Jan 29 2011
Obama A Deer In The Headlights Of Egypt’s Uprising
The situation in Egypt is not simple or clear cut. I have hesitated to write about it simply because it is complex, unstable and could result in a regional war if not handled correctly. It opens the future to two warring philosophies that have been roiling the Middle East since 9-11 and America’s efforts to instill peaceful democracies into the region.
America’s knee-jerk preference is, of course, democracy. We believe through freedom of individual rights you gain two very important results:
- Individual, family, local and regional financial success that translates into a productive and educated society that grows instead of stagnates.
- A calming of the human soul that comes from having the basic needs met, some worthy accomplishments under your belt, time to learn and gain some wisdom – all of which negates the urge for violence and hate.
The Middle East has yet to gain this serene balance so many in the West take for granted (and liberals risk through their endless and oppressive government edicts). Hosni Mubarak has been a solid and worthy ally for 3 decades. He has attempted to acclimate his people to the modern world in preparation for a transition from the Arab-Muslim autocracy to democracy. The problem is, Mubarak may have waited too long to see the fruits of his efforts bear fruit. He may have been waiting for that mythical ‘perfect moment’ where there is no risk in ringing in massive societal change.
ON FRIDAY, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians did something that the Obama administration, and many others in Washington, believed they would never do: They rose up against their government, demanding an end to President Hosni Mubarak’s autocracy. They overwhelmed the security forces that Mr. Mubarak deployed in an attempt to crush them; they defied a nighttime curfew even after Army units were deployed. They burned the headquarters of the ruling party in Cairo and in several other cities. By nightfall, it seemed clear that only two events could end their revolution: a massive use of force by the Army or Mr. Mubarak’s yielding of power.
The United States should be using all of its influence – including the more than $1 billion in aid it supplies annually to the Egyptian military – to ensure the latter outcome.
The people of Egypt have reached their tipping point. They want to move on from the 30 years of Mubarak’s rule and who could blame them. The risk is the opening now provided to Islamo Fascists like al Qeda and the Islamic Jihad (which evolved from Egypt). If America does not work to bring about a change to democracy, then the country could devolve into a center of Islamic hate and anger – one aimed at the West. Worse yet, with an educated and productive populace, along with their well trained and armed military, Egypt is a prize the likes of which groups like al Qaeda cannot ignore.
They will try to take advantage of this moment. Which is why the news from DC is so unbelievable and worrisome:
Yet, as so often has happened during the Arab uprising of the past several weeks, the Obama administration on Friday appeared to be behind events.
…
But U.S. statements assumed that the 30-year-long rule of the 82-year-old Mr. Mubarak would continue. After speaking to Mr. Mubarak, President Obama said Friday night that he would continue to work with the Egyptian president; he did not mention elections. Instead, in an apparent attempt to straddle the two sides, the administration suggested that the solution to the crisis would come through “engagement” between the regime and the protesters.
Once again we are painfully aware of the deep inexperience of our young and rash President. His White House is filled with liberal theoreticians with nearly zero real-world experience and contacts. Leading the pack is bumbling VP Biden:
“We’re encouraging the government . . . to try to engage in a discussion as to what the legitimate claims being made are, if they are, and to try to work them out,” Vice President Biden said in a Thursday night interview on PBS, adding that he would not call Mr. Mubarak a dictator and did not think he should step down.
Talk about your vacuous statements. The forces on the ground in Egypt are running full steam ahead and Biden is proposing committees and hearings.
The best way to hand Egypt over to the likes of al Qaeda is to disappoint the masses in terms of the West’s beacon of democracy – America. We cannot afford to align with Mubarak in hopes he stays on. It is a lose-lose strategy:
- Mubarak Stays: The protesters’ dreams are dashed and they blame America for not supporting democracy at a pivotal point in Egypt’s history. They become bitter and conclude democracy is just propaganda told to keep the American Sheeple in their place. They fall into the hands of Islamo Fascism.
- Mubarak is Overthrown: Instead of a peaceful and democratic change of government in Egypt the military and masses over throw the Egyptian government and radical elements name the common enemy of the people America and their puppet Mubarak. The pro democracy elements are purged in the after math and a version of Iran arises on the banks of the Nile.
Either way we lose an important ally and gain a dangerous enemy in the heart of the Middle East. We get the Jimmy Carter version of diplomacy, the worst diplomacy known to humanity since the days of Hitler and Chamberlain.
The window here is very small. The Obama administration must explain to Mubarak it is better to control the unavoidable and coming transition than lose the country to the dark forces of Islamo Fascism. Mubarak can still leave his mark on history and guide his nation to the future.
This was going to happen sooner or later. Mubarak is not immortal. It is just a question of seizing the moment.
I fully agree.
Bush started the ball rolling but Obama stalled.
And now he is in a Carter situation.
I keep remembering how Reagan handled a similar situation in the Philippines. He kept his mouth shut and his communications open – pointing out to both sides that whoever lost would find exile a lot more palatable than a fight to the finish.
Obama? We’re in a hell of a mess.
[…] Video: The Barack Obama Station – hotair.com 01/29/2011 Or, Tragedy Central. more… Obama A Deer In The Headlights Of Egypt’s Uprising – strata-sphere.com 01/29/2011 The situation in Egypt is not simple or clear cut. I have […]
“And now he is in a Carter situation”
He already was two years ago Re: Iranian revolution.
Think no one is surprised at the Obama adm’s handling of this situation.
Funny how Obama PROMISED the world during his campaign that he would bring peace to the entire world…citizen of the world???? And that he would mend the relationships damaged by Bush????
Now I’m glad to see the TV news focusing on Islam and what that would mean if the Muslim Brotherhood would take over Egypt.
