Clinton calls for reform in Egypt (says Egyptian government should allow protesters to demonstrate)

[Turborama]

Source: Al Jazeera English

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, has said that widespread anti-government protests over poverty and government repression in Egypt represent an opportunity for the 30-year administration of president Hosni Mubarak to implement "political, economic and social reforms to respond to the legitimate needs and interests of the Egyptian people".

In unusually blunt remarks regarding the longtime US ally, delivered on Wednesday, Clinton also said that the Mubarak government should not prevent peaceful protests or block social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook, which have helped Egyptians plan and spread news about the unrest.

The Egyptian government has reportedly been doing both: Security forces continued to confront protesters with batons, tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets on Wednesday night, and Facebook and Twitter have both acknowledged ongoing disturbances to their services in Egypt.

Protesters threw Molotov cocktails at police in Cairo, Al Jazeera's Dan Nolan reported from the capital, while similar petrol bomb attacks were reported in the eastern Red Sea port city of Suez, where three protesters died on Tuesday.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/201112617427113878.html

---

A lot more info. at the link and here... http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/spotlight/anger-in-egypt/">

[Catherina]

1. I really hate to be the one to break this to Hillary

but the Arab street has had enough of US *reforms*. Her recent statements didn't go over too well and she's not very popular on Egyptian twitter right now.

Here are two comments from the page I'm on now


sahoura RT @Jnoubiyeh: Hillary Clinton is calling for 'reform' in #Egypt. The people don't want your reform; they want dictator Hosni Mubarak's resignation. #Jan25 half a minute ago via web


Jareedah Can the Americans protest against Hillary Clinton to shut the F*** up&leave #Egypt alone? Dont need your advice!Smart A** #USA #Jan25 less than a minute ago via web

[rabs]

2. Where are you seeing the comments??

Would like to see them in real time too.

Thanks.

[Catherina]

3. Twitter. Here are the two feeds I'm using

Jan25 and Egypt. Refresh often

http://twitter.com/search?q=jan25%20egypt

[rabs]

4. Got it. Many thanks. Fascinating. n/t

[Catherina]

7. A small note, it's 3:25 AM in Cairo sp it's mostly retweets right now.

But it's still worth it. Tomorrow and Friday will be hopping.

[Turborama]

13. Google's "Realtime" is a really good aggregator. #Jan25 site:twitter.com is heavily trending

Check it out: http://www.google.com/search?q=%23Jan25+site:twitter.com&tbs=mbl:1&tbo=1&num=100&hl=en&sa=G&biw=1280&bih=705&ei=_MdATZzzH8KVcYGg_Y0C&ved=0CF0QsQcwBQ

Of course, you can add your own preferred search terms but this one seems to be the most active at the moment.

[Catherina]

16. Thank you! But this "Suez is on fire"?

TheBoghdady‎ Reporters arent allowed to enter Suez .. SUEZ IS ON FIRE!!! Draw attention to them! #Jan25
Twitter - 125
2 minutes ago


I hope it's just a building here and there :(

[orion007]

6. Hillary and Hosni....BFs

Remember these comments of hers from the Washington Post in 2009?

Some Friends
Hillary Rodham Clinton undercuts the State Department's own human rights reporting.


Tuesday, March 10, 2009

SECRETARY OF STATE Hillary Rodham Clinton continues to devalue and undermine the U.S. diplomatic tradition of human rights advocacy. On her first foreign trip, to Asia, she was dismissive about raising human rights concerns with China's communist government, saying "those issues can't interfere" with economic, security or environmental matters. In last week's visit to the Middle East and Europe, she undercut the State Department's own reporting regarding two problematic American allies: Egypt and Turkey.

