Posted on 02/05/2011 11:29:01 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Even Islamists have to eat. It is unclear whether President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt will survive, or whether his nationalist regime will be replaced by an Islamist, democratic, or authoritarian state. What is certain is that it will be a failed state. Amid the speculation about the shape of Arab politics to come, a handful of observers, for example economist Nourel Roubini, have pointed to the obvious: Wheat prices have almost doubled in the past year.
Egypt is the world's largest wheat importer, beholden to foreign providers for nearly half its total food consumption. Half of
Egyptians live on less than $2 a day. Food comprises almost half the country's consumer price index, and much more than half of spending for the poorer half of the country. This will get worse, not better.
Not the destitute, to be sure, but the aspiring and frustrated young, confronted the riot police and army on the streets of Egyptian cities last week. The uprising in Egypt and Tunisia were not food riots; only in Jordan have demonstrators made food the main issue. Rather, the jump in food prices was the wheat-stalk that broke the camel's back. The regime's weakness, in turn, reflects the dysfunctional character of the country. 35% of all Egyptians, and 45% of Egyptian women can't read.
Nine out of ten Egyptian women suffer genital mutilation. US President Barack Obama said Jan. 29, "The right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny … are human rights. And the United States will stand up for them everywhere." Does Obama think that genital mutilation is a human rights violation? To expect Egypt to leap from the intimate violence of traditional society to the full rights of a modern democracy seems whimsical.
(Excerpt) Read more at atimes.com ...
And, there is more. A really informative article from ZeroHedge on corn, ethanol, etc, linked to the lack of food in the ME now:
http://peakoil.com/alternative-energy/zerohedge-total-cost-of-corn-ethanol-85-blend-6-80/
At the end of the article, with lots of data presented is this comment regarding Sen Grassleys opinion that ethanol is “good, good, good”:
“This is not just hype — it’s dangerous, delusional bullshit. Ethanol doesn’t burn cleaner than gasoline, nor is it cheaper. Our current ethanol production represents only 3.5 percent of our gasoline consumption — yet it consumes twenty percent of the entire U.S. corn crop, causing the price of corn to double in the last two years and raising the threat of hunger in the Third World.” – Jeff Goodell
You’re right.
With Obama’s feckless foreign policy, Egypt by the end of 2011 will be a fascist Islamic theocracy little different than Iran and seeking war with Israel.
Here is an appeal to the Egyptian voter that might discourage them from voting for the Muslim Brotherhood: a vote for the MB is a vote for scaring away the tourists and foreign business interests which bring money and jobs to the Egyptian workers. Make your pick...Islamic radicalism or food on the table.
My cynical side believes those figures.
My hopeful side hopes the survey respondents were just giving those answers because saying you're not pro-Islam is not healthy in an Islamic country with lots of hardline fundamentalists.
How long did they think it would take before high oil prices affected the cost of food? Hey middle eastern countries - you can't eat oil.
bump to read
“THE SCOOPS!!! THE SCOOP !!! “
I read a lot about the Merchant Marine in WWII. Almost all of the stories by those who survived the torpedoing and were adrift for days/weeks said that the Islamic guys died off first - "They just gave up the ghost" - while the others toughed it out - Asians, Hispanics, Africans, Anglos.
The best form of government is a benign dictatorship with a very wise person in charge. A Constitutional Republic like ours in the USA is second best.
In 3rd place is a “democracy” where 5 lions and a zebra argue about what’s for dinner.
Even better...we can withhold 2 billion dollars of aid.
Than add it back a million bucks for every piece of a constitution that respects freedom that they write.
RE: The best form of government is a benign dictatorship with a very wise person in charge
The closest country that I can think of that meets the above criteria is Singapore. But then a lot of FReepers would not want to live in that country no matter how clean, orderly and prosperous it is.
Is-Slime truly is the abomination that causes desolation.
Slave traders in action and deed.
F in A Right
"The best form of government is a benign dictatorship with a very wise person in charge. A Constitutional Republic like ours in the USA is second best."Have you ever lived in one? I have (in a not so benign, after all) How do you ensure that the dictator and his successors stay "benign", "wise" etc? Its sad to see American conservative thought arrive at such a state. Mainly out of fear, I suspect. Be careful what you wish for.
Robert Heinlein wrote that a benevolent dictatorship is preferable to an efficient democracy, and just as rare.
Thanks for posting. I sent this to Peter King, Rep. NY, who is leading an investigation into radical Islam.
Throughout history, the people have always wanted a king, a good king. I believe most Americans wanted George to become the American king for life.
A good king would be much better then a system that allowed ill informed idiots to elect a parasite named Barack hussein.
Did I mention that the benevolent dictatorship would have you as President and me as VP?
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