Breaking News & LIVE THREAD #3 - CRISIS IN EGYPT (Mubarak Resigns)

Various | 11 February 2011

[SE Mom]

From the BBC:

-A huge crowd has gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square for Friday prayers and a mass demonstration against Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak.

-Mr Mubarak defied protesters on Thursday, vowing to hold on to power until presidential elections in September.

-His speech drew a strong response from US President Barack Obama, who said Egypt needed a "clear and unequivocal" transition of power.

[ColdOne]

so do I. I too would love to see it be true.

[chessplayer]

“I am more frustrated than angry. It is mind numbing for me to see all these people think they will have democracy.”

They DON`T WANT a democracy. They are cheering because they want an islamist theocracy to replace Mubaraks dictatorship.

[daisy mae for the usa]

Those protesting do...but they are a small number of Egyptian citizens, perhaps 1-2%. Do they speak for all 80 million? I doubt it.

[ColdOne]

They DON`T WANT a democracy. They are cheering because they want an islamist theocracy to replace Mubaraks dictatorship. I realize this. I am speaking of the MSM thinking this is the Berlin Wall Moment.

[SE Mom]

Gag. Merkel is really good on some things- but it’s times like this that I wonder how well heads of government really understand the world AS IT IS.

Speaking of which- here’s a MUST READ for us all:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2672237/posts

I have this awful sensation we’ve just witnessed a wholly media driven coup.

[La Enchiladita]

Those protesting do...but they are a small number of Egyptian citizens, perhaps 1-2%.

And where did you get THAT information? Haha.

[ColdOne]

I have this awful sensation we’ve just witnessed a wholly media driven coup. Yes we have. Chilling

[Uncle Ike]

” Those protesting do...but they are a small number of Egyptian citizens, perhaps 1-2%. Do they speak for all 80 million? “

I’ve seen a number of quotes from the new Government/Military Junta that they will address all of the demands of the ‘protesters’ - nary a word about the 85-90% that aren’t ‘in the streets’......

Just sayin’....

[HollyB]

Well, if there are 80 million in the country and even 1 million are protesting....

[La Enchiladita]

I have this awful sensation we’ve just witnessed a wholly media driven coup.

Hi, SE Mom, although I greet you with chagrin this day. Word is the so-called "revolution" was started and spearheaded by a Google executive, one Wael Ghonim.

[jersey117]

I have this awful sensation we’ve just witnessed a wholly media driven coup.

Indeed. The media is always happy to oblige obama. No matter what the topic.... domestic, foreign, economic, healthcare - you name it - they've got his back.

[La Enchiladita]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/02/egyptians-filled-the-streets-of-many-egyptian-cities-late-friday-celebrating-the-ouster-of-longtime-president-hosni-mubarak.html

[azishot]

Our media will not allow “the won” to be humiliated. We’ll have to look to the foreign press for a balance in reporting. And I don’t have an abiding faith in either. I’ll stick with the truth coming from FR.

[HollyB]

I think Obama confuses democracy with mob rule

[La Enchiladita]

On now: http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN/

[daisy mae for the usa]

Haven’t the number of protesters been sited over, and over by various media outlets to be around a million? If so, and the population of Egypt is 80 million, we have a small number of the total represented in the protesters. That figures to about 1.3%, I think.

I get that not every sympathizer protested or even got involved— but we can’t say for certain that even close to 50% seek an extreme Islamic Gov’t.

This is the tiny grain of hope I am grasping. Not asking you to agree.

[DoughtyOne]

Egypt:  Mubarak's Gone, Is Paradise Just Ahead?
My own thoughts...


"It's the greatest day of my life," Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei just told NPR's Robert Siegel. "I couldn't have imagined that I would live long enough to see Egypt emancipated from decades of repression.  ElBaradei said that "every Egyptian [now] feels ... a sense of hope" and "every Egyptian is a different Egyptian today." (01)

ElBaradei is a highly visible Egyptian politician.  Most people haven't thought of him in those terms prior to this, but he is now one of a few highly visible Egyptian politicans who will likely figure prominantly in elections to be held later this year or possible early 2012.  The problem with this is that under the idea that Democracy can only turn out well, ElBaradei could become the first popular leader of Egypt. (02)  And the problem with that is that ElBaradei has some rather interesting takes on Egypt's internal, regional, and global dynamics.  For instance, ElBaradei states that "Israel has a peace agreement with Mubarak, not Egypt."  He also states that the Muslim Brotherhood should be invited to participate in the future of Egypt.  That in and of itself is alarming. (03)

A short article on the topic of the Muslim Brotherhood touches on these topics.  The MB states that Egypt should close the Suez Canal, cut off gas supplies to Israel, and prepare for war with Israel. Evidently this is the direction ElBaradei sees Egypt heading in the near future. (04) (05)

While it isn't a true test of where a nation is headed, it is still important to note who is happy at what is taking place.  One of the first nations whose leadership commented on the resignation of Mubarak, was Iran.  Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday claimed the uprising in Egypt heralded a new Middle East without the "satanic" influence of the West and that will doom Israel. "  (06)  While the president of the United States is working up a personal glory moment for himself, and hasn't addressed the departing Mubarak yet, his comments from last night leave no doubt that he is thrilled.  (07)  Of course, now that he has helped push Mubarak out, he'll no doubt try to sound reasoned, claiming both to have not involved the U. S. in Egypt's business, but also to take no small amount of credit for having guided this situation to this perfect outcome, at the same time saying that it's now up to the Egyptians (to cover his ass).  If it doesn't turn out well, it won't be his fault.

This is not going to turn out well folks.  I remain unconvinced that the removal of Mubarak isn't the inception of a black hole in the middle of the Middle-East, that will suck everything down the same rabbit hole.

I'm not the only one to harbor grave misgivings about what may come of Egypt.  Early signs are already showing a shift in the public's perceptions on the ground there.  Take note of this commentary that appears on our forum.  Among other things, it touches on women starting to show up in the public square in burkas.  Ah yes ladies, Mubarak is gone, and of course, repression along with him.  /s  (08)

Sources:

(01) NPR

(02) Yahoo News

(03) Rational Public Radio (admitedly not a first rate link, but it does echo other reports I've read, so I don't believe it swerves off course here)

(04) Jerusalem Post

(05) FinancialSense.com

(06) the Telegraph

(07) AP

(08) various sources, for information related in the linked commentary

[azishot]

He confuses lots of things. Just heard him talk about “universal rights” for the Egyptians. He can’t even say “God given rights”. Is despise a stronger word than hate? Maybe I have a despising hatred towards him.

[SE Mom]

(((La Enchiladita))) Good to see you, stranger!

Indeed, Wael Ghonim was certainly a major player- and did you see him offer his thanks to El Baradei for teaching him about Egypt? The same El Baradei who is wholly owned by the MB? Google and the Muslim Brotherhood...now THERE’s a combination that inspires hopenchange, eh?

[La Enchiladita]

You’re right. I do not share that hope. Why Egypt? Why now?

Answer: Israel is surrounded

Talk of hope is propaganda.