dagblog - Comments for "How do you say, "Tienanmen" in Arabic?"

A more relevant scenario from

NCD — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:20:42 +0000

In reply to Where is Reagan when you need

A more relevant scenario from Middle East history (not European) would be that Reagan would send in 241 US Marines/Navy and house them in a collapsible concrete structure in order to enforce order. Since Obey is such an student of history he might agree.

It's taken a few days of

acanuck — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:35:52 +0000

In reply to How do you say, "Tienanmen" in Arabic?

It's taken a few days of internal debate, but army brass have apparently decided their interest lies in propping up the regime. Troops on the ground were reluctant to clear Tahrir Square of peaceful protestors, so -- no problem -- the Interior Ministry's thugs simply manufactured today's violent clashes. Now the army can shut all demonstrations down while claiming not to take sides. Just restoring order.

Nobody in Cairo will believe it, but that's OK. The blatant charade also serves to tell the anti-regime protesters, "We don't care squat about what you believe, think or want. We're in charge, we have always been in charge, and we'll remain in charge. Suck it." That's also their message to Obama and the rest of the world. They're not even covering their tracks anymore: Those police IDs the Molotov cocktail-throwers were carrying? Must be forged or stolen.

We're running out of time for David's "whiff of grapeshot" theory to kick in. The regime is betting most protesters will finally yield to ingrained fear and fatigue, the diehards can be mopped up, and the reprisals can get under way. Everything depends on what happens tomorrow. If the protesters defiantly march, knowing the regime has taken the gloves off, I think they'll win. Because the Friday morning turnout, after prayers, will be even larger and angrier.

This is the tipping point. When a government makes no bones about beating up Anderson Cooper, it's going all-in. As the French say, "Rien ne va plus." Or as Dylan said, "Don't speak too soon, 'cause the wheel's still in spin."

I hereby render unto Ramona

Richard Day — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 20:50:32 +0000

In reply to Where is Reagan when you need

I hereby render unto Ramona the Dayly Line of the Day Award for this here Dagblog Site, given to all of her from all of me.

I guess I would walk a mile for one.

Nick Kristof has iron balls

David Seaton — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:56:47 +0000

In reply to To sum up, the

Nick Kristof has iron balls IMHO

Where is Reagan when you need

Ramona — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:53:53 +0000

In reply to How do you say, "Tienanmen" in Arabic?

Where is Reagan when you need him? "Mr. Mubarak, MOVE that CAMEL!"

I was refering to your

Obey — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:44:30 +0000

In reply to Everything I said is

I was refering to your predictions, not the current facts on the ground. ciao

Everything I said is

NCD — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:35:05 +0000

In reply to If you have any certainties

Everything I said is happening now. You seem to have a weak grasp of current events, Obey Ciao.

If you have any certainties

Obey — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:32:21 +0000

In reply to To sum up, the

If you have any certainties about the outcome here, you have a weak grasp of history, imho.

;0)

To sum up, the

NCD — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:24:22 +0000

In reply to Strange list of

To sum up, the military/security structure is Egypt will try to maintain its power at any cost, they are corrupt and the US will do nothing substantive to change the situation. If you think that is strange you have a very weak grasp of US foreign policy the last 60 years.

Nick Kristof is tweeting from Egypt saying "Egypt death toll now tops toll for Iran protests, which US and West widely condemned as an atrocity".

(3) Who cares? WHATEVER Obama

Verified Atheist — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:00:11 +0000

In reply to Strange list of

(3) Who cares? WHATEVER Obama does, the GOP will attack it.

Exactly. Currently, they're attacking him for not supporting Democracy. (At least, last time I checked. They might have already switched to attacking him for not being loyal to our ally.)