Nice one...lol
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Seriously though, with all this uprising in Egypt, where will we send the people we need to torture?
Coming from a country with plenty of experience in civil unrest and rioting, all I can say is that the mix of curfews, police beating up rioters and the military in the streets means sooner or later the end is near for the current goverment. From what I've seen and read, Mubarak changing his gabinet isn't enough. The protesters are asking for real change in the institutions.
The problem is what comes after. There will be many forces trying to take over the power vacuums that all that rioting creates. A transition into a secular, moderate goverment and democracy? Or an alliance between religious leaders and the military a.k.a. the next Iran?
If the second option happens, shits gonna get even worse in that region.
Its sad that these protests are breaking out all over the Middle East (add Yemen to the list) and the US government is on the wrong side in each situation.
what I find funny is that ALL the low orbiting satellites that carry the internet and cell phone use to Egypt. were put into space by the USA.
Egypt, Tunisia as UCA partners against terrorism.
I guess they were excluded from the dubya neo-cons' plan for democracy and freedom to break out all in Muslim countries after dubya invaded Iraq for oil.
Saudis must be shitting their collective royal pants right about now. If Mubarek falls, they're about the worst/most repressive regime left in the Islam world.
I have heard that there is a top-ranking Egyptian military official that has been in Washington DC all week. Possibly even prior to the major uprising.
Also, supposedly wikileaks shows evidence of US interaction and support of the organization that actually started the protests in Egypt.
Perhaps the US being 'flatfooted' in this situation is by design....
Stratfor seems to think that this is not anything more than a changing of the guard in the military. The military still has a stranglehold on the country and the powers-that-be in the military were simply not down with Mubarak anointing his son the successor.
Which I can see working out for Egypt for the short term, seeing as how the protests have been reported as being so personally directed towards Mubarak.
BREAKING: Cairo Is Falling
Reports emerging from Cairo, Egypt, make clear a Mubarak regime in downfall. Apparently the airport in Cairo is jammed, and Mubarak family members are reported to have arrived in London.
The pattern for Egyptian Army units has been one of peacemakers and non-opposition to the protesters. The Egyptian Army appears neutral, but unwilling to crush government opposition.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is reported to have named as first-ever vice president, his intelligence chief Omar Suleiman. Suleiman appears positioned for a bid as successor to Mubarak. Whether or not such a succession would be viable in light of opposition developments is unclear. Observers speculate that Suleiman may conversely be focused on preserving the Mubarak regime's control even if Mubarak himself flees.
Multiple reports of government-loyal family members fleeing Egypt for safe havens in Europe and the Middle East paint a portrait of a regime in its last throes.
http://readersupportednews.org/news-...iro-is-falling
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Much like his American counterparts, the oligarchic kleptocrat gets away with his ripped off $Bs, much of it US taxpayer $, to live out his life in heavily armed luxury.
Please list there the "democracy loving" Repugs and neo-cons who said Love, Peace, Happiness Democracy would flower in the Arab world after the US established democracy in Iraq AND who are now completely against the overthrow of Mubarak non-democracy:
1. John Bolton
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/01/29/...ocracy-bolton/
2. McCotter
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/01/29/...t-stand-egypt/
3. etc, etc.
Now list the Repugs and neo-cons who, before Mubarak fell, were publicly for his downfall. (there may be a couple Repug/neo-con band wagoners, but most will remain silent)
1.
2.
3.
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Paraphrasing imperialist Lord Palmerston: "countries don't have friends, only interests"
and the interest of America is not democracy (Just Another Big Lie Americans tell themselves), but in making the world safe, compliant, even subservient, enslaved to America's money and corporations. Mubarak's Egypt was a huge 30-year market for MIC's goods.
So, bets on Egypt's transition to a theocracy?
Call it 50/50? 60/40 for? 30/70 against?
Unlikely. Why would you expect them to transition to a theocracy other than the fact that the population is mostly Muslim?
Like with the US/UK/CIA compromising a corrupt/autocratic Iran under the Shah, the US supporting Murbarak for decades assures that if a real people's govt takes over, theocratic or secular, it won't be friendly to US.
I envision a future for the U.S. much like Egypt's present - except that by then not enough of our citizens will have the brains or the balls to stand up and fight like the Egyptians are now.
The Egyptian people could apply the rule:
"the friend (USA) of our enemy (Barak regime) is our enemy".
Oil prices up, stock prices down, what about Suez Canal fees up? 1956 All Over Again?
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/242670/thu...LISH-large.jpg
Al Jazeera English Blacked Out Across Most Of U.S.
That corporate censorship comes as American diplomats harshly criticize the Egyptian government for blocking Internet communication inside the country and as Egypt attempts to block Al Jazeera from broadcasting.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0...tml?view=print
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UCA always gets what it wants.
Meh, its not blacked out its just not carried. You can watch the live feed online.
Depends on how one defines theocracy.
I will bet against.
Certain islamist leanings, and that will certainly factor into the way things will shape up, but a straight up theocracy, ala Iran, no.
Likely end up with a change in strongmen, is the most likely out of possible alternatives, followed closely by a weak, corrupt democracy that will get better over time.
^^^Message board lifer says the internet is irrelevant.
(spit take)