It does not seem that the protests in Egypt will go away anytime soon. Of the many North African and Middle Eastern nations protesting for the removal of their dictatorial leaders, Egypt seems to be the most tense. While protesters are calling for a million people to take to the streets demanding President Mubarak's removal, thus far, it seems that little is deterring him.
Last week, as the protesters grew into large crowds onto the streets on Cairo, President Mubarak removed his entire cabinet, hoping to calm down the tone, but it did nothing. Instead members of Egypt's own police force, actually sided with the protesters and its army actually called the protests 'legitimate'. That's saying quite a bit for a country that represses freedom of expression.
Now it is very likely that Mubarak may eventually resign, as the pressure is mounting and today he did call for a new government and even shoved the Interior Minister aside, which is the head of the nation's security forces that has been battling the upheaval since it began.
But there is still some strange contradictions going on here in the United States and the response to Egypt's protest movement. Vice President Joe Biden stated that President Mubarak was not a dictator and should not step down, while Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeared on ABC's Sunday morning news show This Week with Christiane Amanpour stating that there "needs to be reform". Meanwhile, President Obama called for the same reform and that "the United States is committed to working with the Egyptian government and the Egyptian people, from all quarters to achieve it, and around the world governments have an obligation to respond to their citizens..."
Oh is that right? The Federal Government gave no response to the American people when they called for an end of corruption under President Bush and now under your tenure Mr. President, but I digress...
The single most important factor that this Administration is failing to consider is that if and when President Mubarak is removed, regardless of his authoritarian rule in Egypt, this means there could be a very good possibility that the Muslim Brotherhood could take control, thus causing the Middle Eastern region to become destabilized.
Egypt as one of the United States' closest allies in that region of the world, has helped us protect Israel and against al-Qaeda terrorists. The last thing we need right now is for Egypt to collapse and bring that portion of the world one step closer to taking Israel out.
There is great admiration from the protesters in Egypt who want a freer society without an authoritarian rule, as it struggles with poverty, inflation, unemployment and shortages. However, could the Middle East be any better if Mubarak steps aside?
Regardless of the looting, destruction and death that has occurred throughout Egypt in the last week, the protesters are vowing to not stop, until Mubarak is out.
Showing posts with label social upheaval. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social upheaval. Show all posts
Monday, January 31, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Tunisia's prime minister dealing with crisis
We've already seen the upheavals in countries like Lebanon, Sudan and Ivory Coast over the course of the last few months, now we can add Tunisia to that list.
The North African nation, suffered from violence and street protests last week, that began when a man set himself on fire after police confiscated his produce. This eventually led to a social and political unrest with Tunisia's people, fed up with unemployment, inflation and shortages, rioting on the streets and forcing military intervention. The rioting came to an end with demands that its President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, cease power and immediately step down. Ben Ali had declared a state of emergency for the country and dissolved its government, promising to establish a new one.
Doesn't look like Ben Ali is going to help with the process at all, since he fled to Saudi Arabia to avoid any forms of revolt against him, not to mention that he and his family took about $66 million worth of gold, out of Tunisia as well.
In the meantime, Tunisia's prime minister Mohamed Ghannouchi is forced with a nearly impossible process of maintaining solvency by trying to establish a new unified government. He has stated publicly that Tunisia will release political prisoners of opposition and pick out those involved with any form of corruption.
Tunisia's people however, are not buying into the program, at least not yet. Many of them strongly feel that Prime Minister Ghannouchi brings nothing new to Tunisia's government and will bring absolutely no change compared to the policies of its now ousted president Ben Ali.
At the height of this turmoil, it has risen strong concern for all countries in North Africa. Perhaps Tunisia's largest problem right now, like every other country on this planet, is faced with economic issues. It might sound odd when you consider that Tunisia is one of Africa's most wealthiest nations, yet the possibly of having to be apart of restructuring or defaulting on debt among North African nations has become a huge concern.
The North African nation, suffered from violence and street protests last week, that began when a man set himself on fire after police confiscated his produce. This eventually led to a social and political unrest with Tunisia's people, fed up with unemployment, inflation and shortages, rioting on the streets and forcing military intervention. The rioting came to an end with demands that its President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, cease power and immediately step down. Ben Ali had declared a state of emergency for the country and dissolved its government, promising to establish a new one.
Doesn't look like Ben Ali is going to help with the process at all, since he fled to Saudi Arabia to avoid any forms of revolt against him, not to mention that he and his family took about $66 million worth of gold, out of Tunisia as well.
In the meantime, Tunisia's prime minister Mohamed Ghannouchi is forced with a nearly impossible process of maintaining solvency by trying to establish a new unified government. He has stated publicly that Tunisia will release political prisoners of opposition and pick out those involved with any form of corruption.
Tunisia's people however, are not buying into the program, at least not yet. Many of them strongly feel that Prime Minister Ghannouchi brings nothing new to Tunisia's government and will bring absolutely no change compared to the policies of its now ousted president Ben Ali.
At the height of this turmoil, it has risen strong concern for all countries in North Africa. Perhaps Tunisia's largest problem right now, like every other country on this planet, is faced with economic issues. It might sound odd when you consider that Tunisia is one of Africa's most wealthiest nations, yet the possibly of having to be apart of restructuring or defaulting on debt among North African nations has become a huge concern.
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