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(photo: @evanchill, courtesy of Al Jazeera)
I know that many will still hold out Neville Chamberlain as an example, but surely Tony Blair’s statements yesterday before Mubarak’s thugs took to the streets will merit some eternal mark in the Hall of Shame and Ignorance:
Tony Blair has described Hosni Mubarak, the beleaguered Egyptian leader, as “immensely courageous and a force for good” and warned against a rush to elections that could bring the Muslim Brotherhood to power.
Say what you will about the Obama Administration’s customary fecklessness, it beats a pair of false claims straight out of a Glenn Beck rant. Or maybe just John McCain’s playbook.
Meanwhile, somewhere the Ghost of Hannah Arendt surely noticed this happening seemingly right after Blair’s statements about this “immensely courageous” “force for good”:
In one almost medieval scene, a small contingent of pro-Mubarak forces on horseback and camels rushed into the anti-government crowds, trampling several people and swinging whips and sticks. Protesters dragged some riders from their mounts, throwing them to the ground and beating their faces. The horses and camels appeared to be ones used to give tourists rides around Cairo.
Straight out of central-stereotypical-casting.
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Revolution – Liberation of Humanity
If everyone is following my FB pages, they know the present protests in the Mideast have as their purpose the liberation of humanity (the masses, Cancer) from corruption, greed & centralized power (forces of materialism). We hope this movement of liberation is not co-opted (appropriated) by the same forces. The protests are occurring because it is the masses, having achieved a certain level of intelligence, who must liberate themselves. This revolution of liberation has been in preparation for centuries, foretold to emerge in the Aquarian Age, where we are to create the new culture & civilization under the Aquarian New Laws & Principles. But first, all unsustainable structures worldwide must tumble, collapse & fall down. As they do so, we are to be in planning & preparatory stages, especially concerning our future food supplies. I’ve written about this so often that soon no one will be listening. For those still needing to understand what there is to do, the list is always at the end of my emails.
http://web.nightlightnews.com/OverviewfortheMonth/WeeklyHoroscopes/index.html
Seeing the pictures of the Egyptian people beaten, with bandanges, actually tears at my heart and my eyes. Everyone on the planet has a universal right to be free; in reality they are free.
Just. Wow.
Lap dog is a crazy nut fuck catholic and therefore hates, really hates, all those that are not catholic, it is a tenet of the religion, and as for those Muslims well they are the devil incarnate according to the papists. What the hell would one expect from such a little prick.
Please listen to this report from Tahrir Square – it’s an interview by the Guardian of Khalid Abdalla, a British actor who is part of the revolutionary forces that have held the square through the night:
http://audioboo.fm/boos/269191-we-are-going-to-win-we-are-in-the-death-throes-of-a-violent-regime-protester-and-british-actor-khalid-abdalla-says-from-tahrir-square
Quotes from the interview from today’s live blog at the Guardian:
The courage of these people is inspiring. It shows what moral authority really looks like, so unlike the empty rhetoric of hypocritical plutocrats, filled with words that have been stripped of meaning.
Hi, nomolos. I’m not surprised Blair said such hateful things, but I want to expect much better from people who sway a lot of opinions. There’s bad Catholics and yet there are also some good ones. I’m not any kind of Catholic, tho.
I just read a tweet from a man in Cairo who is going to pray now. I’ve been doing some of that tonight too.
Can’t sleep.
“Say what you will about the Obama Administration’s customary fecklessness…”
Okay, I will. Let us not forget that it was just last week when our very own government officials (Biden, Clinton, et al.) were mouthing the very same brand of bull puckey. Does anyone really believe they have changed their mindsets or geopolitical strategies in response to demonstrations by powerless non-billionaires?
To what extent are the brutal reprisals of Mubarak’s goon squads the work of US government officials and “forieign policy experts”? What has US policy been since the 19th century? Protect US corporate interests at all costs, support the “friendly” dictators by any means necessary, and crush popular democracy movements wherever they arise. If Obama & Clinton asked Petraeus for his opinion, he would say (as he usually does): “Send in the death squads!” If they asked their political masters in Israel for instructions, Bibi and the Likudniks would no doubt bellow “We want Mubarak! Crush the uprising!”
