Ralph
NAXJA Member #149
- Location
- Lubbock, Texas
What are your views on the unrest in Egypt? I think it's about time. I could never understand how people from that part of the world tolerated dictatorship for so long.
Extremists aren't gonna take over. What's happening in Egypt is unlikely to lead towards a revolution.
"The history of revolutions is that they only succeed when the government loses the will or the capability to use violence and so far there is nothing that is happening in Egypt that suggests that either one is going to happen."
It doesn't matter that Egypt's government (like that of Iran under the Shah) faces resurgent Islamic fundamentalism attacking a government seen as corrupt and overly close to heretic governments in the west. It's insufficient that the government is unpopular, perpetuating and exploiting gross income inequality, and funadamentally unjust.
Egypt's military controls the country and understands that a revolution generally isn't good for business. As long as the local military doesn't lose its will to retain power, things will hold.
C'mon...you can at least cite your source.
http://counterterrorismblog.org/2011/01/mubareks_egypt_isnt_the_shahs.php
Thomas JeffersonI hold it, that a little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing...
Hopefully the White House will be wise enough to let them have their revolution without our help.
And to not be stupid enough to repeat the Iran hostage crisis.
...As for us getting involved, there have been plenty of similar situations where we... assisted... in revolutions and its worked out just fine. The reason you haven't heard about them is because they worked.
ralph said:We do not support the Egyptian government like we did in Iran. We didn't have anything to do with putting Mubarak in power like we did the Shaw either.
And when it doesn't work...
It makes us look really, really, really arrogant and stupid...
We need to learn the difference of backing a government that is friendly toward our foreign policy goals, and backing a government which is unpopular with it's own citizens, and when to remove that support. We need to allow other countries citizens the same freedom we deemed our divine right to reach for.
If they choose a different path than ours in the long term, so be it, it is their journey, not ours.
Ralph said:Seriously?
Mmm, yeah, I dunno about that link... I don't view Iran as a great source of unbiased information involving the US or Israel... call me crazy, but that's how I am.
I think a lot of this is an attempt to divert attention from the people in Egypt's desire for self determination. That desire by the people of Egypt has got to be scaring the crap out of every other Muslim dictatorship.
I think a lot of this is an attempt to divert attention from the people in Egypt's desire for self determination. That desire by the people of Egypt has got to be scaring the crap out of every other Muslim dictatorship.