Breaking News & LIVE THREAD- Egypt and Middle East

Various on the internet | 28 January 2011

[SE Mom]

From FOX:

DEVELOPING: Loud explosions and gunfire were heard in the Egyptian capital of Cairo Friday, as protesters demanding the removal of President Hosni Mubarak defied a curfew, Al Jazeera reported. Egyptian television reports the ruling party headquarters in Cairo are on fire.

From TWITTER:

WashingtonPost: Clinton: We urge #Egypt authorities to allow peaceful protest, reverse unprecedented steps it has taken to cut off communications less than 20 seconds ago

[altura]

I find the cutting off of aid a little disquieting. It tells me that Obama does not support Mubarak and probably doesn’t have a clue as to who or what will rule Egypt in his absence.

I don’t think we should have been giving aid to Egypt at all but why stop it at this critical point.

I honestly don’t trust Obama on muslim issues at all. I think he has much sympathy for islamic causes.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks HollyB. Have a good one...

[John W]

Maybe. Or she had plans for the weekend and this government thing is messing them up. I think she is overmatched.

[SE Mom]

Hard to tell...one thing’s starting to emerge though- Mubarak’s days are over..or numbered at the least.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

First off, this thread is NOT about Palin. Second, Reagan had spent over 20 years working in Government around strong defense initiatives before he ever ran for President. He was not suddenly launched into a political career.

There is no comparison and from here on out, stick to the topic. Start your own thread if you are trolling for a flame war. You are in the wrong place for that here.

[Art in Idaho]

Fox News: US has cut off all aid to Egypt.

Enter China.... They already have the Panama Canal, why not the Suez also?

So is this what Hu and Obama talked about in their private meetings? Why is this happening so soon after the visit by Hu?

[jeltz25]

the aid was the price of the peace treaty with Israel. Given all the trouble we went through from 48-73, a billion or two a year to keep things quiet between them was well worth it. Of course, if we just do nothing as Mubarak is toppled and the MB takes over...

[mewzilla]

This is interesting....

Congress siding with Egyptian protesters

The Senate's off 'til Monday and the House has next week off.

Someone's timing was serendipitous.

[dfwgator]

Further proof that the US doesn’t have anybody’s back anymore.

[Padams]

CNN just reported Obama hasn’t spoken with Mubarek. O is working through intermediaries. CNN reporter continues line that WH is deciding how to respond.

[swarthyguy]

>Obama and Clinton aides are torn about how to respond

Stupid, the damage has been done, the half hearted support, the peurile calls for reform and peaceful protest when the cities are burning.

Shah Redux, either support our SOB or don’t. This won’t buy ‘em friends in any putative future regime.

Plus, on a shrinkology note, the children of the 60’s are wistful for the meaning to life that demos and protests bring.

[9YearLurker]

We’ve got 5 cents to go up here in CT:

http://www.connecticutgasprices.com/index.aspx?fuel=C&area=Stamford&dl=Y&intro=Y

[Liberty Valance]

"I find the cutting off of aid a little disquieting. It tells me that Obama does not support Mubarak and probably doesn’t have a clue as to who or what will rule Egypt in his absence."

*UPDATE* - Admistration is REVIEWING aid to Egypt.

[mewzilla]

Note to Congress: I’d get your butts back to work.

[sunmars]

The continued delay of the start of the Gibbs briefing has room abuzz of a special visitor to press room to talk Egypt.

Don’t tell me Obama’s called Bill in for help again.

[HollyB]

It was so much easier to vote: Present!

[altura]

O is in over his head as per usual.

[Ditto]

Maybe it’s the American in me, but I truly believe that all people just want to be free.

The vast majority of Egyptians have no desire for 'freedom' in the Western sense as you or I do. Our concept is individual liberty accompanied by individual responsibilities. That concept is totally foreign to them. They have no cultural basis to even comprehend that.

They do not believe in live and let live. They do not seek individual liberty. Their orientation is to tribes or clans or sects and the 'rights' of those entities. The individual is not central to them. It is group rights and group dominance they seek.

Egypt is about to flip into a very radical, authoritarian, Islamic state where individual liberty is not permitted or even desired and groups play out for control. And that will be just fine with the vast majority of Egyptians.

Yes, Mubarak by our standards is a tin pot dictator, but for that culture, he was pretty much a pussy cat. The crazies are going to win this one, and Egypt is heading back to the 7th Century. The entire Mideast is going to blow apart because of it.

[HollyB]

I bet he’ll say a whole lot of nothin’. Agree that both sides have a point, but pipe it down, yada yada yada.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks Caluvdubya. I worked with a man that grew up in Iran. He was a good guy, a Christian. That’s why I’m careful not to buy into the nuclear resolution to our differences with Iran. People like to pop off about that once in a while.

There are plenty of good people in Iran. Unfortunately, the minority of people can dominate for periods of time. I don’t believe the majority of Iranians wanted the Shah gone. In fact, I’ll bet a lot of the Iranians today would love to have him back if they could.

You are right. These uprisings are not good, and I’m glad we can agree on this one. Take care.