Tunisia unrest spreading? Unrest in Egypt

[Darwin333]

A bad democracy against our national security interests should never be supported. When a country like Egypt has a significant population of extremists (80% believe that adulterers should be stoned to death) it's easy for Taliban-class leaders to win elections, take over, then abolish the democracy, kill off these youth, and be our mortal enemy. But go ahead have fidelity to a word rather than logic, liberty, protection of minority, and self preservation. Worked good in Iran.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Movement_of_Iran

We don't have to support them we just have to get out of their way. It doesn't matter if they support us or not, it is not our place to tell them what government we will "allow" them to have. Besides, we are kinda out of money to be the worlds police. Let them figure it out for themselves, if they don't like us afterward then fuck em.

 

[bfdd]

Obama is facing a situation no other president has faced in 40 years since the the middle east peace process. Obviously, he needs to support the people STRONGLY, which he has, but he can't completely disavow of Mubarak because it's not clear yet that he's going, or that the regime is changing.

Every word he or his administration utters could be taken against him depending on how things play out.

It's very simple we just say we appreciate the relationship with Mubarak and his government, but due to the current political climate and peoples protesting we have to cease political and financial support until things chill out. Sounds good to me and should be acceptable for both sides.

 

[bfdd]

We don't have to support them we just have to get out of their way. It doesn't matter if they support us or not, it is not our place to tell them what government we will "allow" them to have. Besides, we are kinda out of money to be the worlds police. Let them figure it out for themselves, if they don't like us afterward then fuck em.

Exactly, let them do whatever and when it settles down they will either be friendly or our enemy. If they want to be our enemy then fuck them we can deal with that shit later.

 

[TareX]

It's very simple we just say we appreciate the relationship with Mubarak and his government, but due to the current political climate and peoples protesting we have to cease political and financial support until things chill out. Sounds good to me and should be acceptable for both sides.

The LAST thing you want to say with an entire country chanting "DOWN DOWN MUBARAK" is "we appreciate the relationship with Mubarak".....

The bastard's goons are robbing the country, and demonstrators have to choose between protecting their homes themselves (no police, they're now armed thugs) or continuing with their cause. The internet is still down even though it's a work week.

His police thugs ruined complete businesses and looted landmarks. He could have left peacefully. He could have. But no. He couldn't care less if the country burns to the ground.

 

[TareX]

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/eyewitnesses-say-state-sponsoring-vandalism

Eyewitnesses say state sponsoring vandalism

Thugs looting residential neighborhoods and intimidating civilians are government-hires, say eyewitnesses.

In Nasr City, an Eastern Cairo neighborhood, residents attempting to restore security told Al-Masry Al-Youm that looters were caught yesterday.

“They were sent by the government. The government got them out of prison and told them to rob us,” says Nameer Nashaat, a resident working alongside other youths to preserve order in the district. “When we caught them, they said that the Ministry of Interior has sent them.”

In Masr al-Qadeema, another district, scrap metal dealer Khaled Barouma, confirmed the same account. “The government let loose convicts. They let them out of prisons. We all know them in this neighborhood,” he said, adding that the neighborhood’s youth is trying to put the place in order by patrolling its streets with batons.

“The government wants people to believe that this is an uprising of convicts, which is not the case. The government is the one that is a criminal,” Khalil Fathy, a local journalist covering the events closely, said.

In Rehab City, a wealthy gated community in New Cairo, masked thugs broke through a civilian barricade in a truck and were caught by a neighborhood watch that has been guarding the city this evening.

"Eventhough we caught the ones we saw, now that they're in, we know that more will be coming and we're all running to protect our families and houses," said Karim el-Dib, one of the men guarding the community.

Meanwhile, protestors caught two police informants attempting to rob a bank in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.

Ayman Nour, opposition leader and head of the Ghad Party, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that his fellow party members have caught several thugs who work forthe Interior Ministry. After capturing them in downtown Cairo and Heliopolis, Nour's followers found ministry of interior IDs on them, Nour said.

“The regime is trying to project the worst image possible to make it clear to people that they have only one of two alternatives: either the existing order or chaos,” he said.

Scores of looting incidents have been reported since yesterday. Many residential neighborhoods have been attacked by thugs and ex-convicts, despite military presence.

Yesterday, the army has been ordered to intervene and maintain public order after the police apparatus had failed to abort large protests demanding his ouster.

Given the sweeping acts of vandalism, opposition leader Nour wondered about the military’s stance on the ongoing chaos.

 

[Hacp]

The statement released by Obama is SOOO obamish. He clearly has an opinion and a motive but he doesn't say it! He just makes vague comments that make him(and the US) look bad. That's a direct result of him not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings.

 

[yllus]

Signal of the end of support for the current regime by the U.S.:

Clinton: Egypt must transition to democracy

WASHINGTON — The U.S. expects that the protests in Egypt will lead to free and fair elections as part of an "orderly" transition to "real democracy," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday as the Obama administration worked to get a handle on the fast-moving upheaval shaking the American ally.

"I want the Egyptian people to have a chance to chart a new future," said Clinton, who addressed the volatile situation in back-to-back interviews on the five morning shows before leaving on a trip to Haiti.

Asked if she thought longtime Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak had taken the necessary steps so far to hold on, Clinton said, "It's not a question of who retains power. . It's how are we going to respond to the legitimate needs and grievances expressed by the Egyptian people and chart a new path. Clearly, the path that has been followed has not been one that has created that democratic future, that economic opportunity that people in the peaceful protests are seeking."

