The US wants Mubarak to stand down in favour of his chosen successor, Omar Sulieman – this seems to be an unprecedented move on the part of the US in the role of neocoloniser with any of its vassals. On Al Jazeera Catherine Ashton from the EU Council echoes the US line, assuring all that Suleiman will be in discussion ‘with opposition leaders yesterday today and tomorrow’. As Paul Barratt, ex-Australian Defence Secretary tweeted today:
@phbarratt: @Jinjirrie The paradigm remains “stability through repression”. #fail #
In the Guardian, Timothy Garton Ash describes the price for the neocolonial, racist Europeans should Egypt not achieve liberation.
Europe’s future is at stake this week on Cairo’s Tahrir Square, as it was on Prague’s Wenceslas Square in 1989. This time, the reasons are geography and demography. The Arab arc of crisis, from Morocco to Jordan, is Europe’s near abroad. As a result of decades of migration, the young Arabs whom you see chanting angrily on the streets of Cairo, Tunis and Amman already have cousins in Madrid, Paris and London.
If these uprisings succeed, and what emerges is not another Islamist dictatorship, these young, often unemployed, frustrated men and women will see life chances at home. The gulf between their life experience in Casablanca and Madrid, Tunis and Paris, will gradually diminish – and with it that cultural cognitive dissonance which can lead to the Moroccan suicide bomber on a Madrid commuter train. As their homelands modernise, young Arabs – and nearly one third of the population of the north African littoral is between the age of 15 and 30 – will circulate across the Mediterranean, contributing to European economies, and to paying the pensions of rapidly ageing European societies. The examples of modernisation and reform will also resonate across the Islamic world.
“There is a lot of uncertainty out there and I would just caution against doing anything until we really understand what’s going on”, says McMullen of withdrawing aid to the Egyptian military. Translation: we don’t want the military to back the people, we want them behind the regime, which should be a regime we want.
The logical outcome to circumvent the current neocolonials’ plan whilst avoiding bloodshed may be in train – the Egyptian army to submit to the forthcoming pro-democracy people’s council presently being built in Tahrir Square. Army head, Tantawy is apparently in the square with his generals. Exiled Egyptian Al Qaradawi in Qatar has suggested guidelines for action. (via @SultanAlQassemi)
Al Qaradawi who now holds Qatari citizenship was banished from Egypt decades ago & is known for his anti-Mubarak regime statements.
Al Qaradawi speaking now on Qatar TV “If a leader is hated he just leave. You can’t lead a people by force” http://yfrog.com/h4174sj
Al Qaradawi “O Pharaoh (Mubarak) the time of Pharaohs is over. You cannot force yourself. If you were their ‘father’ why did you kill them?”
Al Qaradawi “Millions of people don’t want you. As long as this man is there Egypt will not be stable”
Al Qaradawi “If he was really their ‘father’ he would have mercy on them. (Tunisia’s) Ben Ali had better logic, he left the people”
Al Qaradawi “Do you have a drop of mercy in you? Yesterday snipers killed ten protesters (in Meydan Tahrir), aren’t these your children?
Al Qaradawi “Mubarak is responsible for that happened. What happened yesterday & the day before is unacceptable, even the PM said so”
Al Qaradawi “The Youth were there, not one policeman was killed, the protesters didn’t shoot. Until the Baltagiya came, rented by the state”
Al Qaradawi “The same Baltagiya who stop voters from voting. How can a leader use criminals against his own people?”
Al Qaradawi “The Prime Minister says ‘I don’t know who did this?’ The gov did this”
Al Qaradawi “Like the poem goes, if you did know then it is a problem, and if you didn’t know then the problem is greater”
Al Qaradawi “Just because you want to stay seven months? You will kill your people for seven months? Leave now, go rest, you are 82”
Al Qaradawi “I call on Mubarak to leave. I call on his regime to leave. To the Egyptian army, protect your people, you fought for them”
Al Qaradawi “During King Farouk time the Egyptian army fought for Palestine, it can be the saviour of the Egyptian people”
Al Qaradawi “Sadly the army let the Baltagiya shoot the people over the last two day. Shots in the head, some are in critical condition too”
Al Qaradawi “This army that fought for Egypt I tell them stop this now, you must take responsibility. The VP is the President, the same”
Al Qaradawi “The regime will go but the state will stay. The army must protect, I’m not calling on them to rule, just protect your people”
Al Qaradawi “Take this power from the Vice President & give it to the people. The Parliament Speaker is a fraud, even Mubarak agreed”
Al Qaradawi “The Army must install an independent temporary supreme judge who will run the state, that is my wish now”
Al Qaradawi preaching in a Qatari mosque to Meydan Tahrir protesters. (extreme left) http://yfrog.com/h8twcxj
Al Qaradawi “Today we will pray for the souls of the martyred protesters of Egypt & of Tunisia”
Al Qaradawi said that the Qatari Embassy in Cairo has been closed because of the protests on Mustafa Mahmoud square.
