With myriad reports in the media indicating, conflictingly, that the Egyptian talks with the opposition are either moving toward total agreement or are teeting on the brink of collapse, the question of whether we are really nearing an end-game in Egypt continues, as well as the question of what that will look like.
Newly crowned Vice President Omar Suleiman, who many see as the heir apparent to Mubarak, has been courting the opposition with promises of dramatic changes, including the possible end to the “state of emergency” at some unspecified future date. This seems to have pleased a lot of Western officials who have sought some nominal reform to appease the uprising.
But is it appeasing the protesters? It depends who you believe. Some reports have key opposition figures pretty close to agreeing with Suleiman (and marveling that the public protests continue).
US pundits and former officials were treating the talks as a virtual fait accompli on the Sunday talk show circuit, speculating more than anything about when the protests would collapse and how Mubarak could repair his reputation.
Still, the Muslim Brotherhood, which is taking part in these talks with the apparent blessing of the US government, insisted today that the Egyptian government had not been negotiating in good faith so far and reiterating the demands for serious reform.
"… the Muslim Brotherhood, which is taking part in these talks with the apparent blessing of the US government… "
WAIT A DARN MINUTE !! Didn't I just read not two days ago that the US rejected the Brotherhood as a contender for any seat at the negotiations table? Why am I getting dizzy from the position changes going on in Washington? Does the Obama administration honestly have no clue as to what to do? If they do, they need to get with the program- and if not, what are we paying them for??
I, for one, support the MB in their endeavor to bring peace and stability to Egypt. If they later pursue the 'Big Bad Islamic State' option, isha'Allah they will do so with restraint and justice.
You don't get it. It's not so much as he is confused as the fact that he knows that it's a done deal. The Egyptians have already have been sold down the river. They're just allowing the protests to go on until the spotlight is off Tahrir Square. When that happens, the crackdown on the protesters begin. After all, don't forget who the "new" boss is, Mr. Chief Torturer Extraordinaire.
Oh I do 'get it' – I know the governments of the West, in collusion with Israeli-friendly states in Europe- are already licking their chops in anticipation of who's going to get what share of the spoils. After the way the US, for one, has been further exposed as hypocritical vis a vis Egypt and democracy, I doubt anyone will take the USG seriously ever again. Either we support democracy across the board, or we drop the pretense and run counter to the vision of the Founding Fathers. My contention is that the USG and Israel need to figure what their game plan is and stick to it- either the MB will be shut out and democracy is nothing more than a figure of speech, or the MB has an equal shot at power and all is well. That applies to ALL Egyptian political parties as well- all or none.
1- Look.., if you or anyone from your point of views think that Muslim Brotherhood or any form of religious brotherhood would be able to bring about democracy to Egyptians or to Palestinian people you are did wrong.., the only way that Israel will give back the stolen Palestinians land is by a force of economical embargo from Egypt to Sweden and beyond. In the other hand west is not willing to start this process because of what’s been going on in US and EU for years, a process of manipulations’ by those lobbyist whom asking for US and EU militarism regime to be used in Middle East.
2- Look, Peace doesn’t mean wars, only war will bring more destructions to Middle East not the democracy, a true and functioning democracy and its economical power can demand the embargo which needs to be proceed on all level and by a functioning democratic system.., look.., US, EU, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Arab Emirates, Jordan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan noon are a functioning democratic system nor is Israel but they all have a level of business transaction with Israel, therefore Hosni Mubarak and his regime get paid 1.5 billion dollars a year to make peace with Israel, that money never been spend for the people of Egypt but rather for his military system to keep them in power.
3- Look, It is time for people to wakeup and demand that there needs to be a functioning democracy replacing what has been a brutal and a lapdog system of the west.., and that’s what the people of Tunis, Algeria and now Egypt demanding.., so we need to embrace and support them all the way.., by just talking about Muslim brotherhood is a idea which west has been using to divide the people and conquering them, that’s what the Iranian system used to become what they are today.., now is time for a unity and for democracy to flourish.
The people have stood up and demanded just that. After all, that is what Tahrir Square has been about, you know. And that has done what again?
It's the business of empire as usual. Nothing has happened here. The USG has been doing this kind of thing for hundreds of years. Nothing has changed. The only change will come when this shit finally implodes and the empire collapses. The United States of Israel know what their game plan is and they have carried out brilliantly one more time. There's hope there too that when the dust settles, the leech will turn against the host.
It is now or never. hope the people of Egypt understand this very well that if they let Mubarak stay it will be their biggest mistake. USA, Europe and the kings, Amirs, dictators of middle east do not want a true democratic government in Egypt. They just want to appease the protesters with nominal change. It is true dmocracy can not come overnight but people should not hesitate to take a step forward.
