ElBaradei to U.S.: "You are losing credibility by the day"

[somone]

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/losing+credibility+Egypt+ElBaradei/4192890/story.html

U.S. 'losing credibility by the day' on Egypt: ElBaradei

WASHINGTON, Jan 30, 2011 (AFP) - The United States is "losing credibility by the day" in calling for democracy in Egypt while continuing to support President Hosni Mubarak, leading dissident Mohamed ElBaradei said Sunday. ElBaradei repeated his call for the longtime strongman to step down, going so far as to assert it should happen within the next three days.

"The American government cannot ask the Egyptian people to believe that a dictator who has been in power for 30 years will be the one to implement democracy," ElBaradei told US network CBS from Cairo.

"You are losing credibility by the day. On one hand you’re talking about democracy, rule of law and human rights, and on the other hand you’re lending still your support to a dictator that continues to oppress his people," added ElBaradei, the former head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency. His recommendations to President Barack Obama’s administration were blunt: "You have to stop the life support to the dictator and root with the people."

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Sunday for an "orderly transition" in Egypt but stopped short of demanding Mubarak step down as protests engulfed his regime...

[undeterred]

1. That would be like if he stopped supporting the multi national corporations

and started rooting for the economic interests of ordinary people here in the US.

:hide:

[RegieRocker]

3. But that would mean there are similarities

and that can't be!

:sarcasm:

[GodlessBiker]

2. When you don't take a position on a revolution, you take a position on a revolution.

[RegieRocker]

4. I like it! Nice

[tekisui]

5. Exactly.

[RandomThoughts]

7. Well said.

The position is obvious, if you are not chained to a position from past bad choices.

Turning that ship is not always easy.

[xchrom]

6. recommend

[upi402]

8. Obama was bold and ethical. I was very impressed

I will slam corporatist Obama whenever it's called for, but he is 100% right wrt Egypt now.

He took a huge risk in betraying the guy who kept religious fanatics out of Egypt and did not scream about destroying Israel.
Obama told President Hosni Mubarak to knock it off. That was the ethical thing to do. He did not send in aircraft carriers to prop him up like Republicans would.

I think our foreign policy crew is functoning professionaly wrt Egypt now. IMHO of course.

[rucky]

9. When you read between the lines...

it's pretty clear that the US is NOT supporting Mubarak

[walldude]

11. "Mubarak is no dictator, he shouldn't step down"

That is a direct quote from the Vice President of the US. He said that yesterday. Which line should I read between :eyes:

[Cleita]

10. Our foreign policy which seems to have not changed

for fifty years or so needs an overhaul. We have to have a model that is in partnership with other democratic countries in the world and those who want democracy. Up to now, our policy is to back any dictator or despot who plays nice with us while ignoring all the atrocities they commit and maybe even aiding and abetting them with our money and military hardware. Also, it is to overthrow any foreign leader or government who wants us to leave them alone and who wants our American companies to stop exploiting them, no matter how democratically elected they are. We have to change our foreign policy.

[madrchsod]

13. we replaced the russians with islam...

[grasswire]

12. 2 billion dollars a year worth?

eh?

[jaxx]

14. ElBaradei also said

change must come from within Egypt.

(from AlJaz breaking news crawl on the AlJaz channel)

[Initech]

15. Reading all this news about Egypt, I suddenly feel like I'm playing a game of Civilization.

You make a mistake in the game like getting too friendly with an allied city-state, or something like this happens, the other leaders soon start denouncing you. This seems like it's exactly what's happening now.