The Remarkable Events In Egypt
It’s been a week since the remarkable events in Egypt began. Today is supposed to be a million person demonstration in Cairo. The Mubarak regime has done everything to try to put the cat in the bag in Egypt – cut off Internet and cell phone, imposed curfews and shut down transportation – all to stop the demonstrations. Yesterday the Egyptian army announced that they wouldn’t interfere with the protests, so today’s protests could be huge.
In my opinion, Mubarak’s days are numbered. I assume that Mubarak is negotiating a graceful exit behind the scenes and the administration’s careful words seem to indicate that this may be the case.
The reaction of the American public has been mostly positive and sympathetic to the protestors. Remarkably, Republicans have been divided on their reactions. Some like John Bolton and Thaddeus McCotter think we should throw our support behind Mubarak. Others, like Elliot Abrams want to take credit for the protests as part of Bush’s “freedom agenda.” Greg Sargent knocks down this nonsense.
Abrams complains that “Obama’s remarks did not clearly demand democracy or free elections there,” as though the White House could engineer its preferred outcome in Egypt through sheer force of will. Meanwhile, in 2005, Bush congratulated Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on “winning” 89 percent of the vote in the Egyptian elections.
This reflects the reality that, rhetoric nonwithstanding, American leaders have supported democracy when they believed it was in U.S. interests — and supported autocrats like Mubarak when it wasn’t. As Steven Cook writes, “Change is coming to the Arab world because of its own internal problems and contradictions. Arabs are writing their own narrative and Washington would do well to make a strong statement in favor of the democratic aspiration of the people and then back off.”
Conservatives might also stop trying to take credit for the bravery of those attempting to write their own history — to the extent that they’re doing so, it is more in spite of us than because of us. Frankly, I doubt anyone understands that better than the protesters themselves, none of who will be fooled by the U.S. cautiously withdrawing its support for a leader whose 30 years in power are largely due to our sanction.
Personally, I think the administration’s approach has been the right one. Not everything that happens in the world is about America and sometimes there’s very little we can do to influence events. Mubarak has been in power for so many years because of the support of the U.S. and other western powers. He can’t stay in power if he doesn’t have the backing of the people any longer. The U.S. can’t come down on the side of repression, even if we think that’s in our best interest. I understand the caution, we don’t know what kind of government will come out of this and it most likely won’t be as friendly as the one it’s replacing. But surely we want our rhetoric about freedom and democracy to mean something when push comes to shove.
To keep up with what’s happening in Egypt, Al Jazeera English and BBC World has live coverage of the protests.
the teabaggers can really learn something about petitioning a tyrant. If their “revolution” was anything more than a fox news ad campaign, they would have american youth in the streets.
The Egyptians arent threatening violence as an opening bid… they are going to take out this dictator and hopefully have a freer nation. The question now is, how quickly will the GOP talk about “liberating them” if the “wrong” people win election?
and obama is “dithering” He should have done what W would have done and declare war on Iran.
And while everyone is focused on Egypt, the Jordanians have also taken to the streets — with King Abdullah firing the Cabinet.
The al-Jazeera coverage of the Egyptian situation has been really incredible. And their servers have been slammed with people trying to reach them.
Al Jazeera is reporting 2M people in Tahir Square and surrounding areas. This is despite the public transportation being shut down. I think the question now is when not if Mubarak steps down. It just doesn’t look like Mubarak will even be able to stay in an interim capacity.
Why has AlJazerra been blocked in the US today? Who did it and why? Listening to Allan Loudell just now it appears Allan has fallen into the Faux news trap. His ridiculous question about the Muslim Brotherhood (who has no real power) in Egypt, nor are responsible for this progressive pro-democracy movement. Only the ultra right wing are pushing this fear tactic that the Muslim Brotherhood will bring Egypt to a theocracy like Iran! So why would Al Loudell be worried over an non-existent issue? Perhaps because he is so pro Israel that he can’t research the truth from the Egyptian Street. I encourage everyone to watch democracynow.org whose producer an Egyptian is reporting from Cairo. Even Rachel Maddow discussed the April 6th youth movement lat night. So I wonder where Loudell is getting his fear tactics.
Al Jazeera is not blocked. You just need a new hamster in your computer.
it is so fun watching the Teabaggers on more national blogs hyperventilate about the Muslim Brotherhood and how they are behind this “insurgency” and how we should send our military in to do “what theirs is afraid to do…” i.e violently putdown peaceful democratic demonstrations and help support an American puppet who lets us use his country to control our oil reserves.