So while Obama has made his obligatory call for peaceful transition to the expectant public, there’s no doubt in my mind that five minutes later he’s on the phone to Hosni urging him get out there and bust some heads for the sake of “stability”. “So Hos, do you need any drones? How about ‘security consultants’? We could send in some CIA and Blackwater operatives, if that would help.”
Sad but true: we have no reason to believe that the US government is in any way supportive of the Egyptian people’s struggle for democracy. In fact, we have lots of history which suggests just the opposite. Mr. Blair made the mistake of saying out loud what all of the status-quo political elites have recently decided to keep behind closed doors. But I think he encapsulates the mindset quite well: “Mubarak’s not so bad, and radical Islamism is the ‘only’ alternative to military dictatorship.” The fact that none of it is true is irrelevant; it’s the “conventional wisdom” and thinking outside the constraints of status-quo CW is not permitted among the ruling class.
Mubarak learned well from his american puppet masters and their mantra of “kill them till they love us”. It worked so well for the Corporate Empire in Vietnam, in Iraq, in now Afghanistan.
Yeah well I grew up in Ireland. My father was one of the authors thrown out of that country by the catholic church. I know many, many people both male and female that have been assaulted sexually and otherwise by the catholic nuns and priests. I am a recipient of their bigotry being a child with outspokenly agnostic parents (they were not allowed to marry in Ireland and had to leave the country to do so) both my sister and I, while very very young, were treated terribly in school, segregated to avoid contaminating other children…oh hell I could go on but suffice it to say I know from what I speak.
Adding to what you said, I find the timing of telling US people in Egypt to report to the airport interesting. It makes me very worried. Our government worries me more than the thought of Muslim Brotherhood. Am I wrong to feel this way?
Not questioning your experience at all. I just happen to know a few Catholic people who are not monsters. K?
“Am I wrong to feel this way?”
I don’t think so. I, too, am deeply suspicious. I think it means that the State Department knows what’s going to happen next, and it’s going to be very ugly and violent.
That’s my fear too. Maybe why I’m having trouble going back to sleep.
I’ve been following the situation, but not 100 percent of the time. I make myself get up and run and errand, do a chore or take a walk. It can’t be healthy to be this worried all the time. I noticed some increase in the usual snarking around here. :(
The financial elites prefer bribeing dictators.Just look at the cost of doing business with free people.The financial elites have 23 of there puppets that we the free people can fire in 2012.Theres not an encumbent senators with clean hands.Owned and controled by the financial elites.The Senators for the last 40 years have been pissing on the US citizens and telling you it’s raining.
As we have seen in recent years the Corporate Elite will resort to violence at the drop of a hat to protect “their” interests. That there is a target, i.e. the Muslims, is a convenience. Were it not the muslims they would find other excuses to unleash violence.
As for our other discussion ‘K’
I initially felt that the stand-offish-ness of the Obama Administration to the revolution in Egypt was a good thing, but Robert Fisk’s judgment that Obama’s opportunity to be on the right side of history has now come and gone strikes me as being entirely accurate.
It seems as though the European countries are demanding transition right now and not in the american wanted nine months
Sweet. There’s so much weird shit going on. Nice to have a K moment. Thanks.
Nicholas Kristof, reporting from Cairo.
Chomsky, on DN, explains the mess in a nutshell
Good morning, pups. It’s Collins and Kristof today. Ms. Collins, in “The Man With the Snow Job,” says we are snowed in and sick of bad weather. Let us look for a dumping place for all of our bad vibrations. Mr. Kristof has been “Watching Thugs With Razors and Clubs at Tahrir Square,” and says President Obama owes the democracy protesters being attacked in Egypt – and our own history and values – a much more forceful statement deploring the recent crackdown. But I doubt we’ll ever hear it…
Here they are.
The coffee, tea and hot chocolate are ready, and I’ve got a classic breakfast today because I was in the mood for eggs. Have eggs your favorite way (over easy for me), bacon or sausage, grits (try ‘em — you’ll like ‘em), and toast or biscuits with your favorite jam. I’m off to do those morning things. Have a great day.
Rachel Maddow points out that both Republicans and Democrats are praising the Obama Administration’s handling of the Egyptian revolt. This should frighten us all.
I’d say What a bunch of p*ssies, but I don’t want to get in trouble.
“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality”
-Dante Alighieri
(Wikiquote says that’s a misquote, that JFK got it wrong, but it’s still apt.)
