Burn, baby, burn. Israel and America are scurrying for some kind of response to the Egyptian uprising. The poor lambs. What on earth will they do if a compliant dictatorship actually falls? For example, the siege on Gaza may well be about to change. I hope. And so do the people of Gaza. They deserve…
Showing all posts tagged Egypt
We should be thanking Mubarak, our bad
Seriously: Reacting to the protests that have erupted in the capital and other cities,… Mubarak… urged calm, adding that only because of his own reforms over the years were people able to protest. Mona El Tahawy, an Egyptian columnist and author living in… the US, dismissed these comments. “There is no political freedom in Egypt, that’s exactly why…
Watch the emotional power of whipping Mubarak
Two very clever tweets from Guardian journalist Brian Whitaker. One: Israel’s analysis of Egypt is looking like the biggest intelligence failure since Iraqi WMD Two: Israel should henceforth be referred to as “the only democracy in the Middle East that supports dictators”
Who is providing the handy help for Cairo block the web?
Vultures (thank you Timothy Carr): The open Internet’s role in popular uprising is now undisputed. Look no further than Egypt, where the Mubarak regime today reportedly shut down Internet and cell phone communications — a troubling predictor of the fierce crackdown that has followed. What’s even more troubling is news that one American company is…
What Egyptian uprising says about the desperate desire for freedom
The Arab world is shaking. Crowds are seething. Anger is everywhere. Egyptian protesters are showing America, Israel and Mubarak what they think of them. Some of the latest reports here and here. From Al-Jazeera: The internet has been central to these protests, though impossible to tell how important. In an age of mass surveillance, it’s…
Cutting US aid to Israel? Say it ain’t so!
Even the suggestion gets the “moderate” and “mainstream” Zionist lobbies up in arms. Just remind me why America backs a nation in the Middle East that occupies another people and works closely with brutal dictatorships Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt? U.S. Democrats and pro-Israel lobbies slammed on Thursday comments made by newly elected Republican Senator…
Egyptians, we stand with you
Feel the fear in Israel and America. The Arab world is rising up. Decades of dictatorships are under threat. Tel Aviv and Washington have created a nexus of bigotry to support their goals. And now what do they have? Mass anger. Nice work. US Vice President Joe Biden talks about Mubarak being “moderate” and a…
This is the only logical outcome of us backing Mubarak for so long
Hossam el-Hamalawy, Egyptian writer and dissident: It’s too early to say how they will go. It’s a miracle how they continued past midnight yesterday in the face of fear and repression. But having said that, the situation has reached a level that everyone is fed up, seriously fed up. And even if security forces manage…
Arabs would like freedom from us
Arab dictatorships are what the West likes very much. Compliant thugs who do as they’re told. We give them money and support and wonder why terrorism breeds. Robert Fisk issues caution over hoping the Arab world could reform post Tunisia: Yes, we would like a democracy in Tunisia – but not too much democracy. Remember…
Tunisia shows bankruptcy of US supporting brutes
Former long-time CIA officer Bruce Riedel wonders what the US should do in the Arab world in light of the upheavals in Tunisia. What about the people living in US-backed dictatorships across the region, or is the only concern how poor little Washington may handle it? Barack Obama’s challenge in Egypt will be to avoid…