dagblog - Comments for "Egypt Protests Live"

Events have caused the White

wendy davis — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:54:51 +0000

Events have caused the White House to pivot, it seems:

"There is a White House briefing on Egypt promised shortly, but the Associated Press has this bombshell – that the Obama administration is using US aid to Egypt as leverage over the Mubarak regime:

An Obama administration official says the US will review its $1.5bn in aid to Egypt based on events unfolding in the country, where the authoritarian government is struggling to extinguish huge and growing street protests.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the situation. Egypt has been a key US ally in the volatile region. US officials are now increasing calls on President Hosni Mubarak, the target of the protesters, to respond with restraint and reverse steps taken to cut off the protesters' ability to communicate.

The decision to review assistance to Egypt is a significant step as the US seeks to balance the desire to maintain stability in the region with a recognition of the unexpected scope and uncertain outcome of the protests."

(And they've been such cooperative 'moderate' nation-states for the US) They must think Mubarek is gone.

The protestors in Cairo had

wendy davis — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:33:11 +0000

In reply to Egypt Protests Live

The protestors in Cairo had been calling for the army to be deployed, seemingly because they intuited that they would be more likely than the police to join them. Now:

Mubarak has sent in the army to restore order in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez but protesters cheered the army in some areas, calling on them to side with them against the police (3.43 pm). In some areas the army has done so. Soldiers have shaken hands with protesters in Alexandria and in Cairo. Demonstrators have clambered onto tanks in Suez and Cairo. There have also been unconfirmed reports of clashes between the army and police

There have been unconfirmed reports of many protesters killed today, including a woman in Tahrir square in Cairo, two people in Suez, one named as Hamada Labib, 30, a driver., one person in Alexandria and a 14-year-old in Port Said.

In the country's strongest intervention so far, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said the US is "deeply concerned about the use of violence by Egyptian police and security forces against protestors". (5.12pm)

Some police are reported to have joined the protesters, who welcomed them to their ranks. (5.05pm)

Even the Adminstration has to pivot now, as have the media. Biden probably still thinks Mubarek wasn't a dictator. Democraynow has a lot up, including Juan Cole on background.

Just saw that and here's a

Beetlejuice — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:29:26 +0000

In reply to As I understand it Syria has

Just saw that and here's a point of view from the BBC...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12311889

Seems everything in the Middle East hangs on what happens in Egypt. If it goes down the tubes, others will follow.

As I understand it Syria has

cmaukonen — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:22:04 +0000

In reply to All one can do is sit back

As I understand it Syria has preemptively disconnected the internet and cell phone connectivity to the outside world.

All one can do is sit back

Beetlejuice — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:18:21 +0000

In reply to Egypt Protests Live

All one can do is sit back and watch as the drama unfolds. What concerns me is Egypt erupted soon after Tunsia...no warning that we were aware of. That makes me wonder about Jordan, Syria and Turkey. Lebennon is too tied up with Israel, and Iraq, Iran and Afgahanistn are already in turmoil. But the Saudi government is all too quiet...they know they're sitting on a very big powder keg with a very short fuse. And if the violence spreads, Pakistan and India may square off too. The whole 3rd world in the Middle East may be on the brink of upheaval if the trouble in Egypt spreads further. Be prepared for the price of oil to start rising as well...profiteers just to stick the shaft in both ways.

Alas, I'm remembering back to

Verified Atheist — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:10:07 +0000

In reply to And

Alas, I'm remembering back to the heady days of Tiananmen square when we were confident that a truly democratic China was about to be born…

Of course, the flip side to that is how my German teacher in high school used to tell us that East and West Germany would never be reunited…

And

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:01:54 +0000

In reply to Egypt Protests Live

And here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2011/jan/28/egypt-protests-live-updates

The al Jazeera live feed is down. This is spreading like Freedom Dominos., to Yemen and Jordan. Protestors control Suez for now. How can we not be glued to the coverage, searching history, geography, quotes from Obama, Biden, Clinton, thinking how Israel must be shitting tacks? Reading Wiki-cables?

Glad you put up the links, C. This could be a turning point for the history books. Seriously. Mubarek was due to speak to the nation half an hour ago; the nation waits.

Juan Cole had reports that people in the houses above the street were throwing lemons to the protestors to cut the effects of the tear gas. Some police are refusing to shoot at the protestors; the protestors are calling for the army, seeming to believe that the army is more likely to join them. My stars. Jasmine Revolution.

And here as well.

cmaukonen — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:29:41 +0000

In reply to Egypt Protests Live

And here as well. http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/