For once, I agree with you people completely.
The State Of The Union showed how united the Republicans and Democrats are.Doing the will of the financial elites reguardless what the people’s majority wants.For the past 40 years there been a 4 sided attack on the US worker and common citizen.Corporate,Legislative,Executiveand the Judicial Branch.The people has loss the power when it comes to who we hire.We do have the power to fire the Legislative and Executive.Do not vote for the encumbent.There just not that into you The People.
Thanks for posting Chomsky’s take on the situation. I have tremendous respect for Erdogan. I’ll never forget Erdogan’s outrage at the Israeli attack on the flotilla.
I hope the courage of the Egyptians will spread to other countries in the Middle East. When the U.S. is run out of Afghanistan and Iraq, maybe a new leader will emerge for us here in the U.S.
Be inspired by Egypt. What is happening there is not about any leader, it’s about people coming together to break the power of the existing order, to open a place for something new, for social and political justice. You can see the people together in a non-violent way, and that it’s corrupt power that wants to crush that.
We don’t need leaders, we need solidarity and a people’s revolution.
Here are some revolutionary words, again reported by The Guardian:
Hope you didn’t mind the edit.
Yup, Aljazeera.net seems to be off the air. Packets get as far as an ATT server, then stop. Is ATT blocking american access to AlJazeera?
Gracious why would you ever think that /s*
Good morning all. Thanks for the post, Attaturk.
Can’t get in to AlJazeera English this morning. Connection had been instant and reliable since Friday. Anybody else having trouble?
I guess you answered my question.
AJ is being blocked but here is a the Guardian live update
There seems to be a crackdown on journalists in Cairo – I’m following reports on the Guardian’s live blog:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2011/feb/03/egypt-protests-live-updates
Yes, I think you’re right: we don’t need a leader at this moment. We just need to follow the Egyptians’ example, and when things get bad enough, we’ll have no choice but to revolt. I think these words by Ahmed Khater should give us pause about our own situation:
“I have a bachelor’s degree and I get paid 500 pounds [about $90] a month to be a computer technician. I can’t get married, I have no future. Mubarak’s people they just steal our money, they keep everything for themselves and they forget that we are the owners of the country,” Khater said.
“We were sleeping until now, but we are awake.”
(from “We Know That Netanyahu Cannot Sleep” http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=206357 )
AJE is on for me in Europe (ASDL TV which is based on satellite broadcast) and I am also able see the live stream on the web at http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
Thank you, nomolos.
AJE reports that two of their journalists were attacked on the street by a gang of thugs. “Many reporters say there is a renewed crackdown on media in Egypt.”
I don’t think it will play out that way. When things become dire enough, the people here will take to the streets. When that happens, we certainly won’t choose Lloyd Blankfein as a part of the new government.
AJE live video still works but of course that’s coming from Brightcove servers.
Here is live video Of course the commentary is in Arabic
Ajjazeera has done an outstanding job in it’s Egyptian coverage. Wish they would ramp up their coverage of the U.S. political criminal enterprise. Maybe then the “people” would finally learn how they are being screwed by the corporatist plutocracy.
Yup, packets get through to aljazeera.net but not to english.aljazeera.net. They stop at an att server 12.122.134.61. What the hell is ATT doing blocking access to english-language AlJazeera. Anybody feel like tracking this down? It may be just a server failure. Then again we know that ATT does precisely what the US govt asks it to do………
Sounds like Obama will be speaking soon (half hour?) on Egypt as per MSNBC
LIVE VIDEO link:
http://admin.brightcove.com/viewer/us1.24.04.08.2011-01-27122100/BrightcoveBootloader.swf?playerID=751182905001&playerKey=AQ%7E%7E%2CAAAAmtVJIFk%7E%2CTVGOQ5ZTwJYW4Aj2VxnKEXntSbmcf9ZQ&purl=http%3A%2F%2Fenglish.aljazeera.net%2Fwatch%255Fnow%2F&%40videoPlayer=747084146001&autoStart=&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&dynamicStreaming=true&flashID=myExperience747084146001&height=440&isUI=true&isVid=true&width=680
May be in a goofy aspect ratio, open it in a separate browser window you can resize and move off to one side.
