMT: A gang armed with clubs and butcher knives attacked the printing press of Bahrain's only opposition newspaper, Al Wasat, early Tuesday morning.

Al Wasat, which means "The Centre" in Arabic, was set up in 2002 after Bahrain's King introduced reforms that allowed independent press licences. All of Bahrain's other newspapers are pro-government or affiliated with senior officials.

2100 GMT: Two clips claiming to be of protests in Syria today:

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Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The Regime Advances

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2050 GMT: Video of security forces firing tear gas at Bahrain pro-democracy protesters:

1920 GMT: A BBC reporter describes the heavy security presence in Saudi Arabia today, deterring protesters:

I took a taxi from our hotel at midnight on Thursday to find police cars with their lights flashing parked at five-metre intervals along all the main streets in Riyadh.

I was pulled over by the police for merely filming on my mobile phone.

On Friday, the city woke up to the sight of more police on the streets than people, and the atmosphere was tense.

The only notable demonstrations today were in Eastern Province, where the Shi'a minority have been protesting discrimination and detentions.

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Middle East Snapshot: Will the Gulf's Monarchs Keep Their Thrones? (Foley)

By 2011, the six monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council states, central to the international economy with massive oil and gas deposits and lucrative consumer markets, had rebounded from the global financial crisis, thanks in part to strong oil prices. The threat from extremist Islamic and terrorist organizations had largely ebbed while longstanding security ties with Washington appeared to shield the states against Iran and other external threats.  Many Gulf governments had adopted a strong presence online, and both Dubai and Qatar were global leaders in delivering e-government to their citizens. 

However, only weeks after the start of Tunisia’s revolution, monarchs from Kuwait to Oman face the most serious challenge to their authority in half a century.

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Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: While We Were Watching Tripoli....

2200 GMT: We are going to take an overnight break. Coverage continues on our Live Feed from Al Jazeera English.

2150 GMT: The scene in Tahrir Square in Cairo tonight, where an activist claims 5000 protesters are gathered:

2040 GMT: The US has blocked $30 billion in assets of the Libyan Government since President Obama's executive order late Friday night imposing unilateral sanctions against Muammar Qaddafi and his family. This is the largest amount of foreign assets ever seized in applications of sanctions by the US.

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Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The Fighting Nears Tripoli

NOTE: Our entries on today's protests in Iraq have now been moved to a separate LiveBlog.

2330 GMT: Naval officers in Libya expressing support for the opposition:

2255 GMT: Video of protest in the Souq al-Jumaa section of Tripoli in Libya tonight. The graffiti at the end is “Tell the dogs of the regime to come to the square” and “Broadcast this Al Jazeera, you are the only [news media] that is believed":

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EA Appeal: Save the Vulture (Who is Not, In Fact, an Israeli Spy)

A Non-Spying Griffon VultureAs long-time readers know, our correspondent Ms. EA has a special dedication to animal welfare. She brought us the exclusive story of Winnie the Pooh's response to the swine flu scare, and last month she helped break the story of the "Israeli spy" sharks (who were not, in fact, Israeli spies) infesting Egyptian waters.

But now Ms EA has reached a new level of concern. She has learned from absolutely, totally, beyond-any-doubt media outlets that a griffon vulture is in danger of execution in Saudi Arabia because --- and you may see a theme building here --- he is accused of being an Israeli spy

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WikiLeaks: A Guide to EA's Saturday-Monday Coverage

ANALYSES

1. A two-part special evaluating the January 2010 assessment of the Green Movement and Iranian politics by the US Consulate in Dubai:

Part 1: "US Diplomats Assess the Green Movement and the Political Situation"

Part 2: "US Diplomats Assess Green Movement and Politics 'From Crisis to Stalemate'"

2. Getting behind misleading headlines to assess the claim "Saudi Arabia: A Cash Machine for Terrorists"

3. Getting to the real significance on an American assessment of the situation in Iraq: "Comparing the Threats from Saudi Arabia and Iran"

FEATURES AND DOCUMENTS

1. A November 2009 diplomatic episode involving the US and Libya: "When the Nuclear Deal Almost Unraveled...Because Qadhafi Couldn't Camp in New York"

2. The State Department warns students, "Link to Documents and You'll Never Work for Us"

Wikileaks Special: Dissecting the Claim "Saudi Arabia A Cash Machine for Terrorists"

A fine example this weekend of keeping a careful eye on press coverage of the WikiLeaks documents and using the original cables to reach a more considered judgement....

The Guardian of London headlines, "WikiLeaks cables portray Saudi Arabia as a cash machine for terrorists". This is supported by the sub-headline: "Hillary Clinton memo highlights Gulf states' failure to block funding for groups like al-Qaida, Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba".

Not exactly.

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Wikileaks and Iraq: Comparing the Threats from Saudi Arabia and Iran

What is notable here is the divergence between the analysis of the Saudi and Iranian threats to Iraq and the recommendations for the way forward.

Proposed US action on the Saudis is limited to "keeping up the pressure on Egypt and Saudi Arabia in particular to return their Ambassadors [to Baghdad]" and general invocation to "caution Iraq's Arab neighbors against efforts to inflame Shia-Sunni anxieties through their support for Sunni parties and by Shia-critical media attacks".

In contrast, Tehran retains its special place as Number One Adversary, its presence used to link Iraq with others in the area in an American partnership: "We will need to flesh out ideas for a post-GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] security architecture that includes Iraq more fully, develops ways to contain Iranian regional influence, and shapes the special position Iraq will likely occupy in the Gulf in ways that further our interests and those of our Gulf partners."

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Wikileaks Document: Syria's Assad Gives the Ultimate Response to the US on Human Rights

Senator Cardin pressed on, insisting that Syria should adhere to widely accepted international standards. He explained, "When the U.S. is challenged, you see it on the front page of the newspaper."

Was Assad now cornered? Not at all.

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