Politics

Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards have warned Saudi Arabia that they will suffer a “harsh revenge” following the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.  Iran have warned that “the unjustly spilled blood of this oppressed martyr will no doubt soon show its effect and divine vengeance will befall Saudi politicians.” Express.co.uk reports: The move appeared to end any hopes that the common enemy of ISIS could lead to rapprochement between the two countries.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has posted controversial images on his website which liken the executions in Saudi Arabia with the practises of ISIS.  The provocative images depicts an ISIS fighter holding a knife above a hostage, alongside an image of a Saudi executioner brandishing a sword with a prisoner kneeling before him. The text reads “any differences?” above the two images. Independent.co.uk reports: The image comes as the Iranian supreme leader renewed his attack on Saudi Arabia over its execution of leading Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr-al Nimr.

Hours ago, in the latest sign that tensions between Riyadh and Tehran are set to spiral into a full blown diplomatic crisis of historic proportions, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Ahmad Al-Jubeir announced that the kingdom has cut diplomatic ties with the Iranians. The Iran mission was ordered to leave Saudi Arabia within 48 hours.

Al-Jubeir went on to accuse Iran of stoking sectarian violence in the region (a contention that represents the worst kind of hypocrisy) and suggested Riyadh may need to do more to counter the expansion of Iranian influence.  

At least 15  members of the security forces were killed and 22 injured on Sunday when an Iraqi military base north of Baghdad was targeted by multiple suicide bombers. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement distributed by supporters online. RT reports: Two bombers detonated their explosive-rigged vehicles at the western gate of Camp Speicher, a former US base outside the Sunni-majority city of Tikrit, Reuters reported, citing security sources. Three others made it to the part of the base used for training Iraqi police.

I don't talk about politics much here on the Slope of Hope, but it's a topic I find of great interest. Since 2016 is a U.S. Presidential election year, we're going to be absolutely buried in news, debates, advertisements, attacks, counter-attacks, and hip-deep in B.S.

I think the result of the election is actually pretty straightforward, since its outcome is dependent on the state of the world around us. From my point of view: