What Exactly Is Happening In the Arab/Persian World?

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In summary, the protests in Egypt are continuing and there are reports of violence and fires. The situation is not looking good for the government.
  • #1
nismaratwork
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A general view of the second day of protests:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/26/egypt-protests
The Guardian said:
Egypt protests: 'We ran a gauntlet of officers beating us with sticks'Jack Shenker, the Guardian's reporter in Cairo, was beaten and arrested alongside protesters in the capital last night. He made this remarkable recording while locked in the back of a security forces truck next to dozens of protesters

There's video as well... these are getting increasingly violent.


Two stories of captured and released BBC employees:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12289124

There is also a rumor that was mentioned on CNN that Mubarak's family has left the country, and I was wondering if anyone had information regarding that?
 
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  • #2


The same thing that just happened in Tunisia.
 
  • #3


Mathnomalous said:
The same thing that just happened in Tunisia.

Not yet at least, but it's certainly far beyond anything in recent memory...
 
  • #4


Of course there are superficial similarities to what happened in Tunisia, people demonstrating in the streets against curruption and failed economic policies. However if you look beneath the superficial you will see that Tunisia is much closer to the Atlantic Ocean than Egypt and that makes them different.
 
  • #5


Jimmy Snyder said:
Of course there are superficial similarities to what happened in Tunisia, people demonstrating in the streets against curruption and failed economic policies. However if you look beneath the superficial you will see that Tunisia is much closer to the Atlantic ocean than Egypt and that make them different.

So this unrest in Egypt is significant in a local social and political sense, but not an "uprising"? If I'm misunderstanding, please correct me; I don't have an agenda, I'm curious and uninformed about this.
 
  • #6


nismaratwork said:
So this unrest in Egypt is significant in a local social and political sense, but not an "uprising"?
Exactly. What occurred in Tunisia was an uprising. However, what is going on in Egypt is unrest.
 
  • #7


Jimmy Snyder said:
Exactly. What occurred in Tunisia was an uprising. However, what is going on in Egypt is unrest.

OK, that's what it looked like to me, but with the media being so sensational, it can be hard to tell. I appreciate the good information.
 
  • #8


nismaratwork said:
OK, that's what it looked like to me, but with the media being so sensational, it can be hard to tell. I appreciate the good information.
Not at all. The fear now is that this will spread even further. Rebellion in Libya, insurrection in Algeria, insurgence in Morocco, upheaval in Syria, and revolt in Wyoming.
 
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  • #9


some of these may be coming to a head because of rising food prices, world economy problems trickling down.
 
  • #10


Oooh. :cry:
 
  • #11


OK... CNN is reporting (via Ben Wedeman) that buildings in Suez are on fire, and the police response is increasing crowd numbers and violence. Why EGYPT!?... and yes.. I know why Egypt, but this is a bad time for them to destabilize.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE70P2I720110126

Reuters said:
Jan 26 (Reuters) - Protesters in Suez set a government building on fire and tried to burn down a local office of Egypt's ruling party late on Wednesday, security sources and witnesses said.
 
  • #12


Now power is out in parts of Cairo... this doesn't look very good at all. I have to say, I know it's been rough in Egypt, but I didn't see this coming AT ALL.
 
  • #13


nismaratwork said:
Why EGYPT!?... and yes.. I know why Egypt, . . . .
Perhaps some people just reached the breaking point.

Egypt’s Young Seize Role of Key Opposition to Mubarak
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/world/middleeast/27opposition.htm

NYTimes said:
For decades, Egypt’s authoritarian president, Hosni Mubarak, played a clever game with his political opponents.

He tolerated a tiny and toothless opposition of liberal intellectuals whose vain electoral campaigns created the facade of a democratic process. And he demonized the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood . . . .

But this . . . . relationship was upended this week by the emergence of an unpredictable third force, the leaderless tens of thousands of young Egyptians who turned out to demand an end to Mr. Mubarak’s 30-year rule.
. . . .
 
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  • #14


Astronuc said:
Perhaps some people just reached the breaking point.

Egypt’s Young Seize Role of Key Opposition to Mubarak
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/world/middleeast/27opposition.htm

Interesting, and troubling if that's the case! The exploding youth phenomenon is universal across the middle east... I understand their aspirations, but as an outsider this is a terrible time for the region to collapse.
 
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  • #16


nismaratwork said:
Interesting, and troubling if that's the case! The exploding youth phenomenon is universal across the middle east... I understand their aspirations, but as an outsider this is a terrible time for the region to collapse.

when's a good time?
 
  • #17


Proton Soup said:
when's a good time?

After I'm dead.
 
  • #18


nismaratwork said:
After I'm dead.

but isn't this exactly what we wanted? iraq was to be a beacon of democracy to the islamic world. we should be hoping for the same in iran.
 
  • #19


Proton Soup said:
but isn't this exactly what we wanted? iraq was to be a beacon of democracy to the islamic world. we should be hoping for the same in iran.

Beacon of Democracy or Loci of Instability?
 
