Slight fix above. Welcome to a large portion of American foreign policy for the last, oh I dunno, 60+ years.
I think at this point, the US wants him to step down, but they are buying a short amount of time till they make friends with people in the opposition. That's also probably why Mubarak is pissed and is now freely using force, he knows that the big boss is interviewing new candidates.
Probably accurate. If Mubarak was smart and evil (yes and yes) I would bet that he is currently doing his best to plunder the snot out of whatever is left in the Egyptian government.
True. America must be really torn here. On one hand they really want as many democratic states as possible in that part of the world (so much so that we started an unnecessary war so we could "install a democracy in Iraq") and on the other hand they want to continue their support of Israel no matter what, so they'll have to be willing to let a dictator continue ruling in Egypt. Tough decision.
But the question is, whoever the Egyptians DO choose to be their new leader, will the US and Israel be content with it? Didn't something similar happen in Palestine when the people voted in Hamas but then neither of those two were okay with that decision? (correct me if I'm wrong on that last part)
Exactly. Back on topic: @sharifkouddous reports that protesters are holding their ground against Mubarak supporters at the 6th Oct Bridge. Tanks are on the bridge, scattered gunfire, lots of rock throwing.
Yes, but IMO electing Hamas was a mistake, whereas holding Hamas accountable is not. Basically, if Gaza wants Hamas, then that means everyone has to respect the people's freedom to decide, but it does not mean that everyone has to respect Hamas regardless of their actions. Ofcourse, this is assuming Hamas were elected fairly, and that Hamas have been proven to do unacceptable things > both areas in which my knowledge is not sufficient enough to comment.
I think it’s up to the army at this point. I think Mubarak is clearly finished now. The world now knows who he really is, and we now know why the Egyptian people were so insistent on getting rid of him immediately. At this point any shred of legitimacy he may have had is gone. The remaining question is, when and how will he and his regime be physically removed? The people have decided what Egypt’s future will be, and now the army needs to decide how the first part of the transition process will go.
Your paranoid, obsessive, racism, along with Merkel’s recent anti-immigrant comments, I think are reminding us all of Germany’s Nazi past. You’re a chip off the old fuhrer.
Isreal has a role no doubt, but I think it's unfair to single them out as the sole or major motivation for the USA's foreign policy in Egypt or the Middle East as a whole. The US props up dictators all over the world for a variety of reasons and then trumpets democracy to the press. Shameful, frankly.
Who do you have in mind? I don't really think there's time to make friends at this point, other than by doing what they've done in respecting the Egyptian's right to self-determination and then putting pressure on Mubarak to step down once it became clear that the people had made their choice.
According to the BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12351831, The Egyptian PM has "apologized" for the violence, and the army is mainly dispersing the pro-Mubarak factions. Read that article about the state of Alexandria also though -- this is really not pretty. EDIT -- Ah, I see why the apology comes now: Anderson Cooper was attacked. Don't you dare hit our sweet, coifed, and earnest reporter!
Yikes. So much amazing culture and history there - I sure hope Mubarak's ego doesn't lead to its plunder and/or destruction...
As much as I want him to step down, would the protestors accept the current "VP" as an interim until September?
If you are talking about Suleiman; I think the protestors will not accept that. He's seen as too much of a crony for the US
Yeah, this would is the overwhelming of Israelis and probably most US conservatives and even many moderates.
Job requirments: Must be authoritarian, strong stomach, not squeamish around pain or bodily fluids. with a new friendly democratically appearing face and mannerisms. Prefer degree from the Economics Department of the University of Chicago. Classes or independent studies with neo-con theorists also highly desireable. Very media presentable and must be acceptable to Benjamin Netanyahu. Must hate labor unions and other interferors with elite wealth. Must be willing to assist in the near starvation of a million or two Gazans till they repent for electing the wrong persons to office and agree to stop fighting for their land and civil rights.
