Unrest in Egypt
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-01-31/unrest-egypt
Massive protests across Egypt intensified over the weekend. Demonstrators have vowed not to back down until President Hosni Mubarak resigns. The government closed Al-Jazeera's Cairo news bureau and arrested six of its reporters amid accusations of fueling the protests. The reporters have been released but the bureau remains shut down. The man emerging as the leader of the opposition said he would be willing to serve as the interim head of a new government. The army has had a heavy presence in Egypt's major cities, but no significant clashes have been reported. The U.S. response has evolved along with the crisis. On Sunday President Obama called on world leaders to back an "orderly transition" in Egypt, a long-time U.S. ally. The latest news - plus analysis of a new era in Egypt.
Guests
Nicholas Burns
professor in the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School and former under secretary for political affairs at the U.S. Department of State.
Hisham Melhem
Washington bureau chief for Al-Arabiya TV, and Washington correspondent for "An-Nahar."
Michael Rubin
resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and co-author of a study of Arab democracy.
Abderrahim Foukara
Washington bureau chief of Al Jazeera Arabic.
Comments
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This is an particularly powerful show today. I have so much gratitude for everyone participating today.
I'm deeply embarrassed that the Obama Administration is refusing to clearly back democracy in Egypt. They are still refusing to call Mubarak a dictator, refusing to call for him to step down, and refusing to stop arming the regime until he does. The tear gas shot at the demonstrators was clearly marked "Made in U.S.A.". See nhmakingwaves.org for that photo.
Egyptians have been clear that they want the dictator out, and every day the US continues to just ask the dictator to reform himself (as we have for decades, while arming him and while the CIA was sending detainees there to be tortured) will increase anger towards America. Obama is again on the wrong side of history. We should clearly stand for freedom, even if it weren't in our best interest.
Egyptian citizen.
Family doesn't vote or go in street.
Family generational brotherhood members.
Uncle jailed and beaten for being outspoken.
Normal citizens are fearful.
This riot can only be sustained by brotherhood and other terrorist orgs, muslim, sharia law. Look at map of world. It is a significant, dangerous event.
Us should have boots on the ground, as well and europe and isreal helping stabilize the situation. New leadership. But not terrorist. Not brotherhood.
Why is america doing nothing?
The Brotherhood has been coward, gaining ground for decades. But thi was accomplished with more than brotherhood efforts. The timing, the location...is the americn govt supporting mubaraks overthrow? It certainly seems so.
Then who/what is leading america, the same place that was waging a war on terrorism?
eashahin, There are no U.S. boots on the ground because the U.S. is respecting international laws on sovereignty. These laws exist for very good reasons. The U.S. must be invited by the government of the country or determine that U.S. interests will be adversely and severely affected. Even to put troops in Iraq a justification had to be found or created. The U.S. is not the peace keeper or protector for people everywhere. It didn't intervene in the massacres in Uganda or Sudan. Situations where helpless civilians were being killed.
Also, if the U.S. did put troops in Egypt it would likely inflame many Muslims and Arabs. Israel has no interest in putting its troops in Arab territory (at least not non-Palestinian territory). If it did, all heck would break loose.
The only entity that sees itself as a global peacekeeper is the U.N.
None of the reporting so far has claimed nor provided any evidence that these protests are being organized by the Muslim Brotherhood. What evidence do you have?
When Egypt shut down Twitter and cell phones, it was funny to hear reporters, including Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, saying that now there would be no way for Egyptians to communicate and organize protests.
Twitter and cell phones are very effective and efficient means of communication, but they are not the only means available. Organized protests were held long before the existence of modern technology.
Obviously, these reporters were wrong as the protests have continued.
Please join us in solidarity as we continue to protest/vigil EVERY DAY in DC!
http://www.facebook.com/thedianerehmshow?ref=nf&v=wall#!/event.php?eid=193549777338902&index=1
Contact mariam.aziz@american.edu for more info
Thank you so much!
The US foreign policy has been flawed for a long time and totally out of touch with reality. When the revolution in Iran occurred we were surprised, but not the people who lived there. We seem to have a penchant to cuddle with and reward horrible dictators who serve our short term goals for stability and our profit, ignoring the pulse of the people of the various countries. There appears to be a direct conflict between the US desire for stability in a country/region and the desire of the people who live there for better self governance. Unfortunately, we appear to be making the wrong choice repeatedly hoping for a different outcome - that is insane!
For many years the formula of many third world countries has been to fake a scream "communists are attacking us" and we shower them with gifts and arms. Ask any former politician from these countries - only those no longer on a US payroll or an INGO.
Wikileaks cable-gate has had an informative effect on Egyptian intellectuals and activists. It's a "man behind the curtain thing." These cables sometimes confirm the oppressed public's negative suspicions.
Another consideration may be the speech Obama gave in Egypt last year. While he's in his Nobel Prize Leader mode right now he did imply he's support democratization in North Africa and the Middle East if it came. I hope his sentiments weren't as empty as those of George W. Bush in regard to the Marsh Arabs in 1991.
This discussion was especially informing for me on the car radio this morning. I had a driveway moment (20 minutes).
The show yesterday was brilliant. Having representatives of the Arab media made the analysis even more credible and in some ways I was reassured that in the end, Egypt will remain a friend of the US if we can restrain ourselves. Thank you, Diane!