  • #20


nismaratwork said:
Interesting, and troubling if that's the case! The exploding youth phenomenon is universal across the middle east... I understand their aspirations, but as an outsider this is a terrible time for the region to collapse.

Yes, they already call what happened in Tunisia – "The First Facebook Revolution" – and internet definitely played(s) a role in both Egypt and Tunisia.

But from what I have heard Egypt is quite different. Tunisia is a fairly small country with 10 million residents and it has been a French colony for 100 years. Many Tunisians travel/work/live in France and of course get 'western influences'.

Egypt is much bigger, 80 million residents, and what I heard form an 'expert' yesterday – the middle class alone are 25 millions and they do not want a 'revolution'...

... BUT right now they are talking on the news that the demonstration tomorrow (Friday) will gather 1,000,000 demonstrators ... then of course 'anything' could happen ... :eek:

Let’s hope: 'anything' = democracy
 
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  • #21


nismaratwork said:
Beacon of Democracy or Loci of Instability?

the instability was probably initiated by us destabilizing the world economy.
 
  • #23


Proton Soup said:
the instability was probably initiated by us destabilizing the world economy.

You're not hearing any disagreements from me.
 
  • #25


DevilsAvocado said:
Let’s hope: 'anything' = democracy

In Egypt, "democracy" = Muslim Brotherhood.
 
  • #26


talk2glenn said:
In Egypt, "democracy" = Muslim Brotherhood.

Sort of my concern... the people demonstrating won't be the people who are prepared to take over... see Hezbollah in Lebanon.
 
  • #27


Protests in Yemen now.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Midd...-s-protests-going-to-bring-another-revolution

We live in interesting times...

I hope this is an accurate observation (bold mine):

The tone of the protest in front of Sanaa University was almost celebratory – traditional Yemeni music and dancing intermingled with opposition leaders’ speeches. Members of the political opposition spoke of the need for peaceful and democratic change, not violent revolt.
 
  • #28


nismaratwork said:
This is not promising.

It could become terribly nasty with 1 million angry protesters on the streets of Cairo... How do you control that?? Latest I heard is that the government now has closed down internet and SMS = even more anger...

If there is anyone who could save this situation, it must be http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_ElBaradei" (the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005).

225px-Mohamed_ElBaradei.jpg


If ElBaradei doesn’t make it, I’m sure http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Gama%27a_al-Islamiyya" (the World Trade Center 1993 bombings) disciples have all preparations ready for a "great party"...

250px-Omar_Abdel-Rahman.jpg


But this is not easy to 'grasp'. Look at this video from Suez:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE-NMEYAMf0

The guy who put this on YouTube is http://www.youtube.com/user/bakry1eg" ?? And he likes rap... from Palestine!? :bugeye:

This 'world' is apparently not "black & white" as we might think; hopefully they only want to get rid of 30 years of misery, orchestrated by Hosni Mubarak.

hosni_mubarak.jpg
 
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  • #29


talk2glenn said:
In Egypt, "democracy" = Muslim Brotherhood.

Or maybe worse = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Gama%27a_al-Islamiyya"
 
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  • #30


lisab said:
We live in interesting times...

Sure do... let’s hope: NO violence
 
  • #31


lisab said:
Protests in Yemen now.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Midd...-s-protests-going-to-bring-another-revolution

We live in interesting times...

I hope this is an accurate observation (bold mine):

Interesting times... the Chinese curse, eh? The more you post, the more I like your style. I think you're absoutely right too, on the content as well.


DA: Thank you sir, I now have an excellent cast for a nightmare tonight! I hope you're right, and it's just a desire to be free, but the region is so full of people ready to play on hopes and fears and religion to sieze power.

We're going to have to see what emerges in Tunisia, how this changes Yemeni and Egyptian approaches as well (assuming the regimes survive).

Then we have Haiti, with Duvalier and Arisitde coming back to claim cash.

Interesting time indeed Lisab, and sad given how much money is in the hands of so few (not wealth in general, but stolen aid)
 
  • #32


DevilsAvocado said:
Sure do... let’s hope: NO violence

We pray for the best, and prepare for the worst... it's probably one of mankind's oldest refrains. I'm sure it's being said in many different dialects of Arabic, but probably a lot of wills are being signed too. "Allah-humma ayini ma kaanatil hayaatu khairall-lee wa tawaff-fani i-dha kaanatil wa faato khai-rall-lee." or something along those lines.
 
  • #33


nismaratwork said:
DA: Thank you sir, I now have an excellent cast for a nightmare tonight!

Oh, nismar don’t mention it, I always do everything to keep my comrades 'alert'... :wink:
 
  • #34


nismaratwork said:
"Allah-humma ayini ma kaanatil hayaatu khairall-lee wa tawaff-fani i-dha kaanatil wa faato khai-rall-lee."

And to that, I can only add: Couscous :bugeye:
 
  • #35


DevilsAvocado said:
And to that, I can only add: Couscous :bugeye:

Mmmmm cousous... *drool*


Egypt is getting ugly again though...
 

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