The game isnt just over for mubarak… the mid east dictators are going to topple, and with them America’s “influence” in the region. The question is, will we respect democracy that we didnt “deliver”? I think whoever is president on jan20 2013 will have a HUGE impact on that.
(here is the answer…. ANY republican will mean 6 more wars)
American Republicans love democracy as long as American Republicans are on the ballot and counting the votes. It isn’t just the Muslim brotherhood they don’t like. The think American elections that go to nonRepublicans are suspect.
Mubarak stepping down this September according to Reuters
American elections that go to non-republicans are the work of highly connected, secretly poor, “community organizers”…. but what does “community” sound like?
you got it, RD!… COMMUNISM!
Any election anywhere in the world in which a GOP candidate does not win is the work of evil communist spies who want to kill God with Sharia law and Gayness.
all snark aside, i cant help but feel hopeful for the middle east. A strong dictator is about to be peacfully removed from office without America launching one single bomb. NO doubt the GOP will take credit for this… because it was Bush’s plan the whole time….. still, Syria and Jordan appear to on the verge. If only the house of Saud would fall and the new Gvt would hit the self destruct button on the oil feilds, or at least refuse to trade with us….. a guy can dream.
It maybe Mubareks plan to step down in Sept. but its not the plan of the egyptians citizens. Mubarek will hold on long enought to steal a few more million. The repukes are already giving credit to Bush. Rush said it yesterday, “We must give credit where credit is due and the left will never give credit to George Bush”. It was Bush’s shock and awe that woke the people of the middle east up. The bigger question is the Suez Canal and what Israel will do to truly work towards a two state solution. I am still waiting for Obama to be like Reagun and say, “Open the Raffah Border Crossing, Tear down that wall and let the Palestinans out of the largest open air prison in the world”. Now thats dreaming!
Al Jazerra was blocked this morning in the US! Yes it was I was watching it, they had a live blog and all of a sudden it went out. You give me proof otherwise. Havent checked this afternoon, but it was this morning. I received many emails from Jewish Peace Groups and other bloggers on the ground in Egypt who said the same thing. so shove it.
what is your cable provider? Comcast pulled it, from what i understand, Fios and other smaller providers that offered AJ-e still have it. that info is as of 10am this morning
al Jazeera is simply overloaded on the biggest news day in its history. I’ve been watching it all day. Mubarak speaking now. Shove it yourself.
The dude does not look 82 years old. He looks like he could rule with an iron fist for another 20 years or so.
he thinks they will be OK with him staying until september….. i bet these crowds only grow until he is out of the country and out of power. This is amazing.
ya know who can Shove it? John Bolton.
I’ve been watching al Jazeera most of the day, as well. But, hey, why waste a good conspiracy theory!
The story of AlJazerra being blocked in the US, is now up at alternet and rawstory! I have Verizon I dumped Comcast when they dumped Olberman. No conspiracy theory…you just dont have the correct information.
pandora,
Add some dead birds in Arkansas and you’ve got yourself a conspiracy!
Ryan Grim at the HuffPost has a story on it too….so there!
Here’s the link to the HuffPo Article
Obama2008 pointed this out this afternoon.
Anon….
That’s right. I’m so pro-Israel, my latest blog post asks why we can’t see Al Jazeera English in the United States…
http://www.wdel.com/blog/post.php?postid=2587
I try to ask questions from all sides, and I don’t buy into anyone’s conventional wisdom. We just don’t know how this is going to turn out, especially medium- and long-term.
And I’ve blogged about, and raised the issue on-the-air about the incredible pressure from certain interests / lobbyists in Washington.
I talked about this with Gareth Porter of Inter Press Service, for example, surely an alternative source.
I interviewed Dr. Karim Makdisi at the American University of Beirut.
Please give me a little credit for trying to bring in voices beyond the usual Washington think-tank suspects.
Allan Loudell
WDEL Radio
Sorry Alan your guests told you the Muslim Brotherhood was not what you think. You continue to overlook your own journalists view points. Democracy Now last night (which you can get on line) also discusses AlJazerra blocked in North America. Could it be the cable providers refuse to allow AlJazerra to broadcast because no one would be watching CNN, Fox, NBC corporate media who censors our news? Steve Croft on 60 minutes interviewing Julian Assange all but said, they censor the news. AlJazerra is seen all over the world in any language, so the question of why our cable networks wont pick them is obvious.
No I cant give credit for pushing the right wing point of view Alan, leave that to Rush, Oreilly, Hannity etal. Your better informed than that.
HuffPost reporting Anderson Cooper was attacked by the Pro Mubarek goon squad.
aka, the people glenn beck wants us to send troops and bombs to support.