Mubarak stands down as Egypt's president, hands power to Supreme Council for Armed Forces.
http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
2011-02-11, 11:39 am
"President Mubarak is finally kicked out of Egypt. A great day for all Egyptians all over the world."
..according to Wikipedia.
..according to Wikipedia.
2011-02-11, 2:54 pm
This could turn out even worse than what they had before.... I hope that it doesn't, but it probably will devolve into civil war or a worse/just as bad dictator.
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2011-02-11, 7:44 pm
We still don't know who is going to gain control of the country though. If religious extremists do, it will be worse than before.
On a related note, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is now blocking international access to his shows. I suppose he has become the hypocrite he was mocking others for being all these years. Ironically, the last show that was aired had the theme "Lust, Greed and Gluttony".
Luckily (sarcasm) for the world, Fox News still has their slant freely available at their website
On a related note, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is now blocking international access to his shows. I suppose he has become the hypocrite he was mocking others for being all these years. Ironically, the last show that was aired had the theme "Lust, Greed and Gluttony".
Luckily (sarcasm) for the world, Fox News still has their slant freely available at their website
2011-02-11, 8:09 pm
bodhisamaya Wrote:On a related note, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is now blocking international access to his shows. I suppose he has become the hypocrite he was mocking others for being all these years.It doesn't seem likely to me that the Jon Stewart himself decided to block foreign traffic rather than, say, any number of people at Comedy Central in charge of web services. Note that The Colbert Report also isn't available internationally at the moment.
Edited: 2011-02-11, 8:14 pm
2011-02-11, 8:40 pm
Hurrah for the Egyptians! May there be brighter days ahead.
The difficulties lie from here on in.
The difficulties lie from here on in.
2011-02-11, 10:39 pm
This doesn't necessarily have to turn out badly -- what's happening in Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan is reminiscent of what happened in Eastern Europe in 1989. It's still sometimes hard for me to believe that when I was in elementary school, most of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union were still Communist countries.
2011-02-12, 12:34 am
SimHuman Wrote:Yes. I was over-reacting a bit by making him the villain, but it is difficult to believe he has no say-so in that kind of decision making. He is the biggest star on that network, and perhaps the most influential news commentator on TV. Even though he uses comedy to get his point across.bodhisamaya Wrote:On a related note, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is now blocking international access to his shows. I suppose he has become the hypocrite he was mocking others for being all these years.It doesn't seem likely to me that the Jon Stewart himself decided to block foreign traffic rather than, say, any number of people at Comedy Central in charge of web services. Note that The Colbert Report also isn't available internationally at the moment.
2011-02-12, 6:20 pm
Do you remember my latest thread?
I've posted it on January 25. I said there that "I'm going to the Middle East for one month" and I asked about the speed of internet over there. Actually, I was going to Egypt!
After the Tunisian revolution, I knew that a major event would happen in Egypt that would change the course of history in that area (maybe the whole world), so as a delegate of The Alliance of Youth Movements (AYM), I prepared myself and went to participate in the event.
I was next to Chris Hondros when he took this picture.
I recorded 2 million Egyptians singing this nice song. It was like the revolution's anthem.
On Thursday, I arrived at Tahrir Square a little later than normal. As the hours passed the crowds swelled incredibly to even larger than they were two days before on Tuesday. As more people came the chants and drumming grew louder, the mood more festive, as everyone waited for what we thought was the inevitable moment when Mubarak would come on television and resign. "He's already in Germany," at least half a dozen people mused.
The first communique of the armed forces high command only heightened the sense of expectation, and in the apartment where I was hanging out not far from the square, people were glued to Al Jazeera Arabic, taking pictures, hugging each other, calling family and friends. The mood moved to what a Beatles reunion would have felt like if all four members were still alive.
To pass the time I searched the square for one of my Egyptian friends. While I was looking for him, finally, sometime after 10, Mubarak appeared. A roar went up that was so loud I thought it would burst my ear drums. This was the moment everyone had waited for, had lived in the square for days, if not weeks, for. And then it all disappeared like a burst balloon.
It is hard to imagine the feeling of hundreds of thousands of people having their hopes crushed in the space of eight minutes. For the first few minutes, Mubarak's words were merely confusing. No one understood what he was getting at. People were shouting and gesticulating for him to hurry up and finish so that the party could start.
But then he got to the point: I'm not going anywhere, I won't meet your demands, and I dare you to come and get me. The blood ran out of everyone's faces. Smiles turned to twisted rage. Tears of joy became tears of anger, sadness and rage all at once, and then, much more quickly than I would have anticipated, the rage and anger turned to resignation. People hugged each other and got down to work. What do we do now? What is the next step? How do we proceed? "I'm lost," a friend declared. "What more can we do? This is very bad because many people might now see violence as the only way to get rid of him."
