Egypt: Protestors Defy Crackdown. Elbaradei To Return

[sabrina 1]

Anti-Mubarak protesters clash with police overnight across capital Cairo as government struggles to restore order.



Riot police and tear gas have failed to keep Egyptian protesters off the streets of Cairo and Suez


Egypt protesters defy crackdown

Activists trying to oust Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, are continuing to clash with police in the capital, Cairo, despite a government crackdown to end the unprecedented protests.

.....

The protests are likely to gather momentum with the arrival of Mohamed ElBaradei, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning former head of the UN nuclear watchdog and a potential presidential rival to Mubarak.

"I am going back to Cairo and back onto the streets, because, really, there is no choice. You go out there with this massive number of people and you hope things will not turn ugly, but so far, the regime does not seem to have gotten that message," ElBaradei, who lives in Vienna, said in remarks on US website The Daily Beast.

Ali ElBaradei, Mohamed ElBaradei's brother, confirmed to Al Jazeera that the reform campaigner would be arriving in Cairo on Thursday night and that he intends to attend a demonstration planned after Friday morning prayers.

Mohammad Elbaradei, former head of the IAEA

I remember Elbaradei from the Bush years. He was head of the IAEA at the time. His reports contradicting the Bush Administration's infamous 'Yellowcake' story, Saddam supposedly buying uranium from Niger, exposed the lies four days before the War in Iraq began.

Cheney immediately attacked Elbaradei all but calling him a liar, and criticizing the record of the IAEA on Iraq and it's Nuclear aspirations. As everyone knows now, Elbaradei was correct.

Rumors have been circulating that if the Mubarak Government falls, Elbaradei would be a natural choice to run for president, something he had said he would not do so long as the Mubarak Government was responsible for the elections.

But now, things are changing fast and I cannot think of anyone more suited to step in to any vacuum left by the departure of Mubarak.

It is truly exciting news that he is planning to return to speak to the protestors. He has a lot of support among opposition groups in Egypt.

He is highly respected around the world and would provide a sense of stability as the country moves from dictatorship to democracy.

Inspired by Tunisia, Egypt's protestors show no sign of giving up until they topple the Mubarak Government



Tunisians' Message To Arab Dictators Across the Region. Egypt and Yemen are following their example

Why are all those dictators allies of the U.S.? It's a question I've been seeing in comments from countries all over the world.

I love this sign:

[Turborama]

1. K & Off to the greatest. Thanks for the reminder of how Elbaradei was treated by the Bush junta

It was a while ago and this was a good refresher.

I have heard a few different young people in Egypt talk in TV interviews about Friday's demonstration and how big it's going to be.

With regards to the question of "why" the dictators and the US are allies? This guy had a good response: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x281971

Also, with regards to Egypt, it's important to look at who their neighbors are.

(edited to fix typo)

[sabrina 1]

2. That's a great post, I just went there, hadn't seen it.

Really, the question is now being raised a lot, I noticed. That interview I mentioned on Al Jazeera, in the comments section it is really interesting to read what people elsewhere think of us. Many pointed out that we always support dictators and they do not want their support. They are reading the Wikileaks cables

Elbaradei has been busy working for the opposition in Eygpt. I'm sure many are glad nothing happened to him. He seems like someone who could bring the country forward and seems genuinely interested in a Democratic government.

[Turborama]

3. CNN International have written a lengthy piece on this & have interviewed him (Video & Article)

Here: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/01/27/egypt.elbaradei.protests/index.html">ElBaradei: The man to lead a 'free' Egypt?

What's CNN USA's coverage of this been like?

[sabrina 1]

4. I haven't been watching CNN much, so I can't say how

much coverage these uprisings are getting. I don't hear people talking about it though, so I am assuming they are probably not giving them the kind of saturation coverage they deserve and that they give to other far less important stories.

Thank you for the link. I am glad they interviewed him. I don't know what this administration thinks of him possibly replacing 'our ally, Mubarak' as they call him, shamefully.

I hope nothing happens to Elbaradei on Friday. And if this uprising fails, I hope he is not arrested and imprisoned.

The Cairo-born former head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog, Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei is returning to the country, despite death threats, to be with "his people."

"There was an edict against me a couple of weeks ago basically saying that my life should be dispensable because I am defying the rulers," ElBaradei told CNN on Tuesday.

He said he would have no official protection during his trip to Egypt, but felt the need to express solidarity with his people in person amid criticism he has kept a safe distance while all too subtly trying to encourage change.

I doubt Mubarak's government is too pleased to see he is returning.

[eissa]

5. Very encouraging to see Elbaradei return

The worst thing that could happen in these types of revolts is to have a power vacum, leaving competing factions battling over control. The revolution needs a figurehead and Elbaradei -- already a popular opposition figure in Egypt -- is the ideal candidate. The fact that republicans hate him is just icing on the cake :-)

[sabrina 1]

6. Lol, I agree, especially with the last sentence.

He was a voice of reason before the Bush gang succeeded in launching their terror attack on Iraq. For a few days I had hopes that with proof the Niger Docs claims were a lie, the war might have been avoided.

But, as we now know, there was never a chance of stopping them.

Albaradei does seem like a perfect replacement for the current brutal regime. But how will the U.S. act towards real democracy in that part of the world? So far, they are still repeating the talking point that 'Egypt is our friend' and refusing to address how that 'friend' has treated his own people for so long, with his corrupt military paid for with U.S. $$$.

We have lost the trust of the world. But someone like Elbaradei is not a fool and would most likely continue to have a 'friendly' relationship with the U.S. But I doubt he or his country, should Mubarak fall, would want to continue the old, failed Cold War policies. So the U.S. will have to decide where it wants to go from on. Join the march towards Democracy, in Latin America, in Africa and elsewhere, or continue to act like the thugs of the world?

It will be interesting.

[pampango]

7. Listen to "legitimate" demands for change, EU tells Egypt leader

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1614711.php/Listen-to-legitimate-demands-for-change-EU-tells-Egypt-leader

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak should 'listen' to popular demands for change, the European Union said Wednesday, a day after clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces left at least three people dead.

Analysts speculate that the success of a popular uprising earlier this month in Tunisia in toppling President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali could spark further regime change along the Southern Mediterranean.

The EU sees Tuesday's mass protests in Egypt's capital Cairo 'as a signal of the yearnings of many Egyptians in the wake of the events in Tunisia,' said Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for the bloc's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

'We believe that the authorities should listen to demands of these people,' Kocijancic added.

[sabrina 1]

10. Dictators don't listen to anyone.

And sadly, Europe and the U.S. never seem to learn that lesson as they continue to support them around the world causing misery to millions of people.

I think he's finished now. The people have spoken loudly and they don't care what the Brits or the U.S. think nor are they in the mood to hear platitudes from him and false promises.

Europe and the U.S. should have been calling on him to step down. The people are not fools, they justed needed a voice and now they got it.

[Tatiana]

8. Amazing. If Elbaradei manages to ascend to leadership in Egypt, the whole game will be changed.

Didn't think I'd live to see such a popular uprising in Egypt. Could this wave spread elsewhere????

[eissa]

9. Perhaps to Saudi Arabia

and led by the women? Hey, a girl can dream!