Let the revolutionary spirit blossom for Egyptians, Tunisians, Jordanians, Sudanese, Yemenis and spread to all crevices of the world where dark tyranny stalks the people for the benefit of foreign satraps!
Egypt
Women And Egypt–Links
Egypt has become our ballad – a testimony before the world, crying out that we live
The Egyptian revolution threatens an American-imposed order of Arabophobia and false choices
What the Mubaraks are worth
Amnesty International staff member reports from a raid on a Cairo law centre
World Cannot Believe Mubarak Hasn’t Fucking Left Yet
Egypt Protesters Will Spark Global Mass Movements: Internet and Globalization’s Positives
The difference between a secular autocracy and medieval monarchy when it comes to revolution
Mubarak Switches On Smear Campaign
Breaking: Amnesty International Staff Detained in Cairo
Blogger Describes Being Attacked in Cairo
Muslim Brotherhood seeks end to Israel treaty
Egypt: much too early to celebrate
White House, Egypt Discuss Plan for Mubarak’s Exit
In Egypt, as Mubarak Vows to Maintain Order, There Will Be Blood
Egypt set for Tunisia-style change: UN rights chief
Cabinet Approves Higher Taxes for Israel’s Gas Tycoons
The Israeli cabinet has approved the Sheshinski Committee’s recommendations to raise the royalties on Israel’s gas fields from 33 to 55-65 percent. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that most of the extra billions of dollars collected by the government will be allocated to education.
U.S. defense contractors with the most at stake in Egypt
The UK is the largest foreign investor in Egypt. Oil and gas accounts for much of this but British investment is wide-ranging and includes financial services, tourism, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, textiles and consumer goods. The cumulative total exceeds £10 billion sterling.
Israel Worries About Gas Pipeline
In August 2007, the Egyptian Minister of Investment announced that the UK was the largest investor in Egypt, based on cumulative FDI figures since 1970.
How Was Egypt’s Internet Access Shut Off?
Görmez warns against tragedy over developments in Egypt
Socialist International cancels Mubarak’s party membership
#Jan25 Diplomatic car runs over pro-democracy protesters (28 Jan)
Omar Soliman’s First interview in the media
Helping Mubarak sell his torture-techniques in the West
Muslim Brotherhood seeks end to Israel treaty
Network Anchors Leave Egypt Amid Crackdown
European leaders mount pressure on Egyptian ruler
The statement from French Pre-sident Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero urged a “quick and orderly transition to a broad-based government.” “That transition process must start now,” it said.
Egypt: When Pictures Speak Louder than Words
Muslim Brotherhood 2008 Municipal Election Platform
MB calls for changes to prevent another Tunisia
Analysis: Concern about Islamists masks wide differences
Video: Slaughter in Egypt
Egypt protesters make public appeal
Foreigners being attacked in Egypt
Google still searching for executive Wael Ghonim in Egypt
We All Helped Suppress the Egyptians — With Our Taxes. So How Do We Change?
The real Pyramid scheme
Just now from Tahrir square #Jan25
Israel: A tale of two demonstrations
Husni gone mad
Mubarak Switches On Smear Campaign
Aljazeera: Arabic vs English Versions; Mubark is “Fed Up!”
Israeli Military Backs Egyptian Troops
Obama Treats Egypt like a Banana Republic
Who’s afraid of the Muslim Brotherhood?
How Large Is Egypt’s Religious “Right”?
We Are All Egyptians
How Big Business Ruled Egypt
Voices from Departure Day in Egypt
If this is young Arabs’ 1989, Europe must be ready with a bold response
Protesters holding up signs in Hebrew #tahrir #jan25
People are now forming to make the word “Leave” for the helicopters above to see
Interview: protesters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square push back Mubarak thugs
Egypt (and Beyond) LiveBlog: A Big Day — And Not Just in Cairo
Egyptians doing it old school
“The Lion Hearted”
Gaza TV News: Gaza TV News – Yvonne Ridley, The Revolution in Egypt
Fox News smears democracy
How Big Business Ruled Egypt
The west must be wary of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood (Benny Morris’s shameful racist trash)
Jewish Voice for Peace in the NYT – “He may be a barbarian, but he’s our barbarian,” Mr. Rothmann continued. “You need to have an alternative, and we have never been able to create one.”