1-I, for one, support the MB in their endeavor to bring peace and stability to Egypt. If they later pursue the 'Big Bad Islamic State' option, isha'Allah they will do so with restraint and justice.
Writes Mr. John Mohammad which reminds me of Iran and what the people of Iran went through before realizing that it was a mistake. There is no doubt in my mind that a Islamic State – regime is a power against such regimes as Israel, Us and EU power hunger and thereby a attitude of militarism system feeding these regime, however, the complicity of these regimes are based on democracy and peoples will, such will doesn’t exist in a Islamic republic nor for that matter a Islamic government will apply such direct and without attachments’ idea in their constitutions. Again the example is Iran and what they been applying to the Iranian constitutions which non of them in practical matters are materialized.
2-Look.., Islamic Republic stands for what it is, a neo – dictatorial regime based on Islamic laws, they could bring about all and every word there is and put these word as freedom and etc in constitutions. yet it is not going to be practiced when they have the power, here people of Egypt would become powerless as People of Iran, if that’s what you want go ahead and advertise for it but don’t be surprised few years from now. Your enemy is not your people nor is what they demand in terms of democracy but rather a politics or two by those who will betray the people. Religious needs to be out of politics and people need to practices their faith in peace and tranquility otherwise is the religion which would dictate how, where and what people should practice their faith. Take a closer look at Iraq.
The only reason MB is allowed to get to the table is to set them up as a dangerous alternative, and the justification for continued repression. This is why ElBardei is so cleverly villanized, as someone who "lived abroad", and other rubbish. He is the only one with the world-wide experience of negotiating, and has committment to regime change, end of thirty year old "state of emergency" that limits political activity, and the constitutional reform. But the situation is not yet ripe for Mubarak to feel confident and order vast scale round up, even though he is itching to start. He has full support from US and EU, some forked-tongue pronoucement from those capitals notwithstanding. MB is right to test the waters. The touted "concessions" are non-existent, as the regime holds all he cards. MB can testify to the public the complete failure of the regime to begin "transition". This famous Washington word has become the target of the ridicule, as nothing will move the pyramid-sized imovable object — the regime and its head.
According to news by Christian Monitor: “Muslim Brotherhood's concessions prompt anger. Egypt protests have sought Mubarak's removal. The Muslim Brotherhood suddenly dropped that demand in talks Sunday, angering participants in Egypt protests and causing an apparent split in the group's ranks“.
Divide and conquer,, has been the slogan of the west and by the west to divide nation and conquer them in long run, here the Muslim brotherhood doing exactly the same thing as the west have done. In 1970s with uprising of the Iranian people the same matter was practiced by the Iranian regime, now is happening in Egypt.., don’t say that Egypt is not Iran.., politics of this sort have no border and don’t understand the principals in democracy.
Conflicting stories? There are no conflicting stories? Does anybody hear anything else coming out of either Washington or Israel? No? Well, there ya go. The only ones who continue with the illusion of something happening are those poor protesters. The rug was pulled from under them and they didn't even notice it. Immediately after they were attacked, they should have hijacked those tanks on the square, marched to the Presidential Palace, given Mubarak and ultimatum and if he didn't leave, flatten the whole thing with him inside. But they lost their window and they lost the battle. The revolution was hijacked from them right under their very noses. Very, very tragic indeed.
1- In Backing Vice President, U.S. Plays Tricky Hand in Egypt
By HELENE COOPER and DAVID E. SANGER
Published: February 7, 2011 New York Times
WASHINGTON — Vice President Omar Suleiman of Egypt says he does not think it is time to lift the 30-year-old emergency law that has been used to suppress and imprison opposition leaders. He does not think President Hosni Mubarak needs to resign before his term ends in September. And he does not think his country is yet ready for democracy.
2- This is admitting a fact that Egypt, Hosni Mubarak and his men’s are nothing but a puppet regime installed by US and EU and they are not for democracy, they never been and never will. So the national democratic party of Egypt stands as a “logo” for last 30 years and in place suppressing Egyptian people, it stands for those whom been stealing all rights of the peoples, it stands for a system to work and make system to become a brutal regime. President Obama, for democracy to flourish democracy needs to function and for democracy to work with democrats whom want to have a functioning democracy.., that is what the people of Egypt demanding, no less and no more. We all know that you and Israel are the biggest loser when it comes to peoples demand for a functioning democracy, simply because you never been working for a functioning democracy nor Israel has. So let the people of Egypt and elsewhere achieve their goal, let democracy flourish and help them.