There’s a good documentary series on AJE that’s co-hosted by Avi Lewis, who is Naomi Klein’s husband. It’s called Fault Lines, and they have done some pretty interesting reports on the USA that can be watched on line:
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/faultlines/
ATT, google etc etc etc are part of the corporate empire and will do all they can to prevent us from getting the truth.
The corporations will not keep us down for much longer and it wishful thinking that we can take back america without bloodshed
Good luck Hillary Clinton said on Meet The Press that the people have to much imformation.
Did they say which side of his mouth he’ll be talking out of?
and that’s just the way the corporatists want to keep it.
His ass as usual
No, they started talking about Charlie Sheen.
But of course. More gruel for the American mind.
Always putting the message out it’s just over your head and you could never understand.When really it’s behind your back and the financial elite don’t want you to know.What you said.
Maybe his remarks won’t be on Egypt, he’s speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast
Swim is up…
According to a reporter on the spot from my local newspaper (La Presse), the Mubarak Thugs were shouting ‘Fuck Obama!’ How does that square with your theory?
More to the point how does the reporter square his/her “selective reporting” with the bloody obvious?
Al Arabiya is blocked now too.
Good Lord, what nonsense:
1. …“the Obama Administration’s customary fecklessness…”
2. To what extent are the brutal reprisals of Mubarak’s goon squads the work of US government officials and “forieign policy experts”?
3. …If Obama & Clinton asked Petraeus for his opinion, he would say (as he usually does): “Send in the death squads!”
4. …If they asked their political masters in Israel for instructions….
5. … there’s no doubt in my mind that five minutes later he’s on the phone to Hosni urging him get out there and bust some heads
6. …“So Hos, do you need any drones? How about ‘security consultants’? We could send in some CIA and Blackwater operatives, if that would help.”
************************
– Proof that the Far Right has failed in its effort to recruit 100% of America’s paranoids to its causes !
– Examples of failing to see the good in people. Nobody is perfect, but Obama and Petraeus have substantially reduced the brutality we saw with the Bush Administrations. Both men try to do their jobs sensibly and humanely.
Petraeus helped write the Army’s official manual on counterinsurgency. Google it and read it. Protecting civilians is the big deal there.
Governments serve economic interests ??? What a surprise.
Do you think Obama or any US government officials talk directly to the hired help? Our diplomats talk to their diplomats, our generals talk to their generals, our big shots talk to their big shots, etc., and that’s all “state secrets”. Orders come down the chain of command and questions are not allowed. The little people just do as they’re told.
We’ll have to wait for the WikiLeaks to find out what our governments are hiding. One thug hollering “Fuck Obama!” is pretty much meaningless. I do it all the time. Just pawns in a game directed by others, venting our frustration and anger.
Tony Blair is nauseating.
Evidently no one has informed Blair that being publicly bungholed by George Bush on the front steps of 10 Downing Street,for long, bloody, years of Iraq, raises holy hell with your credibility.
Robert Fisk: “opportunity come and gone…” Just so, Rich.
As usual, Fisk is all over events in the mid-east.
Al Jazeera English is accessible again.
They weren’t able to find any men wearing bronze armor and anubis/horus helmets?
They should have went balls out and borrowed from the stargate sg-1 set.
“In one almost medieval scene, a small contingent of pro-Mubarak forces on horseback and camels rushed into the anti-government crowds, trampling several people and swinging whips and sticks. Protesters dragged some riders from their mounts, throwing them to the ground and beating their faces. The horses and camels appeared to be ones used to give tourists rides around Cairo.”
Sounds like the Republican National Convention
Noam Chomsky said it well. I completely agree with his assessment of Erdogan and Turkey (although there was the Armenian massacre, but we musn’t hang the sins of the fathers around the necks of those who come after, forever). I had thought it best if Obama not interject himself into the people’s revolt, I acknowledge that a word of support from him to the people would have helped a few days ago. But that time has passed, regretably. What a sickening sight it was, seeing the goons on horseback and camels; much like the janjawede (sp?) in Darfur. I’m not sure who said this originally, but, “he’s a son of a bitch, but he’s our son of a bitch.” Mubarak now has been added to that list of dictators.
“Tony Blair has described Hosni Mubarak, the beleaguered Egyptian leader, as “immensely courageous and a force for good” and warned against a rush to elections that could bring the Muslim Brotherhood to power.”
Man, these guys hate democracy.