Fidel Castro: Hosni Mubarak’s ‘Fate Is Sealed’
Palestine / Israel
Netanyahu to offer gestures to Palestinians in effort to deflect Quartet criticism
Sixty-five percent of Israelis said Mubarak’s fall would be bad for Israel, according to a poll published in the daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on Thursday. Only 11 percent thought the results would be positive for Israel. Likewise, a majority – 59 percent – said a Muslim regime was more likely to emerge in Egypt, compared with only 21 percent who said the government would remain secular.
Palestinian Popular Committees to Egyptian Protesters: Abandon the Treaty
Macy Gray crawls over Palestine to Israel
Goldstone’s Legacy for Israel by Naomi Klein
Hamas allows anti-Mubarak protest in Gaza
Jewish Groups Clash Over Response to Fox Host’s On-Air Holocaust Rhetoric – zionism is not a left-wing movement.
A new regional order – slanted Haaretz article slurring Erdogan’s efforts as neo-Ottoman
Israel refuses to let Barbra Streisand’s cousin make aliyah
Israeli “liberals” make light of sexual assault and assassinations by the IDF
Obama, don’t be a hypocrite : oh god … what obsequious slime
“Israeli Wikileaks:” Kamm could face 9 years in prison
Wikileaks Links
Gillard continues to get it wrong on Assange
Holocaust denier in charge of handling Moscow cables
Other Links
American propaganda watch
Being opposed to Australia dumping refugees in East Timor
Global net crackdown to shatter ‘utopian’ internet: experts
Appeal: Help Us Save Hala Al Rafee’s Life
OUR GENERATION – Land, Culture, Freedom
Police Open Fire on Yemen Protesters
Once Upon a Time in Afghanistan…
Light dawns on Aboriginal find
Extra Tweets
RT @SultanAlQassemi: Scene only seen in Mecca before. 100s of thousands of Meydan Tahrir protesters pray together. http://yfrog.com/h8dsscvj
RT @SultanAlQassemi: There are 2 prayers at Meydan Tahrir, Muslims & Christians praying simultaneous…ly. Gathering est at over one million.
RT @MoatazMedhat: @Jinjirrie @SultanAlQassemi Actually it is estimated there are 2 Millions praying in Tahrir.#Egypt #jan25
RT @SultanAlQassemi: Al Jazeera estimates there are two million protesters. I don’t think they are wrong.
RT @avinunu: “No to Suleiman, Mossad agent, agent of America” – Amman protest speech #jan25
RT @avinunu: “No to Mubarak, son of Israel” Amman protestor #Jo #jan26 http://yfrog.com/h5twlsqlj
RT @SultanAlQassemi: Here’s the list of Committee of Wise-Leaders (disappointingly, they’re all men) http://bit.ly/hziimT Click English Version (Mousa is on it)
‘1610 GMT: Al Arabiya reports that the 10-man wise men committee has gotten positive feedback from President Mubarak about handing over power to VP Omar Suleiman. No one else has confirmed this’
Tweets from @SultanAlQassemi:
Al Jazeera speaking to NDP spokesman now. Asking him do you see the popularity of the NDP that won 97% of the parliament?
NDP Spokesman: These are not millions, the millions are the ones who are at home who did not leave their home
NDP Spokesman: Mubarak accepted every single demand of these people, they must go home now
Al Jazeera asked him: “But they demand that he leaves now?” NDP Spokesman: This will need time, how can we reform the constitution so fast?
Al Jazeera: But he has been there for 30 years without reform. NDP Spokesman: We will need time, there have been mistakes, we must admit.
Al Jazeera: You have arrested your senior leaders & frozen their bank accounts like Ahmed Ezz, NDP Spokesman: this is part of the reform!
Al Jazeera: But these are the NDP leaders for ten years. Nothing was done until the youth came to the streets. NDP Spokesman: reform started
NDP Spokesman: Don’t you try to make me say bad things about people I know. There are foreign elements that try to destabilise the country
Al Jazeera WHo are these foreigners, tell me, tell me names. NDP Spokesman: Everyone knows who these foreigners are
Al Jazeera: Please be calm. Tell me the names of these foreign elements NDP Spokesman: All foreign powers want to attack a strong Egypt
NDP Spokesman: They want to separate the Christians from the Muslims. These are important reforms that must be undertaken
NDP Spokesman Mohammed Ragab: It is the Muslim Brotherhood doing this. Please Al Jazeera all Egyptians don’t want to watch Al Jazeera
NDP Spokesman Mohammed Ragab: Al Jazeera has lost its respect, you must become neutral in your coverage.
Al Jazeera: But Omar Suleiman said he will talk with the Muslim Brotherhood, are you calling them destabilsers? NDP: Don’t mix things
NDP Spokesperson to Al Jazeera: The NDP has nothing to do with the men on camels. The NDP only works to protect this youth uprising. [Ends]