Egypt

[Guest GT_Rat]

Why are we not coming out firmly in support of the people of Egypt and asking Mubarek to step down? Did we not learn anything from our experience with the Shah or Iran?

[Guest KimberChick]

Because, if memory serves, the US has financially supported the Mubarak government/military and has stated that he's "no dictator." I've read reports that its as high as 1.5 billion a year, but I'm trying to find some untainted, unbiased figures to support that.

Also, we as a nation need to learn how to stay the hell out of civil wars that don't involve us. If Egyptian citizens want to stand up and fight for their own democracy, they need to do it themselves.

This White Knight garbage is getting expensive.

Edited January 28, 2011 by KimberChick

[Guest GT_Rat]

Beside the point. We supported the Shah of Iran even in the face of massive public opposition. That netted us the Iran we have today. You support the leader if they have the support of the people. When they lose the support of the people you dump them like a bad habit. At best give Mubarek a place to go and retire. The revolution in Tunisia has spread to Egypt. The support we give is for the country not the leader.

[mav]

I think one of our government's biggest concerns is who will take his place, and will they be friendly (even if paid for like Mubarak) to the US.

[Guest db99wj]

Because, if memory serves, the US has financially supported the Mubarak government/military and has stated that he's "no dictator." I've read reports that its as high as 1.5 billion a year, but I'm trying to find some untainted, unbiased figures to support that.

Also, we as a nation need to learn how to stay the hell out of civil wars that don't involve us. If Egyptian citizens want to stand up and fight for their own democracy, they need to do it themselves.

This White Knight garbage is getting expensive.

Well said.

When one is faced with financial crisis, such as lack of financial assets, a prudent person scales back, stops paying for things, while might be beneficial at some point, but they scale back in order to get their financial orders back in check. Our governement needs to think about this and start helping/investing in ourselves first and foremost, before serving in the capacity that we are today and running to the rescue of the world. We need to get out of the world saving business and get into the United States saving business.

[Guest mustangdave]

This is gonna be a tough one...the US has propped up Egypt since the Camp David Accords and Jimmy Carter...we basically paid SADAT to sign the accord with Israel...and have continued to pay and pay. Jimmy Carter turned his back on the Shah of Iran...and IMHO percipatated the Islamic Revolution...his ineptitude single handedly changed the status quo in the Middle East. He is why we are where we are today.... Counter Point.....

[Oh Shoot]

Because, if memory serves, the US has financially supported the Mubarak government/military and has stated that he's "no dictator." I've read reports that its as high as 1.5 billion a year, but I'm trying to find some untainted, unbiased figures to support that. ...

Fox mentioned just moments ago, $3 Billion/yr to Egyptian military alone.

- OS

[enfield]

I'm for letting the Egyptian people pursue happiness in their own way, as long as they keep it in Egypt.

[Guest GT_Rat]

The Shah was roundly unpopular well before Carter came along.

[vontar]

I'm for letting the Egyptian people pursue happiness in their own way, as long as they keep it in Egypt.

^^^^

As a kid, I wanted to see the pyramids. Now days, they can keep them. I will here, they can stay there.

This is a big planet. No matter what, there is going to be fighting some place. We just can't be part of all of it. as was side, we can't be the white knight, it is to expensive and there is not enough of us.

[G27]

I'm for letting the Egyptian people pursue happiness in their own way, as long as they keep it in Egypt.

Yep. No matter how you slice it, if the people have grown weary of the oppression, I'm 100% behind them rising up and deposing the leaders.

[Mike.357]

Nice post KC

[Links2k]

Because, if memory serves, the US has financially supported the Mubarak government/military and has stated that he's "no dictator." I've read reports that its as high as 1.5 billion a year, but I'm trying to find some untainted, unbiased figures to support that.

Also, we as a nation need to learn how to stay the hell out of civil wars that don't involve us. If Egyptian citizens want to stand up and fight for their own democracy, they need to do it themselves.

This White Knight garbage is getting expensive.

Agreed

[Oh Shoot]

Oil, folks.

America cares about Suez Canal, not any of this democracy crap.

We have a long history of supporting some of the worst scum of the earth for oil and other "American interests".

Hell, small example, Baby Doc is back in Haiti...almost as bloody a dictator as his daddy, and America flew his ass to France for his exile in '86.

Not just flew him, but let him drive his car full of millions in loot right up into the belly of a USAF cargo plane.

- OS

[Garufa]

Oil, folks.

America cares about Suez Canal, not any of this democracy crap.

We have a long history of supporting some of the worst scum of the earth for oil and other "American interests".

Hell, small example, Baby Doc is back in Haiti...almost as bloody a dictator as his daddy, and America flew his ass to France for his exile in '86.

Not just flew him, but let him drive his car full of millions in loot right up into the belly of a USAF cargo plane.

- OS

This. Our only interest in Egypt is the Suez. They have no oil and we don't need any mummies. Our zombies are problematic enough.

America has no place meddliing in the affairs of that country and will not, considering who borders just to the East.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I wonder what happens when the muslim brotherhood

takes over, instead of this so-called public uprising you

folks think is so good. Not saying I'm a fan of Mubarak,

but I'm not a big fan of muslim religious rule from a

bunch of jihading fanatics, either.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Oh Shoot]

There's eventually gonna be Very Bad Things happen both here and blowups in the middle east could hasten it. Certainly, 30% unemployment and $10/gal gasoline, and America will be 'bout as scary a place to live as Mexico.

