MSNBC & NYT: WikiLeaks - Mubarak Lets Egyptians Suffer To Avoid "Chaos"

[Turborama]

CAIRO — U.S. diplomats repeatedly raised concerns with Egyptian officials about jailed dissidents and bloggers and followed reports of torture by police, according to cables released by WikiLeaks Friday.

A May 2009 cable also noted the Egyptian government's use of "heavy-handed tactics against individuals and groups" after riots over bread prices broke out in 2008, in the first major public disorder for 31 years, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/world/middleeast/28diplo.html">The New York Times reported.

The cable, signed by Ambassador Margaret Scobey, said the response had been prompted by the growing strength of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood.

It described Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak as a "tried and true realist" and a survivor, someone who preferred to "let a few individuals suffer than risk chaos for society as a whole," according to the Times.

More: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41308122/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

[xchrom]

1. Yeah those 'behind closed doors diplomatic concerns'.

Lot of good that did for the people.

And if Mubarak does leave - we aren't going to be in a good position.

[tekisui]

2. knr

[OneGrassRoot]

3. I can't wrap my brain around their thinking...

"They" being the rulers/heads of state in all countries, including the US.

"let a few individuals suffer than risk chaos for society as a whole," according to the Times.

Don't they see that the mounting suffering IS creating chaos for society as a whole?

The wealthy and powerful can't live in a bubble. It eventually affects them as well. Why can't they see that....

[BanzaiBonnie]

5. And they can't see it here in the US either

The president has accepted the NEW unemployment figures. You can't have 10% of your population unemployed and not have a lot of pain and suffering which leads to civil, or uncivil, unrest in society.

[OneGrassRoot]

6. Yes, I include the US in that observation.

Definitely.

Obama, his administration, the wealthy CEOs who are the real rulers of this country.....

[tekisui]

4. Two pages of new cables on Egypt released today:

http://wikileaks.ch/reldate/2011-01-28_0.html