El Baradarei has finally showed his true colors.
Y, it does look like another Carter-era deja-vu is coming. Hopefully this will continue and Obama will be another one-termer followed by somebody like Reagan.
[…] Obama A Deer In The Headlights Of Egypt’s Uprising Either way we lose an important ally and gain a dangerous enemy in the heart of the Middle East. We get the Jimmy Carter version of diplomacy, the worst diplomacy known to humanity since the days of Hitler and Chamberlain. […]
[…] as a first step towards war against all infidels everywhere. The Stratasphere calls US policy “Jimmy Carter Diplomacy”. The vast majority of Egyptians will vote for the Muslim Brotherhood, which organization […]
“In Egypt, protesters and soldiers declare: The army and the people are one.”
“Protests Spread To Saudi Arabia_(unconfirmed)”
Problems in Jordan I have read.
HOW WOULD YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT IF YOU LIVED IN ISREAL. Oh my goodness!
Don’t kid yourself, this is NOT about a desire for democracy. This is about a desire to install an Islamist government. The “reformers” and “modernizers” are seen by the majority of the population as a bad thing.
the Pharaoh is Phalling.
debating whether or not this should happen is really pointless at this point – it IS going to happen, and there is nothing we as a country can do to stop it.
this train has left the station.
there’s no way the old govm’t comes back now, and the longer Mubarak hangs on the more violent the final downfall will be. He needs to leave now, before the Army splits into faction and the *real* bloodshed starts. There’s still time for a semi-peaceful transition, but not much.
Transition to what, you ask? That’s the question, of course. The scary thing is that the change is coming whether we like it or not, and we are powerless to influence what it may be.
basically, we’re up s**tcrick without a paddle.
http://www.gloria-center.org/gloria/2011/01/special-report-egypt-revolt-and-us-policy
Sad but true. This administration is following the Carter doctrine of “run away”.
I am serious, I believe that this is the moment, right now, to do something about Iran.
MB and Obama are in cahoots, somewhere along the last few months he told Egypt to get in the back of the bus and he gave the keys to Hamas.
Obama wants to be the head cat of MB, when he is overthrown in 2012.
Chicago thuggery at the highest level in world politics, turning the Middle East into obama’s science project.
I bet Biden and Hillary will soon wake up and realize they have been too close to the enemy, shared too many secrets with the enemy, at the highest levels in sacred halls.
Pray for Israel.
Strange report from Israel about how they are being better treated by the Egyptian protesters.
There was a report showing that Obama and his adm met with the MB, AQ, and others in that same vein of terrorism back in 2009.
I also read that the timing of these protests are in response to a 650-day window that Obama has left in the white house in anticipation that obama will be a on-term president.
El Baradei has offered to negotiate the transition from the Mubarak government to whatever he wants.
Hillary Clinton wants orderly transition. US Embassy in Cairo advises that the Americans in Egypt leave as soon as they can (airport closed). Wealthy people have left or are leaving.
Mubarak is DONE. He needs to leave the country as soon as he can. I’m hoping that those artifacts in the museum are already packed and ready to be moved but I doubt it.
crosspatch – a year ago, when the election was stolen and the protesters were in the street, was the time to do something about Iran. We had the political winds at our back.
but we did nothing. We missed the boat.
Now all the protest leaders have been executed or imprisoned, their families have suffered, and everyone in Iran knows that no matter what, NEVER count on America to help you out when you need them!
And with that, our influence is gone, our ability to even affect the middle east is gone. In 2 short years we have gone from being the major player to where we are now – we have no influence, and our opinions no longer matter. We have abdicated the position we once had, and there is no getting it back. (short of military action which we will now never do)
Big things are happening, and going to happen in the middle east – the old post WW2/cold war order is breaking down, and is about to be replaced by something new. What is that? We don’t know, and the real shame is that Obama’s America is going to have nothing at all to say about what it will turn out to be.
I hate the “media”, they begin by saying, ” this administration has a very difficult job”. They cover, they pander, they prop-up, they must think poor Obama, he is so young we need to help him. He’s our guy and we can’t have him looking badly. When did they ever give that kind of break to George Bush?
IT IS JUST PATHETIC!
wws, I wish that we would know what kind of big things will happen in the ME. It’s a shame that the civilians of those countries could simply not understand that Islam does not encourage prosperity with freedoms and will remain in poverty but far more repressed.
The conservative pundits have begun to refer to GWB’s speech of freedom as well as Condoleeza Rice’s. I am so disappointed in Condoleeza’s performance in the last four years of GWB in the WH as I was with the others. They simply retreated from their principles of freedom.
Lurker wrote: “It’s a shame that the civilians of those countries could simply not understand that Islam does not encourage prosperity with freedoms and will remain in poverty but far more repressed.”
Islam means (literally) “Obedience”. Obedience to Allah, Obedience to Muhammed, Obedience to the Koran. For any good Muslim, those are the only values that exist. Words like “prosperity” and “freedom” are (in their view) corrupt and decadent, and are to be condemned. They are tricks of the Devil, nothing more, and those who value them are (to all good muslims) pawns of the Devil. Or as the Ayatollah’s put it, we in the west are nothing but swarms of little Satans serving the Great Satan.
this is why Islamic societies and Western society can *never* be reconciled – as long as they coexist, they will be at war with each other. The muslims know that, and accept that reality eagerly – do we understand yet?
Yeah, I understand. Most left-wings do not.
I’m wondering why we didn’t see this coming? We did but couldn’t prepare for it? We didn’t? We have been working on the egyptian leadership but have been unsuccessful? Anybody know what the answer might be? Seems that the State Department and the President were caught flat footed. Do we still have a CIA?