U.S. eases off call for swift Egypt reform

[Better Believe It]

U.S. eases off call for swift Egypt reform
The Obama administration feels the approach is needed to reassure Middle East allies of U.S. loyalty. But gradual reform isn't going to satisfy the protest movement in Cairo.
By Paul Richter and David S. Cloud, Los Angeles Times
February 7, 2011

The Obama administration has reconciled itself to gradual political reform in Egypt, an approach that reflects its goal of maintaining stability in the Middle East but is at odds with demands of the protest movement in Cairo that President Hosni Mubarak relinquish power immediately.

A week after the Obama administration demanded a swift transition to a post-Mubarak era, it has dampened the sense of urgency and aligned itself with power-brokers such as new Vice President Omar Suleiman, who are urging a more stable, if much slower, move to real democracy.

But U.S. officials privately acknowledged that there is no guarantee that Suleiman, a former intelligence chief closely aligned with the military, is committed to substantial reforms.

They have said that countries in the Middle East must be allowed to progress politically at their own speed. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the U.S. supports democratic reforms across the region but acknowledges that "some countries will move at different paces." A senior administration official added that the U.S. wants reform that unfolds "over the medium term."

Read the full article at:

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-fg-us-egypt-20110208,0,4036908,full.story

[EFerrari]

1. They're trying to hang onto Mubarak/miniMubarak at any cost.

And it may cost us a good relationship with Egypt. Thousands of people in front of the Parliament building today and tens of thousands, maybe hundreds in all the cities.

[Bragi]

2. Indeed, things will unfold "over the medium term"

In the medium term, I guess the surviving protest leaders will all be in jail, and the old Mubarak regime will be reviewing the recommendations from the Mubarak transition task force regarding the steps to be taken "now" to continue the "orderly transition" to the new Mubarak regime.

[Smashcut]

3. I can't believe this. This is as good as coming out against the protestors

without actually saying so.

They make me SICK. I've never regretted a single vote more than my vote for this charlatan.

[montanacowboy]

4. Ditto Smashcut

what will happen could be another Iran because of the cowardice of the Administration - they all make me sick

[grahamhgreen]

6. +1

[Kolesar]

9. That's a stretch...eom

[Smashcut]

11. No it isn't.

That's exactly what is happening here, and the rest of the world can see it.

[Kolesar]

22. Yes it is...eom

[EFerrari]

12. That's what Nic Robertson said yesterday. n/t

[Poll_Blind]

13. And it's not just this one event or comment. I've learned the hard way what this administration...

...cares about by what and who they fight for and what and who they abandon or neglect.

I thank President Obama for making me an informed voter in that sense.

PB

[girl gone mad]

18. They are a vile and malicious bunch of thugs and cowards.

Guess we should have seen the signs early on.

[grahamhgreen]

5. Of course they do, where else can we send people to be tortured?

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[FlyByNight]

8. Not really surprised

Sadly.

Given our history in the region (and globally), I'd bet the administration didn't want Mubarak to leave if possible. (To be fair, I'd bet most, if not all, other administrations - either Dem or R - would want someone like Mubarak to leave.) As it turns out, even Mubarak has become so loathed, the administration probably reconciled themselves to "transition".

That being said, they'd want someone similar to Mubarak as a replacement. No doubt, Suleiman is viewed as suitable in this regard.

"U.S. officials privately acknowledged that there is no guarantee that Suleiman, a former intelligence chief closely aligned with the military, is committed to substantial reforms." That's pretty damning. I'll be pleasantly shocked if something vaguely democratic emerges from all of this.

:puke:

[EFerrari]

10. I'm beginning to think Mubarak won't leave without a violent confrontation.

And worry for all the kids I've been reading for the last two weeks on the net. Their hopes, fears, intentions, jokes, gripes, their gallows' humor.

[Poll_Blind]

14. Even if both Mubarak and Suleiman disappear from the scene I fear that the...

...U.S. would use its close connections with the Egyptian military/intelligence to bring up a puppet very quickly. I just don't know of a way out that's easy- if Mubarak won't just step down.

PB

[EFerrari]

15. The people of Egypt will be dealing with their MIC for a long time.

That won't be changed quickly. But they do have a window here to make some reforms.

Mubarak needs to go before there is large scale violence -- because there will be if he tries to stay. They've been calling for his execution in Alexandria for over a week now and those crowds are only getting bigger.

[Doctor_J]

25. Which the rabble will lose, handily

Our Man Hosni has more fire power than the hoi polloi

[EFerrari]

26. Well, that depends.

His thugs and security forces, yeah. It's not at all clear if he has the army which are mostly conscripts.

[L. Coyote]

16. Stability in the ME is code word for "US Military Use of Suez Canal"

[Poll_Blind]

17. +1 (among other things) n/t

PB

[Catherina]

20. +1 . Lots of other +1's in this thread n/t

[Kolesar]

23. means "leverage to keep Israel from getting stomped" eom

[Bragi]

19. Compare this to the US gov anti-Wikileaks campaign

When Wikileaks threatened secrecy, the US gov pulled all the stops it could.

It trumped up sex charges against Assange, it arrested the suspected whistleblower and imprisoned him in inhumane conditions, it ordered US companies to shut down credit card payments by WL supporters, it tried to knock the WL site off the air, it has mumbled threats against anyone visiting the site.

Meanwhile, in Egypt, it lamely refuses to even state U.S support for the main demand of the protesters (that Mubarak leave now) because it might be seen by some as "interference." Instead, it blathers on about the need for an "orderly transition", one which not only does not require Mubarak's departure, but which envisions him actually leading the "transition" process.

Yeah, right. I think most Egyptians likely get the message. If this uprising doesn't end in the usual bad way, then it won't be due to any support from the Obama administration.

[EFerrari]

27. They trumped up charges against Assange and ignore murders committed

by Egyptian security forces. What a farce.

[hulka38]

21. Swift reform means change we may not be able to control. n/t

[Doctor_J]

24. Translation: Looks like our boy Hosni is going to hold on

so we still want to be on his good side.

:puke:

[xchrom]

28. The U.S. Empire won't end until WE decides it ends. Nt

[leftstreet]

29. K&R

[ReggieVeggie]

30. Memo to US establishment: Democracy is messy

Should we have told the founding fathers to throttle it until they had an election plan without being terribly feisty towards the British?

I find it amazing that this country is so fundamentally anti-democratic.

[ReggieVeggie]

31. kick

[Ken Burch]

32. At some point, Obama's going to start talking about "moving forward, not back"

And HRC will bring back the old chestnut about "not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good".

Get your industrial strength barf bags ready, kids.