Posts Tagged ‘Egypt’
Progress in Egypt is Slow While China Regresses.
One step forward, one step back. It seems that reports that the Supreme Military Council in Egypt was as eager to crush the peaceful protests in Tahrir Square could very well been true, that the thugs are still hard at work suppressing dissent.
Freedom House reports that Maikel Nabil Sanad, and Egyptian blogger has been arrested:
by Egyptian military police on March 28 on charges that he allegedly defamed the armed forces
To the generals running Egypt: civil societies are NOT subject to military discipline. Military enrollment is a contract under which an enlistee agrees to accept such discipline. Civilians, by definition, have not agreed to accept being treated like raw recruits. That’s their job.
One wonders when they’ll get that. One also wonders when our own officials will understand that expanding military and police powers does exactly the same damned thing.
Read the rest of this entry »
Notebook, 17 February 2011: Authoritarian Regimes, Egypt and the Pentagon . . .
“Farmers in Meru had prospered from the production of coffee. With the proceeds they had earned, some had invested in cattle. many had financed the education of their children, some of whom attended elementary school in the village, others secondary school in town, and some universities abroad.
Many of these who secured an education then taken jobs in the cities, maintaining ties with their families at home, they funneled a portion of their earnings back to the farms and shops at Meru. Even during a drought in 1985—the year I worked in the district—Meru, its farmers, and its towns radiated a sheen of prosperity and well-being that reflected the successful response of its peasants to the opportunities presented by the export of coffee.
Departing the farms at the foot of Mount Kenya, I then journeyed farther inland and crossed into Bugisu, a coffee-producing region lying on the slopes of Mount Elgon in Uganda. There too farmers had invested in the production of coffee, and towns had sprung up to provide them the means to ship their crop, to collect payment, and to make purchases for their farms and families. But prosperity and tranquility, I soon learned, lay in Bugisu’s past; stagnation and fear characterized its present. Unlike the streets and towns of Meru, those in Bugisu were not crowded with farmers hurriedly making purchases or leisurely enjoying the pleasure of town; rather, they were occupied by soldiers, while farmers fearfully huddled on their homesteads in the forests. Youths did not stroll about in school uniforms, as they had in Meru, in Bugisu, they instead marched, lockstep, in military garb, lashed by the voices—and the belts—of their commanders. On the farms, the coffee bearing trees remained unpruned; diseases ran unchecked from plant to plant and farm to farm; stocks accumulated, for want of the ability of merchants to finance the purchase of the crop or its transport to the coast.
By venturing from the coast inland, I was therefore forcefully introduced to the link between prosperity and violence. In the central harbor, force was not absent; rather, it was structured and organized.”1
Notebook, 12-13 February 2011: Milestones . . .
The Arabic speaking world has again become politically articulate, and it is exhilarating to behold.
First of all, let me offer my congratulations to the protesters, my thanks to the Egyptian Army for the way it fulfilled its role thus far (regardless of the indifferent period when the NDP’s thugs were unleashed on the protesters) and my appreciation to Al Jazeera, who, more than any other news outlet, refused to let this protest be crushed in secret.
All of you have good reason to recall your roles in these events with a well earned pride for the rest of your lives. Your grandchildren will have reason to brag about what you’ve done in the last 17 days.
Keep it up. The hard part is about to begin, and Egypt doesn’t have a democracy quite yet. The police and SSI are still employed.
Notebook, 9 February 2011: The World’s Newest Nation . . .
The World’s Newest Nation
In case you’ve missed it, the news from Africa isn’t all bad, Egypt notwithstanding. The world’s newest nation, South Sudan, was born after years of dogged diplomacy helped end the world’s longest civil war (excepting perhaps the Karen revolt against the central government in Myanmar) which claimed the lives of an estimated 2 million. China has announced it’s recognition, and the US is poised to follow suit in July.
I’d like to take this opportunity to offer my own, humble, congratulations to the people of South Sudan and wish them health, prosperity and peace.
Read the rest of this entry »
Notebook, 2 February 2011: Storms . . .
“Before getting in your car, ask yourself if getting to your destination is worth risking your life.”
In case you’re wondering, that’s the entire continental United States under those storm clouds.
After cleaning off yesterday’s 5 inches of snow last night, which was light and fluffy, we’ve got 6 inches today of wet and heavy. Thank god I shoveled off my roof, and the storm is just beginning.
* * *
Cyclone Yasi
bears down on northeastern Australia with winds up to 186 MPH. It just made landfall a little while ago.
The surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean in that region is 1.2ºC above normal. Just one degree and some change.
* * *
Tahrir Square Burns . . .
Finally, in Egypt, things have gotten out of hand. What Egyptian news outlets (and they are all official outlets) characterize as “pro-stability” demonstrators, have been organized and armed with Molotov Cocktails are trying to force their way into Tahrir Square. Stones are being thrown, Army vehicles are trying to keep the two groups apart, but they’re the target of the Molotov’s.
Pro-Mubarak supporters are riding into town on horses and camels. Al-Jazeera reports that 100 people are injured. News crews are being attacked for the first time. This has gotten ugly. Anderson Cooper reports that Molotov Cocktails have climbed onto rooftops and are throwing Molotov Cocktails into the anti-regime crowd. CNN video shows multiple fires burning. Cooper says that other than trying to position some trucks between the groups, Fire hoses are being sprayed into one crowd or another.
Cut the military aid to Egypt now. Send them a big message.
UPDATE: One can hear what I think is gunfire on CNN.
UPDATE: Cooper reports that medical facilities have been set up—which only pro-Mubarak forces have access to.
UPDATE: I’ve seen this pointed out only once before, and never stated quite this way: The hallmark of the developed nation is the peaceful transfer of power to the domestic political opposition. This isn’t seen in the Middle East, except for Israel. Neither has this been seen in either China or Russia.
That’s the prize, right there.
UPDATE: What can President Obama say? How harsh can he be and what can he say about consequences? Not much. Not unless he is willing to field a sizable military force to seize and hold the Suez Canal. The bottom line is that consequences can work both ways.
Notebook, 28 January 2011: Scattered thoughts . . .
There is way too many important events going on today to give
- First of all, GlowNZ is absolutely right. There is no reason I can think of that this story has not received massive amounts of media attention, but there you go. Thus far, all we hear are crickets . . . .
I wonder how long this will remain the case. Rachel is on now, and she may just be the one to give it legs. There are huge political ramifications on a number of fronts. Note: Rachel dedicates her entire show to events in Egypt.
