U.S., World: Dear Obama and co.: Egypt doesn’t need reform; it needs change
- By nightfall, it seemed clear that only two events could end their revolution: a massive use of force by the Army or Mr. Mubarak’s yielding of power. The United States should be using all of its influence – including the more than $1 billion in aid it supplies annually to the Egyptian military – to ensure the latter outcome. Yet, as so often has happened during the Arab uprising of the past several weeks, the Obama administration on Friday appeared to be behind events.
- An editorial by The Washington Post • Offering up their take on the situation in Egypt, and the Obama administration’s response. It’s worth noting, by the way, that there appears to be a point where the U.S. was far ahead of the game in Egypt – they helped a young dissident, who was helping to plot an uprising for 2011, all the way back in 2008. The U.S. Embassy in Cairo gave him the opportunity to go to the U.S. to attend a summit for activists. So clearly, this whole thing has been on American radars for a while. But, the problem is that the Obama administration appears to be arguing for a situation which doesn’t match the reality in Egypt. Reform isn’t the problem here. Mubarak could have reformed a long time ago. He’s been in office three decades, though. That’s too long for any world leader, no matter how beloved. Instead, this is something else entirely. source
