Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak threw the world for a loop when he announced that, despite earlier speculation, he won't step down until after elections currently scheduled for September.
Besides turning the angry mobs in the streets of Cairo into angry, shoe-waving mobs, President Mubarak's declaration presented tough new challenges to Barack Obama who has labored mightily for the past 17 days to make authoritative statements without actually saying anything.
During the ongoing Egyptian crisis, Mr. Obama has alternately voiced strong support for Mubarak, the protestors, the Egyptian military and, deep in the fourth quarter, the Green Bay Packers. And believing that Mubarak was finally heading out the door, Obama had already declared that "we are witnessing history unfold," as well as adding the great insight that this time of change is "a moment of transformation."
Given the latest turn of events, Whitehouse spokesman Robert Gibbs says the president is adopting a new policy based on "the fierce urgency of waiting to see what happens," while his speechwriting staff looks up any additional synonyms for "time" and "transition" which will be sufficiently meaningless to cover events as they unfold.
Or don't.
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16 comments:
There is still so much I don't know about the situation, but I like this development for two reasons: First, it appears to put a roadblock in front of the Muslim Brotherhood and their planned takeover of Egypt, thus delaying the implementation of sharia and its "benefits" at least for a while longer.
Second, it pokes a finger in the eye of the most diplomatically incompetent president this country has ever known (that includes Jimmy the Dhimmi). I should be upset that it puts the entire USA in a bad light, but that is inevitable with Turd-boy in charge and nothing we do (until 2012) can change it. Might as well ride the schadenfreude express while I can.
BTW, Stilton, if Barry was a true Chicago Bears fan (doubtful) he'd sell his daughters at a Tehran street market before he'd root for the Packers.
It's very discomforting to hear the head of the C.I.A. tell us yesterday that it was likely Mubarek would "step down tonight." And then (must have been embarrassing to him) be told he was just relaying what had been heard on the news. Worse, was to watch the National Intelligence Head James Clapper assert that the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt was largely secular and "eschewed violence." Uh...huh? He needs to watch some Glenn Beck. Anyway, I do agree with John McCain who said yesterday that the Muslim Brotherhood was playing these unfolding events very well. Be very afraid. The people I trust are the ones who admit we don't have a clue which way this whole thing's going to go. My earliest experience with unintended consequences was reading "A Tale of Two Cities." I've never liked the word democracy. Too often it leads to mob rule.
If I were an ally of the U.S. right now, I’d have serious doubts about that relationship. We will, apparently, bend with the wind and drop allies like hot potatoes when they need us most.
Our enemies, on the other hand, have nothing to fear. Where was our support for the protesters in Iran? Ah, but that was an internal matter for the Iranians, remember?
Climbing aboard the Schadenfreude Express with Angry Hoosier Dad, not being killed by all the befarkled nonsense spewing from the alleged president and his lackeys, but growing stranger and stranger. What's really got BO worried is that the demonstrations demanding the immediate resignation of an illegitimate ruler will spread even further- to Washington.
NBC now reporting Mubarak has stepped down and left the country, turning the reigns over to high level military personnel.
I suspect the USA will now become involved in this mess by giving billions of dollars in aid to Egypt in order to buy our way back into good graces with whomever or whatever assumes power. But, as usual, the money will never see the light of day as the new leader(s) will pocket the money for themselves saying "thank you America, you are so kind to our people. Let us be friends...oh, and death to Israel." (cynical)
reigns = reins
Bobo - seems like both spellings actually work in this case
The whole Middle East may be on the verge of disappearing in a nuclear fireball, but don't worry! We're going to get high speed rail!
I know Mubarak probably has other things on his mind (like saving his own butt), but wouldn't it be cool if he is enjoying jerking Barry O's chain just a teeny bit. BO doesn't know which way to jump. His vast experience in foreign affairs doesn't seem to be helping him right now. I think he wants to prove what a capable world leader he is, but Mubarak's ruining it for him.
All I can do at this point is pray for Israel and hope that General Dynamics sent them the specs on those M1 Abrams so they'll know the weak points of those Egyptian tanks. I may be in the minority on this, but I support Israel using their (nonexistent) nukes in a last-ditch effort to defend themselves if it should come to that. Masada must not happen again.
I'm with ya, Hoosier Dad.
I believe Isreal can take of herself (with a little help from above).
Obama is just so hell bent on having the sound of his voice projected for all to endure that he can't wait a moment to see if what he's geared up to bloviate on is even going to happen. Call him, "Captain Knee-jerk".
Barack Hussein is nothing more than "Mr. Knee-jerk". Emphasis on the "jerk".
Readers- Hard to keep up with the breaking news. The original cartoon for today had Mubarak quitting, then I needed a new one when he didn't quit. And now he's gone again. In other words, my intelligence network is no better than Barack Obama's.
It's going to be very interesting to see what develops in Egypt now. And I'm glad that some experts are optimistic because optimism isn't usually my first response to anything political.
Where's Johnny Optimism when you need him?
Democracy is why I keep several firearms, lots of ammunition, and a good supply of canned goods.
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