Sydney Morning Herald article on Egypt: Washington appears addicted to propping up tyrants

[Better Believe It]

Revolution is in the air but US sticks to same old script
Washington appears addicted to propping up tyrants, writes Paul McGeough.
by Paul McGeough
January 29, 2011

Clinton uttered the ''stability'' line early in the week - before the seriousness of what is unfolding in the streets of Cairo and Alexandria came in to focus. Consider how it might be interpreted by ordinary Egyptians - the human rights of 80 million people have been trampled for 30 years but what the US Secretary of State is most concerned about is the stability of the state.

And, even as the focus sharpened, the administration refused to tell the truth about the despot upon whom Washington relies - ''Egypt is a strong ally,'' the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, replied when asked if the administration still supported Mubarak.

Meanwhile, observers on the ground in the region shake their heads. ''People want moral support,'' said Shadi Hamid, of the Brookings Doha Centre. ''They want to hear words of encouragement - right now they don't have that. They feel the world doesn't care and is working against them.''

His point seems to be this: it is time Washington thought in terms of investing in people in the region, not in dictators.

Read the full article at:

http://www.smh.com.au/world/revolution-is-in-the-air-but-us-sticks-to-same-old-script-20110128-1a8e6.html

[DJ13]

1. Tyrants are easier for US corporations to do business with

No red tape, no workers rights, and a little bribery goes a long way.

[fascisthunter]

2. the wealthy right wingers share their ideology

democracy and equality are impediments to their greed driven goals.

[calimary]

3. And the astounding thing is - people here STILL wonder "why they hate us?"

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. DUH.

Because we're the gun-runner of the world? Because we make money off things that kill? Because we enable dictators and tyrants and social misfits who mislead and exploit, and many times mistreat, disappear and even torture their citizens? And we stand behind them even so?

And people here wonder why so much of the rest of the world still hates us?

[fascisthunter]

5. yup... that ignorance is a sign of delusion

a psychological break from an uncomfortable reality.

[calimary]

6. I think that's a big part of it. Not wanting to face an uncomfortable reality.

This is America, after all. We're good. We're the Good Guys. And God's on our side. How on earth would we ever be palling around with people who do this kind of shit? You can't possibly imagine that something like that even exists. You're just making that up to stir up trouble and make us look bad. Why do you hate America - and all that For Which We Stand? We're there to bring Freedom, Capitalism, Jesus, and heartburn and high cholesteral to the Rest of the World!

And anything that doesn't fit into that frame is denied, shouted over, propagandized against, and turned into something to be feared and hated.

It's weird, the human mindset. So towering in its inspirations and achievements. And with such a backspin lurking underneath.

[fascisthunter]

8. exceptionalism... it's one thing to be proud

it's another to think one's nation is the best in the world and therefore all other nations and their people are somehow inferior.

[calimary]

11. Good point.

Those are the same people who completely short-sheet and pervert that quote -

NUMBER: 1641
AUTHOR: Carl Schurz (1829–1906)
QUOTATION: The Senator from Wisconsin cannot frighten me by exclaiming, “My country, right or wrong.” In one sense I say so too. My country; and my country is the great American Republic. My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.

http://www.bartleby.com/73/1641.html

All they know is the first five words of the critical last sentence above. They leave everything else off.

[provis99]

4. yep. just think about it.

We're probably the most hated nation in history. Whaddaya know? We're still Number 1 at something.

[xchrom]

7. tis true -- just ask south america. nt

[formercia]

9. Giving aid and comfort to Dictators everywhere

If Hillary throws Mubarak under the bus, the others will wonder who's next.

[sabrina 1]

10. Most Americans don't know that.

We are eg, giving hundreds of millions of dollars right now to Karamov of Uzbekistan, one of the world's worst dictators. The Wikileaks cables show that the U.S. knows full well what he does to his own people, but their excuse for supporting is 'he lets us build military bases in his country'.

Maybe finally, these Cold War policies will begin to change. I fail to see why we cannot negotiate for what we want we democratic governments. But as history shows, we help topple any democratic government that begins to emerge.

The only reason I can think of is that we are run by Corporations and Corps need dictators in power to allow them to abuse environments, anyone who tries to restrict their corrupt practices, will take pay-offs to get what they want and provide cheap labor by keeping their people down.

WE need to start getting rid of corporate influence right here as we are turning into a third world country slowly but surely.

[Modern_Matthew]

12. Old habits die hard...

It is time we build up our own people, rather than the political systems of other countries.