 

[bfdd]

The LAST thing you want to say with an entire country chanting "DOWN DOWN MUBARAK" is "we appreciate the relationship with Mubarak".....

The bastard's goons are robbing the country, and demonstrators have to choose between protecting their homes themselves (no police, they're now armed thugs) or continuing with their cause. The internet is still down even though it's a work week.

His police thugs ruined complete businesses and looted landmarks. He could have left peacefully. He could have. But no. He couldn't care less if the country burns to the ground.

Uh... that has nothing to do with our relationship to Mubarak. By our relationship with Mubarak I'm talking about trade and political affiliations that may have been beneficial to the USA. In this respect we appreciate our relationship with Mubarak. I continued on to say we would drop ALL further support, from this point on, to be NEUTRAL in the matter of the Egyptian people vs their government and be willing to work with whatever government was established in the outcome.

That seems rather neutral and diplomatic to me.

 

[TareX]

I think the statements of the Obama administration are reasonable so far. They have a very limited selection of words to choose, and a a wealth of wrong words they can utter.

They obviously dropped support of the "person" of Mubarak. As for his regime, they are strongly asking them to "address" the people's demands, which they -the US- support.

 

[StinkyPinky]

I did find Obamas comment that violence is not the answer when trying to overthrow an unelected government rather amusing...

 

[theeedude]

Egypt is not America.

 

[bfdd]

I did find Obamas comment that violence is not the answer when trying to overthrow an unelected government rather amusing...

especially when the established government has no problem using violence on the populace

 

[yllus]

Okay, I'm really bad at geography myself, but this is beyond retarded. Good work FOX. I can only hope that this was faked.

 

[bfdd]

lol wtf

 

[Zebo]

News is reporting MB and ElBaradei are in talks to for unity gov. ElBaradei hitting the streets now.

Mubarak needs to fall on his sword and put someone reasonable in there but that won't let fundis come to power. A respected General or something. Longer he waits more chance of MB running the show.

Also, Huge prison breaks releasing hundreds of MB and thousands of others.

 

[TareX]

Elbaradei's support within the protesters is....Meh. He is the only recognizable face though, so that's it.

When criticizing the US, you need to first consider that they don't want to PUBLICLY appear as if they are micromanaging the Egyptian fate. Actually, the most damaging thing that could happen to ElBaradei now is a White House statement with his name in it mentioned in a positive light.

The best thing the US should do publicly is shut up and watch.... Behind closed doors, I'm 100% sure they're asking for a transition of power from Mubarak to someone else pro-US, be it Soliman or Elbaradei.

 

[Lemon law]

A billion dollars may not be chump change, but in a nation of 75 million Egyptians who don't even get a fair share of the 1 billion in US foreign aid, it amounts to no more than a whole $13.33 cents per ca pita.

Cutting off foreign US aid to Egypt now based on US nervousness, would be a be fool move that only replays a really bad song that jumped the shark 30 years ago.

Oh piffle, a billion dollars just don't buy much anymore.

 

[feralkid]

oooooooooooohhh "al-ikhwan", u think it sounds more sinister because you're saying the arabic translation? so lame.

Riiiight.

I'm sure you call "Al-Qaida" or "Luftwaffe" by their English translation, otherwise you would be so "lame".


Stop being a putz.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

mubarek is the saddam hussein of egypt. america is very hypocritical, it pays lip service to supporting democracy but it really doesnt when it supports guys like this, and its backfiring all over the world now

 

[TareX]

On the role of US Foreign Aid:

Telling Mubarak to leave otherwise Egypt won't get the US aid, is like your parents telling you to move out of home otherwise you won't get that gaming desktop in your room.

He doesn't care about the US aid if he's not president. The US aid is the lamest bargaining tool. The country is burning and he's OK with it if it means he'll stay in power.

 

[Lemon law]

Somewhat unlike the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 that ended up enabling a Iraqi thugoracy, by many different Iraqi factions, so far, the Egyptian rebellion has produced quite the opposite effect. As many different Egyptian factions rally to seemingly prevent mass anarchy and theft.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Several of the looters caught by the population apparently said they had been released from prisons by the Ministry of Justice if they'd promise to start looting. So Mubarak tries to cause further unrest in the hope that people ask for strong action and he can start rounding up protesters at the same time. Which isn't working.

The 6 journalists from Al Jazeera that had been arrested have been released again, more and more protesters are appearing still, so I doubt Mubarak can stay on much longer.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Somewhat unlike the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 that ended up enabling a Iraqi thugoracy, by many different Iraqi factions, so far, the Egyptian rebellion has produced quite the opposite effect. As many different Egyptian factions rally to seemingly prevent mass anarchy and theft.

People will rail against a common enemy.

When they have to then sit down and start working out an understanding of what they have accomplished will the differences/divides show.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

america says they support democracy in third world countries but they really dont. the us pretends that democracy will result in the election of pro us governments that will give american corporations access, but in practice, once countries have elections they elect politicians that dont want the us exploiting them anymore. any type of elected government anywhere (afghanistan, iraq, egypt, saudi arabia etc...) is bad news for the us

 

[Schadenfroh]

Looks like their army is siding with the people:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/31/us-egypt-idUSTRE70O3UW20110131

"The armed forces will not resort to use of force against our great people," it said, though it would stop looters.

"Your armed forces, who are aware of the legitimacy of your demands and are keen to assume their responsibility in protecting the nation and the citizens, affirms that freedom of expression through peaceful means is guaranteed to everybody."

Hope the dictatorship is at an end and that a liberal democracy emerges from this.