According to State's latest report on Egypt, issued Feb. 25, "the government's respect for human rights remained poor" during 2008 "and serious abuses continued in many areas." It cited torture by security forces and a decline in freedom of the press, association and religion. Ms. Clinton was asked about those conclusions during an interview she gave to the al-Arabiya satellite network in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Her reply contained no expression of concern about the deteriorating situation. "We issue these reports on every country," she said. "We hope that it will be taken in the spirit in which it is offered, that we all have room for improvement."
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Ms. Clinton was then asked whether there would be any connection between the report and a prospective invitation to President Hosni Mubarak to visit Washington. "It is not in any way connected," she replied, adding: "I really consider President and Mrs. Mubarak to be friends of my family. So I hope to see him often here in Egypt and in the United States." Ms. Clinton's words will be treasured by al-Qaeda recruiters and anti-American propagandists throughout the Middle East. She appears oblivious to how offensive such statements are to the millions of Egyptians who loathe Mr. Mubarak's oppressive government and blame the United States for propping it up.

[EFerrari]

8. Maybe Hillary will take Hosni in as a houseguest when he is run out of Egypt.

As a family friend, of course. :puke:

[Catherina]

11. I can't believe she said that. Really, I'm shocked. n/t

[Raschel]

14. I am too. I'm surprised the US is taking a strong stand with the protesters

I figured there was a lot of meetings and strategic planning going on in the White House, but I didn't expect this statement.

[Turborama]

9. Here's the link

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/09/AR2009030902478.html

Interesting article, thanks for posting.

[Catherina]

10. "I really consider President and Mrs. Mubarak to be friends of my family"?

OUCH!

And thank you. I wasn't aware of any of that. The things you learn here.

[Turborama]

5. Thanks for the updates, Catherina

As always. :hi:

I don't use Twitter but just checked on Google's "Realtime" and there are a lot of reactions coming out like the ones you mentioned.
http://www.google.com/search?tbs=mbl:1&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=705&q=egypt+clinton&btnG=Search

(edited to add the link)

[Catherina]

12. Never heard of it. It's great!

That's even better than twitter in a way. Just what I needed, another window to be addicted to.

:hi:

Thanks for your updates. Maybe we need to start a pool of which country's next. Jordan is already very worried.

[Turborama]

17. There are reports that protests are starting in Yemen and Morocco

Protests Spread from Morocco to Yemen
http://www.popdecay.com/2011/01/25/protests-spread-from-morocco-to-yemen/7914

Morocco are trying the "let them eat bread" strategy, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4711720">just like Algeria

Morocco to boost staples subsidies "at any price"
http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFLDE70O1X520110125?sp=true

[Catherina]

19. It looks like Rand McNally is going to be very busy this year

And Yemen isn't going to be too pleased about the Wikileaks revelations.

I think Morocco might pull out of it.

Any news on Jordan? Algeria?

[Turborama]

21. I hadn't heard about Yemen until just now, TBH.

Links to Algeria updates here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4711720

BTW I just posted a video I think you'll find interesting: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x547780

[Catherina]

24. Thank you. Ther's so much going on right now.

I can't keep up. In fact, I missed the entire first day of Egypt. I had no idea until Cerridwen mentioned it in a thread. Thanks for the Algerian update and the video.

Khaled Said.

[Raschel]

15. I thought Mubarak shut twitter down?

[Catherina]

18. He blocked the URL so you can't go to its website but not being very tech savvy

he didn't block the DNS so people can get to it that way.

There are dozens of ways for them to bypass his silly block, like using procy programs.

They can also access it on Blackberry, iphones, ipads...

I learned a lot reading all those tweets today :rofl:


Edit- Here's one of the tweets


Ahmed_A_Rahman RT @mashahed: RT @julioidesign: RT @ScholarHippies: #Egypt only blocking DNS. For Twitter: http://128.242.245.148 For Facebook: http://69.63.189.11 #jan25 less than a minute ago via HootSuite

[Raschel]

20. Boy, doesn't he look stupid now....

[Catherina]

22. Internationally too. I love it. But this concerns me (Clinton/Obama)

If it comes to massacres by the Mubarak regime, the US would firmly support him

This is about Israel, not about Mubarak. The Israeli strategy in the Middle East has been firmly set on the continuity of the Sadat-Mubarak dictatorship. There is much about the security of Israeli terrorism and occupation there. The US understands that: and Mubrak knows that the US understands that too. Expect a tightening of the siege of Gaza by Mubarak. But if Mubark needed to massacre people in the streets, the US administration AND Congress would stand firmly behind Mubarak. No question about it at all. That attests to the bravery of Egyptian protesters: but they know what they are facing. A Mubarak Monster.

