The Egyptian genie can't be put back in the bottle

Some think the White House has been behind the curve for years and is still backing a process that won't go anywhere.

But there's no doubt it is ratcheting up the pressure even if the focus has shifted. There is no longer much talk about Mr Mubarak's early departure. Instead it is urging specific changes.

US Vice-President Joe Biden has been phoning his opposite number in Egypt, Omar Suleiman, on an almost daily basis. His most recent call (yesterday) was the toughest yet.

He said the emergency law, which has been in force for 43 years and allows a broad range of powers, should be lifted immediately.

The White House has found a form of words to distance itself from the idea it is dictating change. It stresses that it is not what Mr Obama wants, but what the Egyptian people want that matters. But it means the White House has made the satisfaction of the demonstrators its yardstick of progress.

...But it means the White House has made the satisfaction of the demonstrators its yardstick of progress.

Mr. Mardell comments are linked to this other article at the BBC; Egypt protests: US steps up pressure on Cairo

"If there's some notion on the government side that you can put the genie back in this bottle, I think that's gone a long time ago."

He added that the US was reviewing its aid programme to Egypt, and the government's restraint and reform would determine "what that aid will look like".

And a bit further down;

"The first four, five days it was [a] confusing message and I was, I was often angry infuriated," he told US broadcaster PBS.

"But through discussions with the administration, I think now we have an administration that understands exactly the difficulties of the situation and the dangers and the risks that are entailed in a rush towards chaos without end. So the administration's message now is much better."

Which I personally interpret as meaning the Foreign Minister was actually correct, and justified enough when he was "angry infuriated" by the confusing message.

Now that the Big Kahunuhzero Admin had been able to work their smooth talking ways to the Egyptian Foreign Minister personally, he's either suddenly become somewhat deaf to how White Hut statements are playing out on the streets, or there is some time lag between assurances he has received and this latest, and/or a combination of both with the addition of threats to cut U.S. aid to Egypt.

It looks like Zero and Co. are playing both ends against the middle...which I might not mind so much if it looked like the U.S and Western interests would stand to gain something like increasing stability in the area, rather than detract from it.

The way they've casually been running their mouths is not helping anyone, not even the downtrodden Egyptian they claim to be on the look-out for.

Obama told us all we needed to know about his own Fabian Socialist ideology (with ambitions to accelerate) when he appointed Hillary as Sec. of State. [as if we really needed to know].

The programming runs so deep in these two, I wonder if they even remember what it is they are serving, what it means, what it will cost in blood to achieve...do they realize? Can they see it?

They, and their fellow travelers certainly have come a long way in fooling many, showing themselves dangerous fools in the process, at potentially great cost to this Nation, our Allies, and indeed the world.

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