Thread: Obama administration's reaction to the Egyptian situation

There is basically already a thread about this under the "White House" section.

The Obama administration's role is tricky because they need to be perceived as a peace-broker and a go-between, when in reality they're working all the channels they can. Our military and their military have a very friendly relationship.

Here's an article about Hillary Clinton's special role there. She made friends with Mubarak's much younger wife almost 20 years ago, and they worked together on human rights issues like female mutilation and the human trafficking of people. It was Clinton's idea to send Frank Wisner over there, who was our diplomat to Egypt in the 80's and who apparently gets along well with Mubarak.

They're not throwing him under the bus. They've been real smooth with him and have done whatever they can to keep him around until he can hand things over to a successor who is actually someone they voted for, rather than pitching him aside and basically going the way of a coup.

We're not losing face at all. In Tahrir Square over these last couple of weeks, from english into arabic they've translated MLK speeches and if you look at many of their signs, you see "YES WE CAN, TOO!" and "WE SHALL OVERCOME!".

The Obama administration needs to appear like they're just on the sidelines as confused as everyone else, but that's not really the case. If they could have things their way, reforms would be announced and effectuated immediately in order so that Mubarak can stick around just a little while longer until they're actually ready to put up some candidates, hash over an actual discussion and some debates between those candidates, get some campaigning time in, and then hold free and fair elections. The last thing the administration has wanted is a situation where another leader gets in there who is not really endorsed by the people.

Don't believe the crap you're hearing from FOX News, because Hillary Clinton is just the right person to be involved deeply in this thing. After last night though, you can tell from the President that he was pissed off with Mubarak for not doing what his military had basically said he would do, which is not only step down but leave the country in some kind of way. Mubarak's exit strategy is essentially that he'll go to some European country on a medical leave. It had been anticipated that he was going to leave last night, but then he basically ended up telling his people that he'll do everything they want but he'll remain in the President's office until September.

So basically the Obama team is having to prepare for both scenarios even though privately it appears they'd prefer that he begin to make the changes and then hand things over in a smooth transition.

We're not losing face, and President Obama doesn't owe Mubarak diddly and is already being as kind as he can possibly be to an old fucker who is actually preventing common ground from being reached since the number one demand is that he leave.

It's kinda hard to compromise when millions of people around the country have just stopped everything, including all the union workers who make the country go.

In a region of the world where we're the most rational voice on the phone with that gov't compared to who some of their other allies are, our role is of the utmost importance, even though we're pretending like we're just on the sidelines, which is actually how we need to come off.

Much worth considering here. Thanks.

Oh, here's the article on Hillary. I forgot to put it in my last post.

Hillary Clinton plays key role in dance with Hosni Mubarak - Glenn Thrush - POLITICO.com

Has anyone here ever known an Egyptian? I've nevear met one.

Originally Posted by redrover

Has anyone here ever known an Egyptian? I've nevear met one.

Yes. Why?

Originally Posted by redrover

Has anyone here ever known an Egyptian? I've nevear met one.

We used to have an Egyptian family that lived across the street from us. They were nice enough, although the husband lost his fucking mind when the U.S. invaded Iraq. He actually began cutting down American flags that people had on their homes. That didn't pan out so well for him...

Originally Posted by Steve

We used to have an Egyptian family that lived across the street from us. They were nice enough, although the husband lost his fucking mind when the U.S. invaded Iraq. He actually began cutting down American flags that people had on their homes. That didn't pan out so well for him...

Of course, in the end, he is right, eh? That war is a pretty big black eye for America.

Originally Posted by Dick Martin

Of course, in the end, he is right, eh? That war is a pretty big black eye for America.

Right about what?

It's fine to disagree with policy. I have no problem with that. This ass-clown started destroying the property of others. It almost got him killed.

Anyway, they live there no more. I'm kinda' glad they're gone; fuckers left their Christmas lights up year 'round...

Originally Posted by Steve

Right about what?

It's fine to disagree with policy. I have no problem with that. This ass-clown started destroying the property of others. It almost got him killed.

Anyway, they live there no more. I'm kinda' glad they're gone; fuckers left their Christmas lights up year 'round...

Probably had to leave the lights up to prove they weren't A-rabs and Muzzies.

Yes, very glad that we have such an intelligent person in control as President Obama, well respected by not only the Egyptian military, but by our own military. With "W", or McClain in charge, we'd be in another war, in another Mid-East country.

Thank you Mr. President for calmly handling this in the only appropriate manner. glad all you neo-cons agree with me.

Originally Posted by ConLib

Yes, very glad that we have such an intelligent person in control as President Obama, well respected by not only the Egyptian military, but by our own military. With "W", or McClain in charge, we'd be in another war, in another Mid-East country.

Thank you Mr. President for calmly handling this in the only appropriate manner. glad all you neo-cons agree with me.

I wholeheartedly second that!

Personally, I would've preferred Obama had just stayed mum about the whole thing.

What's happening in Egypt is a perfect example of why America needs to back away from the Middle East in general. We can't simultaneously support "democracy" in Iraq and Afghanistan while supporting dictators elsewhere. That's just hypocritical.

With the overthrow of Mubarak, it's just become painfully obvious at this point.

It's better to ditch authoritarian governments as allies than it is to make excuses for them if you hope to maintain even a superficial image of promoting "freedom."

Slowly but surely, we need to distance ourselves from Yemen and Saudi Arabia. We also need to ditch Israel.

Originally Posted by Occam's Razor

Personally, I would've preferred Obama had just stayed mum about the whole thing.

What's happening in Egypt is a perfect example of why America needs to back away from the Middle East in general. We can't simultaneously support "democracy" in Iraq and Afghanistan while supporting dictators elsewhere. That's just hypocritical.

With the overthrow of Mubarak, it's just become painfully obvious at this point.

It's better to ditch authoritarian governments as allies than it is to make excuses for them if you hope to maintain even a superficial image of promoting "freedom."

Slowly but surely, we need to distance ourselves from Yemen and Saudi Arabia. We also need to ditch Israel.

Yes, and I believe this is what Obama is slowly doing!