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/01/if-it-comes-to-massacres-by-mubarak.html

We mustn't take our eyes off Egypt right now. They need us.

[Raschel]

32. You were right on the money. Here's the thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4712070

[Odin2005]

26. That's what happens when old farts don't keep up with technology!

:evilgrin:

[Turborama]

23. In Tunisia and elsewhere, the U.S. will always side with the dictators

A Reader's Response to The Baltimore Sun:

In appealing to the U.S. government to "promote democracy" in Tunisia, the authors of "http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-tunisia-20110125%2C0%2C3251562.story">In Tunisia, history repeats (sort of)" (Jan. 26) are asking the U.S. to completely reverse its decades-long policy of supporting dictators throughout the world who allow their populations to be used as low-wage labor for multinational corporations. Short of a popular revolution here, no such radical departure will occur. Under Democrats, under Republicans, dictators are supported while meaningless phrases about supporting democracy are uttered to the public by politicians from both pro-business parties.

The last thing the U.S. establishment wanted in Tunisia or wants in Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Morocco or Algeria (where similar large protests against unemployment and the general dire economic situation have taken place recently) is for their loyal despots to be overthrown by their populations. Such popular uprisings will likely lead to economic reforms that will in turn lead to a redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor, and, of dire concern to Western elites, will cut into the profits of multinational corporations.

Michael Melick, Baltimore

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-tunisia-letter-20110126,0,5783330.story

[sam sarrha]

29. it is not the United States that sides with the dictators.. it is the Shadow government that sides

with them.. Dominionists have infiltrated the GOP and a fair amount of Democrats.. i do not believe all of them know who they are really dealing with.. it is a really insidious organization. started by a Nazi Party member in the 30's..

http://www.amazon.com/Family-Secret-Fundamentalism-Heart-American/dp/0060560053/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296103858&sr=1-3


http://www.insider-magazine.com/christianmafia.htm

[Jefferson23]

25. Brave people..incredible. n/t

[Odin2005]

27. The hypocrisy is stunning.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rabs]

30. The NYT has an op-ed piece tomorrow (Thursday)

that I found contradictory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ snip ~~~~~~~~~~

After huge demonstrations on Tuesday, Egypt outlawed public gatherings on Wednesday — but a large number of protestors defied the order and called again for Mr. Mubarak’s ouster. According to news reports, THE PR0TESTORS CAME FROM ALL SOCIAL CLASSES AND IDEOLOGIES. (Caps mine)

~~~~~~~~~~ then later down ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mr. Mubarak may still have a chance to steer his country on a stable path WITHOUT SACRIFICING IT TO EXTREMIST ELEMENTS.

-----------------------

So, the protestors "from all social classes and ideologies" become to the NYT "extremist elements" in the same article?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/opinion/27thu2.html

[Catherina]

31. The NYT is basically worthless when reporting on the Middle East, Islam, Arabs

Angry Arab (As'ad AbuKhalil,professor of political science at California State University) isn't a fan of their reporting either.

He had this up today.

Who are those people who cover the Middle East in the New York Times?

Look at this sentence: "Word of the broad protests in Egypt were slow to circulate here, given that Egyptian television was not reporting them." Tell the writer that every home in the Middle East is able to watch hundreds of channels, including news channels like Aljazeera which covers the entire world. How dumb is this?

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/01/who-are-those-people-who-cover-middle.html

Your find is really good. You should send it to him aabukhalil(at)csustan (dot)(edu). He loves that kind of stuff.