What's the deal in Egypt? Please explain.

[Syrinx]

I used to consider myself very well informed, but it seems I have fallen down on the job.

It seems I've fallen into the trap of paying more attention to emotional psycho-meta-media dramas, like the Keith Olbermann firing and/or quitting, or wondering what the next insurrectional, or murderous, incitement by a right-wing commentator will be.

But I was dazed and confused.

And there seems to be a very serious situation happening in Egypt. Which is being almost totally ignored by the domestic U.S. media.

What is going on exactly? What is at stake? I confess that I am largely ignorant on this topic. Foremost of all, I blame myself. But I also blame the mindless, vast solipsistic American public, and the corporate media that seek to control all political thought, by suppressing minority or largely unknown views, and by pretending that the world ceases to exist at the national borders.

I guess it might be a tad ironic that I've been somewhat awakened to this situation because of the hour or two of CNN International that has been running in the place of the low-rated Parker-Spitzer reruns in the wee hours of the morning.

CNN International used to have a regular slot on Murdoch's DirecTV, but then became unavailable, either on orders of Murdoch or of Time-Warner. Either way, it was a corporate decision that caused us to have less information.

CNN International is SOOOO much different than domestic, regular ole CNN.

I wish our CNN would become more like CNN International, but I am completely convinced that the change will happen in the other direction. Totally convinced, in fact.

Sorry, got off on a tangent there.

What's going on in Egypt? Tell me, while you can.

[Catherina]

1. Day of Rage protests

Now on their second day, inspired by the revolution in Tunisia. The people want Mubarak out. Allegedly his wife and son have already fled the country (unconfirmed).

Mubarak banned all protests and public gatherings effective today and his thugs are out in the streets clobbering people.

The Egyptian Stock Market just saw a 25 billion loses as a result, 21 billion pounds in first 15 minutes of trading.

Seleucid In Egypt, a gang of thugs is holding the country hostage #EmergencyLaw #Repression #YourDaysAreNumbered #Jan25 half a minute ago via HootSuite

[Syrinx]

4. thanks

This sounds like it may be good, unless it's going to be an "Islamic" revolution. (And I would say the same thing about a "Christian" revolution.)

[Raschel]

20. Amazing photo.

[Catherina]

23. Two More

[Raschel]

25. That takes courage.

[Shagbark Hickory]

30. Is everybody here taking notes?

[JCMach1]

2. The Demographics have caught up to the old men of the Arab World...

The economic situation has finally caused things to reach critical mass. Now, it will be difficult to stop the chain-reaction.

[Syrinx]

5. that sounds at once hopeful, and potentially scary

thanks!

[Raschel]

21. Good point. I understand the people now want term limits too.

[dipsydoodle]

3. For news

use : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ which sadly will not get you into our home site : World News only which sometimes is edited.

and : http://news.sky.com/skynews/ don't worry about that being Murdoch's - Sky are well aware how ridiculous they would look if they didn't publish what the BBC and others here do.

[Syrinx]

6. you actually work inside BBC?

thanks for the links.

[dipsydoodle]

10. Nope

but when I was in OH 2009 I realised, using a friends computer, that our true home site is blocked for use outside of the UK - watch the link I gave you change when you enter it.

I also watched the BBC's World News on TV whilst in Cuba last October and that truly is complete pants.

[Catherina]

8. Thanks! n/t

[Raschel]

26. BBC news on TV is good as well. Straightforward news as opposed to our infotainment.

[Catherina]

7. From Juan Cole

Egypt forbids Protests a Day after it was Shaken by Thousands of Demonstrators, 3 Killed

Posted on 01/26/2011 by Juan

Egypt was wracked by demonstrations on Tuesday’s “Day of Rage,” called for by the April 6 committee of youth activists on social media last week. The protesters were hoping to profit from the momentum for reform in the region created by the Tunisian revolution, which forced the Ben Ali regime from power nearly two weeks ago.

CNN estimates that at the height, the rally was 15,000 to 20,000 strong in Liberation Square (Maydan al-Tahrir), downtown Cairo. The rallies protested the high unemployment rate, high price of food, and long years of ‘emergency rule’ by President Hosni Mubarak, under regulations that suspend most civil and human rights on grounds of national security.