Irony is that most of the jihadist fanaticism is at heart economically based -- if the average Muslim had a decent pot to piss in and a decent window to throw it out of, most of their energy would be spent otherwise.

All the current blowups in Egypt, Tunisia, and Jordon are economic uprisings -- overpopulation is drawing ever increasing lines between rich and poor, and the middle classes are becoming endangered world wide.

- OS

Edited January 29, 2011 by OhShoot

[Guest 6.8 AR]

America will be worse than over there because they don't have as far to fall, and I fear you

are right, OS.

[TGO David]

I wonder what happens when the muslim brotherhood

takes over, instead of this so-called public uprising you

folks think is so good. Not saying I'm a fan of Mubarak,

but I'm not a big fan of muslim religious rule from a

bunch of jihading fanatics, either.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agreed. This is early revolutionary Iran / overthraw of the Shah all over again.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Is this the first time a govt has shut down the internet in attempt to quell a rebellion? Or has that happened before? Maybe Iran has tried it. Can't recall.

That seems to be backfiring. Nowadays that seems a sure-fire way to pee off just about everybody regardless of their politics. Interesting that it would be such a big deal for a "necessity" that didn't even exist 30 years ago (except for certain university people). Al Gore might have been onto something when he invented the internet!

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I believe Iran did it, Lester.

If we're all of a sudden for this so-called revolutionary attitude, why didn't we support

those people in Iran? False flag operations. Too many have a short memory and choose

to think this is somehow a good thing. Watch out when Israel is surrounded and fights

its way out, if it can. Remember, we aren't friendly with them anymore. I'm very sorry

to say that, also.

This mess in Egypt has nothing to do with natural rights and liberty, or anything of the sort.

It's all about the tyranny of Islam. Just wait and see. If his actions haven't shown you,

by now, what he intends to do with our country, give the last two years a little more thought

before you tell me I'm wrong. Getting real close.

[Guest Drewsett]

I've been watching alot of the Aljazeera coverage of the riots. The movement is apparently being led not by the wizened Islamic clerics, but rather by young college students, many of them educated in the west, who desire both freedom of speech and religion.

The reason people are talking about the Muslim Brotherhood is because they are the only real political opposition party in the country. They have little to nothing to do with the ongoing revolution, but most regional analysts believe that they will perform well in any democratic elections because they simply are the only people in the country who have real name recognition that aren't tainted by Mubarak.

So, if the revolution succeeds, and I hope it does, I will be watching the Muslim Brotherhood very closely. They will likely end up in power, and if they do not recognize the desires of the people for change and basic freedoms, we may see revolution again.

Most every analyst and talking head on Aljazeera also say that if Egypt falls, expect many more oppressive Islamic regimes to fall as well. If Mubarak retains power, expect nothing beyond the status quo. The mere prospect of a mass Arab revolution is exciting to me. I went to school with a great many Saudis, Egyptians, Jordanians, Kuwaitis, and Iranians...the youth of these countries are far less pious than their parents and are much more tolerant of other religions. This could be the best chance for real change and true democracy in the Middle East that we'll see in our lifetimes.

[G27]

Is this the first time a govt has shut down the internet in attempt to quell a rebellion? Or has that happened before? Maybe Iran has tried it. Can't recall.

Iran did it. From what they said on the news, this is the first time the Egyptian gov't has done this to this degree...

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I've been watching alot of the Aljazeera coverage of the riots. The movement is apparently being led not by the wizened Islamic clerics, but rather by young college students, many of them educated in the west, who desire both freedom of speech and religion.

The reason people are talking about the Muslim Brotherhood is because they are the only real political opposition party in the country. They have little to nothing to do with the ongoing revolution, but most regional analysts believe that they will perform well in any democratic elections because they simply are the only people in the country who have real name recognition that aren't tainted by Mubarak.

So, if the revolution succeeds, and I hope it does, I will be watching the Muslim Brotherhood very closely. They will likely end up in power, and if they do not recognize the desires of the people for change and basic freedoms, we may see revolution again.

Most every analyst and talking head on Aljazeera also say that if Egypt falls, expect many more oppressive Islamic regimes to fall as well. If Mubarak retains power, expect nothing beyond the status quo. The mere prospect of a mass Arab revolution is exciting to me. I went to school with a great many Saudis, Egyptians, Jordanians, Kuwaitis, and Iranians...the youth of these countries are far less pious than their parents and are much more tolerant of other religions. This could be the best chance for real change and true democracy in the Middle East that we'll see in our lifetimes.

I really hope your observation is right, but I fear it is excessively optimistic.

The muslim brotherhood is going to sit it out and let the government fall, be replaced and then

topple the new unsuccessful government.

If Obama would have wanted to aid democracy in that part of the world, he would have started in Iran

when there was an opportunity. He dropped the ball completely and, instead, went on vacation or something.

He has done more to aid Islam in these two years and to disarm America of weapons and fuel than anyone

previous including Carter. I don't think this will end well until we embrace liberty to it's fullest in our own

country and remove the current president by legitimate means(yes DaveTN, I'm not advocating anything else)

You should also be weary of Aljazeera. They have been known to be a propaganda outlet for Al Quaeda and the

muslim brotherhood.

[kieefer]

Doesn't it make you feel good that our president is concerned over the internet being shut down.

This amateur is way over his head.

I really hope Egypt can resolve this and keep the radicals out without the USA stepping in. Why, because it will be too late in two years.