The Egypt Thread

[Shevanel]

Since there was no prior all-including thread about Egypt and it's current events, I figured I'd make one for y'all to post any opinions or news stories about the current goings ons over there.

So I'm gonna start with this article
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...ob-egypt-95628

Anderson Cooper was attacked in Egypt Wednesday.

CNN producer Steve Brusk Tweeted, "Anderson said he was punched 10 times in the head as pro-Mubarak mob surrounded him and his crew trying to cover demonstration."

Cooper then escaped to the roof of a nearby building, where he said on air that he and his crew were trying to get to a neutral zone between protestors and pro-Mubarak supporters when they "were set upon by pro-Mubarak supporters punching us in the head. The crowd kept growing, kept throwing punches, kicks...suddenly a young man would look at you and punch you in the face."

Cooper told CNN's live blog that the attackers "pushed and shoved the CNN crew and punched them in the head... but no one was seriously hurt."

Added Brusk on Twitter, "Live images now of crowds on opposite side of trucks throwing rocks. A CNN reporter called earlier scene snowball fight with rocks."

CNN's Ben Wedeman told the blog that "he overheard a panicked army officer say the situation was out of control and there was nothing the army could do to restore order."
Cooper landed in the country Sunday night to cover the protests againt President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power for 30 years.

"It's a fast-changing situation," he told The Huffington Post Monday. "It feels like it changes every few hours."
On Monday, Christiane Amanpour called The Hollywood Reporter from Cairo, where she had been reporting since Saturday.
"We had no idea what to expect,” she said. “But it is always more scary from the outside than it is from the inside.”

The journey from the Cairo International Airport to her hotel took over an hour because "every 50 to 100 yards our car was stopped and there were people with machetes, meat cleavers, swords, rifles, metal bars,” she said. “Once they saw [who we were], they waved us through. I would describe the journey as tense but friendly.”

[InaRut]

Honestly, whats happening in Egypt is amazing!

I've been following through the uh...Colbert Report and PhillDTv (Youtube) but the story itself is truly inspiring!

Go Egypt!

[Morphim]

I hope there will be minimal violence. I'm curious to see how this develops

[No One]

I worry very much about Anderson Cooper, and the other Americans (Canadians, English, etc.) in the country, but I agree that the protests are amazing.

[Idonteven]

Which regime is next I wonder?

While what is happening in Egypt is quite amazing, you have to remember their Government is pro-western and pro-peace with Israel, what they could be replaced with if change is too quick and radical who knows. Hopefully a fully democratic government with similar foreign policy.

[maverick]

Sounds like Iran, but with less cleaving of people and less Twitter/Net access to photographic evidence of human rights violations.

[No One]

Originally Posted by Idonteven

Which regime is next I wonder?

While what is happening in Egypt is quite amazing, you have to remember their Government is pro-western and pro-peace with Israel, what they could be replaced with if change is too quick and radical who knows. Hopefully a fully democratic government with similar foreign policy.

It's possible, but we cannot let our own personal interest interfere with the wishes of the people of Egypt. America is already seen as selfish, that would only make things worse.

[RedState]

No wonder they have time to protest...hell none of them have jobs. Unemployment is pretty high there from what I have read.

Modern day Berlin Wall...I think Mubarak is going to face an early retirement. I guess they finally started to frown upon throwing your political rivals in the clink.

The question and worry for the United States is: who takes over?

If it is people that truly want to bring democratic change and stability to that country more power to them.

If it's a bunch of radical nuts, well, I'd rather have that crowd that's in charge now.

[maverick]

The question and worry for the United States is: who takes over?

I don't think it's any business of the United States. Don't we have enough of our own problems to worry about without sticking our noses in everyone else's business? We have a much bigger and equally broke sovereign nation in a shit-ton of trouble to deal with, let the Eygptians handle Eygptian problems.

I'm not an isolationist or anything.

[Beertruck]

I've been following this nonstop since it started last week. Incredible and amazing stuff. Personally, I think this is looking a lot more like 1989 than 1979 - ultimately, this will be good. Notice that most of the violence has been on the part of the pro-Mubarak thugs. Rumor is they're plainclothes police forces trying to make everyone look bad.

If you guys aren't watching it through Al Jazeera English, you should be. Watching the coverage from the US networks has been... well, painful, to say the least.

[RedState]

Originally Posted by maverick

I don't think it's any business of the United States. Don't we have enough of our own problems to worry about without sticking our noses in everyone else's business? We have a much bigger and equally broke sovereign nation in a shit-ton of trouble to deal with, let the Eygptians handle Eygptian problems.

I'm not an isolationist or anything.

Of course we have our own problems...but The United States has always been inter-national busy bodies

It becomes our problem, and everyone else's, if some nut takes over and fires a rocket from Cairo to Tel Aviv

The United States certainly should not interfere with this at all obviously...and I think Washington is taking an appropriate response: treading lightly. But it is obviously in our best interest to have someone there that is friendly to the West.

[maverick]

The United States certainly should not interfere with this at all obviously...and I think Washington is taking an appropriate response: treading lightly. But it is obviously in our best interest to have someone there that is friendly to the West.

Oh no doubt, I completely agree. The last thing we need is another Middle-Eastern country pissed off at us.

[Zontar]

If they fall to the Muslim Brotherhood...it's big trouble for everyone. The last thing the world needs is another Islamic republic.

[Shevanel]

Originally Posted by maverick

Oh no doubt, I completely agree. The last thing we need is another Middle-Eastern country pissed off at us.

Wait, there are Middle-Eastern countries that aren't pissed off at us?

[Zontar]

Originally Posted by Shevanel

Wait, there are Middle-Eastern countries that aren't pissed off at us?

>israel
>iraq (de jure, anyway)
>jordan
>saudi arabia

[Helen]

^Harsh, Joey dear. The UAE luuuuurve you.

But I totally agree with Maverick. It is no business of the US OR the UK to try and spoon feed Egypt and act like it's somehow up to them what happens to the country. I imagine the main thing our respective governments care about is maintaining the healthy relationship they've had with Egypt during Mubarak's presidency, economically speaking. Also, they want somebody who's friendly with Israel in charge, for obvious reasons. But we won't get into my own personal feelings regarding Israel

Originally Posted by Zontar

If they fall to the Muslim Brotherhood...it's big trouble for everyone. The last thing the world needs is another Islamic republic.

Actually, in terms of Islam the Muslim Brotherhood are a very moderate organisation, and were in fact denounced by Al Quaeda for their aversion to violence. Egypt would probably be a much better place for it. /opinion

[Shevanel]

Originally Posted by Zontar

>israel
>iraq (de jure, anyway)
>jordan
>saudi arabia

Twas a joke, in case you didn't get that by the way.

[RaRa]

My parents watch Arabic news and they cover it pretty extensively....when I sneak a few peaks things look pretty violent. I cant understand what theyre saying though.

[EWU2012]

Here is a link to a great site with live footage of what is going on there. My coworker was watching it and gave me the link. Earlier today it was showing both sides throwing molotov cocktail at each other but they weren't hitting wach other.

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

[Beertruck]

Apparently every live camera has been confiscated or destroyed around Tahrir Square. This is not good.