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

[hennie pennie]

The Muslim Brotherhood is an awful terrorist group, on par with Egyptian Islamic Jihad and Al Qaida.

I'm surprised that they are not more in evidence on the streets of Cairo; however, the MSM is so poor in reporting any events anywhere on the planet, perhaps they are ... but surely NOT in full force.... as the violence level would be far more extreme.

[swarthyguy]

Oh, heck, someone decapitated two mummies!

Today mummies, tomorrow the Sphinx!

Looks like it may shape up to be the Army Vs the Ikhwan.

The twittering classes are in for a heap of trouble.

[combat_boots]

Please excuse my double post.

But, 0bama cut aid for democracy programs.....

“Obama Reduced Funding for Democracy Promotion”
1/29/2011

“But when it comes to backing up the president’s rhetoric since that speech in June 2009, the administration has a decidedly mixed record and has disappointed many Egyptians, foreign policy experts tell The Huffington Post. Though Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has championed human rights around the world and American diplomats have quietly encouraged political and legal reforms in Egypt, when it comes to promoting democracy in the riot-torn country, efforts have generally been less aggressive than the Bush administration’s. On Friday, amidst violent protests, longtime leader Hosni Mubarak announced the resignation of Egypt’s government.

In its first year, the Obama administration cut funding for democracy and governance programming in Egypt by more than half, from $50 million in 2008 to $20 million in 2009 (Congress later appropriated another $5 million). The level of funding for civil society programs and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) was cut disproportionately, from $32 million to only $7 million. Though funding levels for 2010 are not yet available, they are expected to show an increase to $14 million, says Stephen McInerny, the director of advocacy at the Project on Middle East Democracy. He notes that the Bush administration slashed economic aid to Egypt in the 2009 budget but kept the funding for democracy and governance programs constant, while Obama cut funding to those programs in an effort to make the cuts more proportional and under pressure from the American embassy in Cairo.

The White House and the State Department did not return emails for comment.”

http://www.frumforum.com/obama-reduced-funding-for-democracy-promotion

[hennie pennie]

What are your predictions for tommorrow’s big march in Cairo? Also, I read that plenty of families only have a couple days of food left, but they are afraid to go out to the grocery stores.

[gleeaikin]

Here is a link for crude oil. When I looked just now it was dated close friday, Jan 28th. Hopefully when it is pinged later in the evening it will show today’s prices. Or if it still shows the Friday price perhaps it will refresh.

http://futures.tradingcharts.com/marketquotes/index.php3?market=CL

[Uncle Ike]

” What are your predictions for tommorrow’s big march in Cairo? “

Sorry - my crystal ball took one look at all of the players and all of the variables, and crashed....

;)

[gleeaikin]

I thought democracy promotion was being funded by George Soros. I thought I saw a comment or thread here putting him down for that. Now I am confused. Which side should we be supporting—aid for democracy programs, or saving the money to buy down the debt?

[swarthyguy]

Well, here’s one perk to all this.

There are some INCREDIBLY cheap tourist packages to the Pyramids and Luxor.

[combat_boots]

You bring up a good point. Soros is embedded with government, just as the MB & Islamists have us infiltrated.

Actually, I was looking at monies we have given that went to aid for agriculture in Egypt.

[Uncle Ike]

From the “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!!” file —

{this is a cross-post}

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2666355/posts

WH: No US contact with Muslim Brotherhood
Associated Press ^ | 1/31/11 | Staff

Posted on Monday, January 31, 2011 3:26:42 PM by Nachum

Washington - The White House says the Obama administration has had no contact with the Muslim Brotherhood, the deeply conservative Islamic organization that constitutes the biggest organized opposition group in Egypt. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters Monday that before dealing with opposition groups the administration would want assurances that they adhere to the law, that they are non-violent and that they are willing to be part of a democratic process. Gibbs said there would be no contact with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt unless those assurances were offered.

(Excerpt) Read more at seattlepi.com ...

