Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category
Good riddance to Mubarak, now take on the military
Bye Bye Mubarak from Ramy Rizkallah on Vimeo. Mubarak is gone – congratulations to the Egyptian people! The video above, shot by Egyptian film-maker Ramy Rizkallah, captures the celebrations shortly after the announcement that Mubarak was stepping down. Egyptians’ courageous protests have been a great inspiration. Hopefully, their example will stir others in the region and […]
Showdown in Egypt: may the people prevail!
Egypt went from festive jubilation to anger last night as Mubarak refused to step down. It was a disappointment felt around the world. It has become clear that the army is backing the Mubarak-Suleiman regime. The military’s statement today, “communique #2”, said the army will ensure that the reforms will be enacted, including the removal of the emergency law and […]
For America, stability trumps freedom
In echoing Mubarak’s call for an “orderly transition”, the US is undermining the fight for democratic rights. Read my spiked article in full here.
Protesters only in Square for the Kentucky Fried Chicken
The Mubarak regime has spread a ridiculous rumor that the only reason the protesters are staying in Tahrir Square is because foreign powers are providing them with free Kentucky Fried Chicken, reports Robert Mackey in The New York Times. The other rumor spread by the regime is that outsiders are paying protesters 100 Euros a day. Both of these notions are sent […]
It’s the US against Egypt’s protesters now
As The New York Times reports , on Saturday the US and other Western powers “threw their weight behind” Omar Suleiman, Egypt’s vice-president, and his efforts to end the protests. US secretary of state Hillary Clinton yesterday urged patience, saying that reform “takes some time,” and adding “there are certain things that need to be done in […]
Egypt – it’s not about religion
This is a photo of non-Muslims protecting Muslims at prayer in Cairo, according to this site.
Message to America: Hands off Egypt!
After decades of backing autocrats, the best thing Washington can do for the cause of Egyptian democracy is to butt out. Read my spiked article in full here.
The reality of Obama’s interference in Egypt
Here’s President Obama’s statement in response to Mubarak’s announcement that he will not stand in the elections planned for September. As I mentioned in my post yesterday, there is a contrast between Obama’s rhetoric of support for Egyptian self-determination and the reality of US interference in the country. This continued in today’s events. At his press conference, Obama says: “Now, it is not […]
The US should not “do more” in Egypt
It is exciting to see the Egyptian people rebelling against the Mubarak regime and demanding democracy. They should be fully supported. At the same time, it is hard to predict where all of this is headed, especially given the lack of clear leadership among the opposition forces. The US, of course, has been a big […]
Obama rebounds in polls
Heading into tomorrow night’s State of the Union address, President Barack Obama is riding a wave of rising approval ratings. Most polls over the past week show Obama at over a 50 percent approval rating. Real Clear Politics’ average of polls (graph above) finds 51.0 percent approve, the President’s highest rating since November 2009. This is quite a […]