The pan-Arab London daily, al-Hayat <Life>, wrote: "Thousands of youth in Egypt yesterday disappointed expectations that the call for a “Day of Rage” put out on the internet last week would fail. Numerous big demonstrations were mounted in the center of Cairo and a number of provinces. This, even though the streets were thick with security personnel. Their attempts to disperse the demonstrators failed, but two bystanders were killed by gunfire in a provincial city. When demonstrators in Cairo started throwing stones at the parliament building, Egyptian police intervened with tear gas."

Egypt is of the utmost geopolitical importance. In one recent year, 7.5 % of all the world’s trade passed through the Suez Canal (and a much higher percentage of seaborne trade). Over 4% of world petroleum trade went through the canal. Egypt, with a population of 81 million, is the 15th largest in the world. A middle income country, it has the world’s 36th largest GDP in nominal terms, putting it ahead of Malaysia, Nigeria, Israel, and the Czech Republic. Egypt’s soft power in the Arab world, as its cultural center, and its peace treaty with Israel, make it a crucial ally of the United States. Unrest in Egypt puts a great many things in doubt that are important to the US. Were a government to come to power that was more hostile to Israel and more committed to the Palestinians, that development could roil the region.


...

http://www.juancole.com/2011/01/egypt-forbids-protests-a-day-after-it-was-shaken-by-thousands-of-demonstrators-3-killed.html

The Guardian has great coverage.

Cairo a 'war zone' as demonstrators demand president quit


• Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have clashed with police in Cairo and other cities in the largest demonstration in Egypt in a generation. Demonstrators want an end to the authoritarian president Hosni Mubarak's near 30 years of power.

• Three people have been killed in the protests. Reports say two protesters were killed in Suez, while a police officer died after being hit by a rock in Cairo. An Egyptian official said one protester died of respiratory problems after inhaling tear gas, while another was hit by a rock.

• Waves of protesters filled Cairo's central Tahrir Square, vowing to remain in place until the government fell, however police used tear gas and rubber bullets to clear the area at around 1am. Protesters fled to side streets and bridges across the river Nile, some pledging to continue protesting on Wednesday.

• The Egyptian government has reportedly blocked Twitter – which protester used to coordinate movements – and shut down mobile phone and internet networks. Elsewhere unconfirmed reports suggest Mubarak's son, Gamal Mubarak – who is unpopular in Egypt – has fled to the UK with other family members.

...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/blog/2011/jan/25/middleeast-tunisia

[aquart]

9. Twitter is reporting 7 dead in Suez, 3 Cairo.

No idea of the accuracy and I'm guessing no one else is too sure either.

[Catherina]

11. Thanks Aquart. Just found this video from this morning

PrinceofRazors RT @jonjensen: More must-see video from #Jan25 - the police reclaim Tahrir early this morning. Tear gas, arrests & beatings in Egypt http://t.co/q78GSUB

[aquart]

14. Rubber bullets. This is still just crowd control.

"adamakary

Just top clarify to everyone about our cameraman, 2 rubber bullets in r.arm 4 in left, 1 on forehead 4 in stomach. He's doing great #jan25"

The government is trying to avoid a massacre. If the pressure keeps up, that may change. All depends on whether the police and army side with Mubarak or the protesters.

[Catherina]

18. They used real bullets too, later. Some protestors took pictures.

I posted a link to the picture but don't know where. It was a tiny round bullet.

Thanks for the information and update about the cameraman. I ducked out on you earlier this morning, had to catch some sleep. Thanks again.

[aquart]

32. One of the dead had over a dozen shots but they didn't say what.

Not in the tweet. One of the cops was quoted that he was doing his job or he'd be with the protesters.

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. Live Guardian coverage now at this link:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/jan/26/egypt-protests

Latest (time in GMT):

11.45am: Reuters reports the start of small-scale protests today:

Dozens of Egyptian protesters gathered in central Cairo on Wednesday, a day after unprecedented demonstrations that called for an end to President Hosni Mubarak's 30 years in office, a security source said.

The source said protesters gathered outside a court complex in the centre of the capital, a place where some of Tuesday's protests also began. Security remains tight across the city and the Interior Ministry said it would not let protests resume.

[Catherina]

12. This is good too

Tonight in Cairo, the Parliament is Surrounded
by Gordon Reynolds on January 25th, 2011

[blindpig]

29. Really good

outstanding reportage.

[xchrom]

15. cronyism and economic stagnation of the first order

have people wanting Self Determination and Democracy.

mubarak has been a dictator and it's time for him to go.

