In the face of public protests and demonstrations, a constitutional and political upheaval in Egypt, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton of the United States have issued terse, tepid, sleepy and tongue-tied reactions, but why?
Why the sleepy, tongue-tied reaction or response and statements concerning the crises in Egypt? I thought that the United States supports, across the board? I thought that the United States supported economic and political reforms in China, in North Korea, in Iran, in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Pakistan?
I thought that the United States supported Human Rights on a global scale? I thought Human Rights was a universal concept, and a high ideal which is advocated by the USA?
I actually thought that America support political freedoms, freedom of association and speech globally?
President Hosni Mubarak and the government of Egypt have arbitrarily and in the most draconian manner, have shutdown telephone and telecommunications service, including internet service, Facebook and Twitter and all manner of digital age social media and other alternative media forums in Egypt, and yet, there is not murmur of protests by the American government, America offers no whimper of support for the people of Egypt?
Hosni Mubarak has been president of Egypt since 1981, he is 82 years old, and America is relying on him to initiate reforms? There has been a state of emergency persisting in Egypt since it was first imposed in the aftermath of the assassination of Awar Sadat in 1981 and that is a whopping 30 years time period which has elapsed.
America is clearly deliberately behind the curve in the happenings on the ground in Egypt
Whereas, America went above and beyond, in support of protesters in Iran last year. In fact, it is the case that the United States in connection with the protest in Iran last year, actually managed to have come across as orchestrating and choreographing protests against the government of Ahmadinejad of Iran in the aftermath of the June 12, 2010 elections.
The United States even went as far as demanding and insisting, imposing a postponement of scheduled maintenance on Twitter, in order that protesters in Iran have continued uninterrupted access to Twitter, just so, the protesters could tweet, unhindered, and coordinate their protests. Iran received scathing and scalding criticisms from the United States as the so-called Green Revolution persisted in Iran.
The death Neda Agha-Soltan of a lady became the rallying cry of the Iranian protesters and their American supporters and handlers, but, now, more than 10 person have been murdered by Egyptian security agencies since these public protests and demonstrations began in Egypt several days and ago, and yet, there are no pointed criticism against the tyrannical and dictatorial government of Hosni Mubarak. There is no clear, concise and precise statements of support for the beleaguered 87 million citizens of Egypt. What we have instead is, measured, convoluted and tongue-twisting statements of how Egypt is the strongest ally of the United States.
The US is, platitudinous statements regarding why Egypt need political and economic reforms! Reforms? What reforms? Hosni Mubarak has been president of Egypt for 30 years. Egypt has had no vice president for over thirty years. There egregious Human Rights abuses in Egypt. There is extreme gender inequality in Egypt. There are extreme political repressions in Egypt. And, all these have persisted for decades and the world, including the United States knows it!
Why does the United States engage in speaking from both sides of the mouth and inconsistently, regarding democracy, the rule of law, due process and human rights? Why is it that, in the eyes of the United States government, so-called high ideals and tenets of democracy, constitutionalism and political processes are fleeting and forever shifting and fluid? Why couldn’t the US have a single definition for democracy, freedom, free speech, human rights, the rule of law, due process etc, whether in Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Iran, China, North Korea and yes, Egypt as well?
In the current crises in Egypt, the US comes across as conflicted, confused and duplicitous! Is has forever given winks and nods to Hosni Mubarak as Mubarak have clamped down in extreme and obsessive manner, against Muslim Brotherhood
The current American administration scheduled a press briefing on Friday January 28, 2011 which was supposed to occur, soon after public statements by Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, and because Hosni Mubarak cancelled or has delayed for several hours, his scheduled public statements, the White House has similarly, delayed for two and a half hours, the scheduled American press briefing! Just imagine the idea that the US is coordinating, with Hosni Mubarak, a dictator-tyrant, what ought to be a US forthright response to the repressions and brutalities in Egypt inflicted on Egyptians by a dictator who happens to be a valued and treasured ally of America!
There are patterns in all of these. Only recently, Julian Assange and WikiLeaks revealed how the government of the United States encouraged the undemocratic government of Yemen, to deceive the people of Yemen and hold the citizens of Yemen in utter contempt and complete disregard through frauds and lies. The US was conducting military actions in Yemen, while asking the government of Yemen to pretend to be undertaking such military actions, even though Yemen does not possess the hardware, the predator drones and the military wherewithal to have engage in those military actions. The US demanded and insisted that the political leaders in Yemen act as fall guys for US military actions inside Yemen.
America is entitled to defend it’s interests as America sees fit, but, it must cease all pretensions to higher ideals. It has become clear that America shifts the goal posts frequently, regarding what ought to be America’s core beliefs, high ideals and tenets of democracy, the rule of law, due process etc. American values are fleeting and shifting, depending on the nation and region of the world, and determined by American interests!
America is too often hypocritical. America too frequently engages in expediencies, as it did in Afghanistan in competition with the former USSR, this expediency, in place of sound policy, have been repeated in the intractable crises between Palestine and Israel, then, in policies towards Iraq, then and Iran now. Expediency is also what drives American policies regarding Egypt.
America while demanding elections and regime change in Iran and Zimbabwe etc, continues to prop up brutal and authoritarian, dictatorial and tyrannical regimes, in Egypt and across the world. What is wrong with this picture? Where is the outrage by the US?
Why is America always this strange bedfellow with dictators, tyrants, antidemocratic forces and regimes which openly engage in arbitrary and draconian use of political power. America is in a dilemma, America is afraid of the type of leadership and government which might replace Hosni Mubarak in Egypt
The average American wants to know why some are vehemently and stridently against American policies in the Middle East and most of the world? The answer is the hypocrisies and double standards which American government demonstrate again and again! Support the people of Egypt! Hosni Mubarak must GO!!!!
Well said Paul! Hosni Mubarak must go!!!