[paulycy]

. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters Monday that before dealing with opposition groups the administration would want assurances that they adhere to the law, that they are non-violent and that they are willing to be part of a democratic process. Gibbs said there would be no contact with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt unless those assurances were offered.

Why wouldn't the MB agree to all those terms, the White House embrace them, call for elections in Egypt, elect Muslim Brotherhood candidates and impose sharia law, kill Christians, and funnel weapons and warriors to the gaza strip, all the while denying shipmnents through the Suez Canal?

It wouldn't surprise me if that is what zer0 has in mind and is the plan Hillary is telling all the ambassadors in the big secret meeting.

[SE Mom]

Breaking Per CNN- The Minister of Information in Egypt has just announced it is suspending ALL cell phone service in Egypt for “several hours”.

This in conjunction with stopping trains and buses is hoped to put a damper on the “million people” demonstration tomorrow.

Heating up folks...

[Uncle Ike]

” Heating up folks... “

Looks like...

Thanks for the heads-up, Mom.... ;)

[paulycy]

suspending ALL cell phone service in Egypt for “several hours”. This in conjunction with stopping trains and buses

This is going to make a lot of people even angrier. Maybe they've reached the point of no return already. Thanks for the ping.

[ColdOne]

Just another day at the WH full of lies!

[Uncle Ike]

In case y’all didn’t have enough to worry about —

{this is a cross-post}

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2666366/posts

Mid-East contagion fears for Saudi oil fields
The Telegraph ^ | 1/31/2011 | Ambrose Evans-Pritchard

Posted on Monday, January 31, 2011 3:51:18 PM by bruinbirdman

Risk analysts and intelligence agencies fear that Egypt’s uprising may set off escalating protests in the tense Shia region of Saudi Arabia, home to the world’s richest oilfields.

“Yemen, Sudan, Jordan and Syria all look vulnerable. However, the greatest risk in terms of both probability and severity is in Saudi Arabia,” said a report by risk consultants Exclusive Analysis.

While markets have focused on possible disruption to the Suez Canal, conduit for 8pc of global shipping, it is unlikely that Egyptian leaders of any stripe would cut off an income stream worth $5bn (£3.1bn) a year to the Egyptian state.

“I don’t think the Egyptians will ever dare to touch it,” said Opec chief Abdalla El-Badri, adding that the separate Suez oil pipeline is “very well protected”. The canal was blockaded after the Six Days War in 1967.

There has been less focus on the risk of instability spreading to Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, headquarters of the Saudi oil giant Aramco. The region boasts the vast Safaniya, Shaybah and Ghawar oilfields. “This is potentially far more dangerous,” said Faysal Itani, Mid-East strategist at Exclusive.

“The Shia are 10pc of the Saudi population. They are deeply aggrieved and marginalised, and sit on top of the kingdom’s oil reserves. There have been frequent confrontations and street fights with the security forces that are very rarely reported in the media,” he said.

The Saudi Shia last rose up in mass civil disobedience in the “Intifada” of 1979, inspired by the Khomeini revolution in Iran. Clashes led to 21 deaths. Mr Itani said it is unclear whether the Saudi military could cope with a serious outbreak of protest in the province.

Saudi King Abdullah is clearly alarmed by fast-moving events in Egypt and the Arab world. In a statement published by

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...

[HollyB]

“This is going to make a lot of people even angrier.”

It would make me mad, even if I wasn’t protesting. If they think it’s going to slow anything down, they are very mistaken. These people are quite determined.

[paulycy]

If the govt makes it impossible for people to do their daily travels, what other choice do they have but to become angry and join the protest?

This seems counter-productive to me but then again I’m not an evil dictator (despite what my kids say...)

[hennie pennie]

>>>>> "Breaking Per CNN- The Minister of Information in Egypt has just announced it is suspending ALL cell phone service in Egypt for 'several hours'.

This in conjunction with stopping trains and buses is hoped to put a damper on the 'million people' demonstration tomorrow." <<<<<<

[mewzilla]

Anyone heard if the banks will remain closed tomorrow?