[WolverineDG]

16. People are tired of Mubarak & his government

the secret police, etc. I was there in 2003 & it was weird---posters of Mubarak everywhere, yet he didn't seem all that popular. People didn't talk about their government at all.

The majority of people in Egypt are dirt poor. Even if you have a government job, you have to bring in your own office supplies (paper, pens, etc)!!! Corruption, on both large & small scales, is rampant. Example of small scale: One of my tour guides was an American who kept getting her visitor's visa renewed because she brought the worker who did her paperwork a ream of paper every time she had to go in.

dg

[eissa]

19. Well said, and it's not just Egypt

The Arab street has for far too long made excuses for their governments. It's the Israelis, the US, anti-Islamic forces, etc. that are to blame for their problems. I think the spread of satellite tv, social media, and better internet access has helped immensely to counter these conspiracies. The populace has finally realized that it's their own governments' rampant corruption and general incompetence that is to blame for the vast gap between rich and poor, the economic stagnation, abuse of power and basic repression. The majority of regimes in the ME hold onto power with iron fists; Mubarak has been there for 30 years for god's sake. All the while suppressing any opposition.

Overall, these protests are a really good sign; they seem to be headed by the working/middle class, many appear to be educated, and the change they are wanting is mainly economic and political. However, as can happen with any revolution, it's the people waiting in the wings you have to worry about. Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has a very strong presence; if they jump in the fray.....well, obviously that would be a major disappointment. Let's hope Mohamed Baradei, a respected international figure who enjoys much support among Egyptians, is able to take advantage of this opportunity.

[Raschel]

27. Very interesting. Thanks for the insight.

[TBF]

17. Very oppressed country - folks are resisting. As of this morning

the government realized they have a problem, so they've outlawed protesting and blocked Twitter.

Inspired by Tunisia, but arguably much more significant - Egypt is a big country.

The big financial papers are covering this - http://af.reuters.com/article/egyptNews/idAFLDE70P1G820110126
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704698004576104112320465414.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsThird

[Raschel]

24. So they've denied their people the ability to communicate on Twitter.

I understand that's how they got their protest organized.

I didn't know that Egypt had such an oppressive leadership.
I thought they were one of the more permissive places in the mideast.
Don't flame me for my ignorance.

[jeff47]

31. They are one of the more permissive places in the mideast

But that's not setting the bar very high.

[SoCalDem]

22. In a nutshell..

MILLIONS of un/under-educated angry young men who are tired of trying to make it on <$2 a day, while the ruling classes live the high-life.

[robdogbucky]

28. Here is the official US version of the last 30 or so years...

in Egypt. Note that once the peacenik Sadat was out of the way via assassination, Mubarek, er our puppet, installed a repressive regime with no successor named or groomed or planned. Most think he will try to hand over reins of govt. to his son. I read while surfing on Guardian UK and English Al Jazeera that the US was only second in giving foreign aid to Egypt. Notice the difference between this version of the last 30 years and what the people in the streets are saying. Also noteworthy, that even though the official Egyptian govt. version is accusing Muslim Brotherhood of fomenting this, it was planned in advance and they have purposely played no part in it. Terror! Terror! Terror!


U.S. Aid to Egypt Totals $28 Billion in Three Decades

"CAIRO -- In the three decades since 1975, when the United States began its foreign assistance to Egypt, the most populous Arab country has made enormous progress. While its population rose from about 40 million to more than 70 million, incomes also rose and the standard of living has greatly improved.

At the 30th anniversary celebration of the U.S. aid program last year, the aid given totaled $28 billion, by far the largest amount of development aid given to any country in the world by the United States.

USAID assistance really took off after 1979 when the leaders of Egypt and Israel made the courageous decision to end the state of war between the two countries and agree to a peace accord at Camp David. Egypt recovered all of the Sinai Peninsula and the two countries have remained at peace.

Egypt suffered from extremists who killed its president in 1981 and attacked civilians and tourists in 1997. It has cooperated with the United States in countering terrorism..."

http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/features/egypt/



Knowing how corrupt the country is, one has to wonder where is all that money going if their bureaucracies cannot afford pens and paper. This is the pattern of US aid sadly.



Hands off my Social Security!
Hands off Latin America!



Dear SOS Clinton and President Obama:

Thanks for nothing

The People of Honduras



rdb