Posted on 02/10/2011 3:16:44 PM PST by lbryce
Obama has been putting pressure on Mubarak since last week to stand down straight away. Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA
The Obama administration was embarrassingly wrongfooted when the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak confounded expectations by refusing to leave office.
Mubarak's speech came just hours after Barack Obama and the director of the CIA, Leon Panetta, appeared to give credence to the rumours that the Egyptian president was heading for the exit.
Obama has been putting pressure on Mubarak since last week to stand down straight away, but Mubarak, in a televised address tonight, said he would not bow to international pressure, a direct snub to the US president.
Mubarak's response provides a graphic illustration of America's slow decline from its status as the world's sole superpower to a position where it is unable to decisively influence events in Egypt, in spite of that country being one of the biggest recipients of US military aid.
Since the uprising began, the Obama administration has shifted from solidly supporting Mubarak, to suggesting a few days later that he should go now, only to back him at the weekend to remain in office until the autumn – a decision that the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, reversed hours later when she threw US support behind the Egyptian vice-president, Omar Suleiman. But even support for Suleiman may leave US policy trailing behind events in Egypt, with the vice-president seen as too close to Mubarak.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
LMAO. Do you have anymore?
WOW!
That puts it into a really harsh white light. ‘Arab warrior vs community organizer’.
Seems the man who arrogantly refused to negotiate with his real enemies (the republicans) by cutting them off at a WH round table with the words “I WON” is learning how to eat crow. Hope its served up raw, feathered and rotting.
Now hopefully the GOP leaders will be encouraged to treat him like the little spoiled brat that he has grown up to be. His legacy as president is going to be worse than Carter.
I kinda make them up as I go along.
You (or any FReeper) can freely use any you like from this address (no attribution necessary):
He is going to make another announcement this evening. I wish he would just shut up!
Moses Barack vs. Pharaoh Mubarak.
I understand that there are some that believe that he is a one termer, however, they are four groups that are going to do everything in their power to see that he is re-elected. They are:1. The Democrat Party. 2. the main stream media. 3. The Republican Party.24. The idiots and traitors to America.
Nice sentiment, but does the phrase "She's GORGEOUS" sound familiar?
If so, (and it should), perhaps you might want to rephrase that.
As I recall, an ex-actor got a lot of votes because many thought him to be 'a nice, well-spoken, good looking guy'.
Mubarak: "Amateur."
I believe the English are backing Mubarak.
I just heard them reporting that on MSNBC Brian Williams was questioning someone who said the same thing as that article I figure it must be the new spin to help zero save face.
Didn’t Obama cancel the teleprompter for tonight?
The teleprompter is kept under better security than the nuke codes in the Baraqqi regime.
It’s been horrifying to watch Obama and his entire Exec. Branch stumble around blind during this thing.
History is being made. And I don’t mean in Egypt. We’ll be talking about how incompetently Obama handled this for the next 40 years; just like we do now with Carter.
LMAO
Republicans need to hammer this theme in 2012.
Resign Barack Obama. Resign Hillary Clinton.
Oh great...now shep smith is asserting the same thing. Yep — this is going to be the template.
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