As we entered the square on Friday, it was time for the noon prayer. The square was already as packed as on Tuesday. It was almost impossible to move. As we talked past an overflowing mosque along the side of the square, an imam who was leading prayer outside for the thousands of worshippers who couldn't get inside was preaching about remaining peaceful. My friend was moved: "This is what Islam should be, what the true Islam is, finally coming out in Egypt." As we walked past another group praying, we caught sight of a man standing on top of a lamp post at least 60 feet in the air, prostrating in prayer. It was amazing. One false move and he'd fall to his certain death. But he completed his prayers without missing a beat, as did at least three to four hundred thousand fellow worshippers.
The second prayers were done the chanting began. It was so loud and furious, but still peaceful. People seem determined not to lose the spirit of nonviolence.
We were in a waiting phase. Few hours later, I went to an apartment used by activists and journalists as a safe house and place to debrief and meet up. The mother of Khaled Said, the 28-year-old Egyptian who died in police custody on an Alexandria street last year, arrived.
Al Jazeera, as usual, was blasting in the background, seemingly the usual filler as there was nothing much to report. Suddenly there were screams of joy, sheer joy, and everyone ran for the terrace. Within about ten seconds, somehow, the entire square knew what had happened: The Pharaoh was gone. Everyone started to weep; it didn't matter what country you were from. Suddenly this wasn't just Egypt's revolution, it was the world's, or at least ours, who had been there for all the days and weeks leading up to it.
People in the apartment surrounded Said's mother, she was crying tears of joy while hugging a pillow with his picture embroidered on it. Right away we headed down to the square and as soon as we left the building confronted a tank on which at least two dozen people were standing with the soldiers, shouting and singing and waving Egyptian flags. It was almost impossible to move. I suppose this was what the liberation of Paris must have felt like.
We have been in the square for a couple of hours. Everyone is hugging. A deaf man grabbed me and signed to me the history of the last day. I don't know sign language but I knew exactly what he meant. He shook my hand and moved on. The happiest people are definitely the tent people. It is hard to conceive of their sacrifice, even when you've spent nights in the square. They have lived this revolution, and in a very real sense it is theirs. But if the rest of the world is smart, they will claim it too, before it loses momentum. As several people said to me, in reality, the revolution has just begun.
I've posted it on January 25. I said there that "I'm going to the Middle East for one month" and I asked about the speed of internet over there. Actually, I was going to Egypt!
After the Tunisian revolution, I knew that a major event would happen in Egypt that would change the course of history in that area (maybe the whole world), so as a delegate of The Alliance of Youth Movements (AYM), I prepared myself and went to participate in the event.
I was next to Chris Hondros when he took this picture.
I recorded 2 million Egyptians singing this nice song. It was like the revolution's anthem.
On Thursday, I arrived at Tahrir Square a little later than normal. As the hours passed the crowds swelled incredibly to even larger than they were two days before on Tuesday. As more people came the chants and drumming grew louder, the mood more festive, as everyone waited for what we thought was the inevitable moment when Mubarak would come on television and resign. "He's already in Germany," at least half a dozen people mused.
The first communique of the armed forces high command only heightened the sense of expectation, and in the apartment where I was hanging out not far from the square, people were glued to Al Jazeera Arabic, taking pictures, hugging each other, calling family and friends. The mood moved to what a Beatles reunion would have felt like if all four members were still alive.
To pass the time I searched the square for one of my Egyptian friends. While I was looking for him, finally, sometime after 10, Mubarak appeared. A roar went up that was so loud I thought it would burst my ear drums. This was the moment everyone had waited for, had lived in the square for days, if not weeks, for. And then it all disappeared like a burst balloon.
It is hard to imagine the feeling of hundreds of thousands of people having their hopes crushed in the space of eight minutes. For the first few minutes, Mubarak's words were merely confusing. No one understood what he was getting at. People were shouting and gesticulating for him to hurry up and finish so that the party could start.
But then he got to the point: I'm not going anywhere, I won't meet your demands, and I dare you to come and get me. The blood ran out of everyone's faces. Smiles turned to twisted rage. Tears of joy became tears of anger, sadness and rage all at once, and then, much more quickly than I would have anticipated, the rage and anger turned to resignation. People hugged each other and got down to work. What do we do now? What is the next step? How do we proceed? "I'm lost," a friend declared. "What more can we do? This is very bad because many people might now see violence as the only way to get rid of him."
As we entered the square on Friday, it was time for the noon prayer. The square was already as packed as on Tuesday. It was almost impossible to move. As we talked past an overflowing mosque along the side of the square, an imam who was leading prayer outside for the thousands of worshippers who couldn't get inside was preaching about remaining peaceful. My friend was moved: "This is what Islam should be, what the true Islam is, finally coming out in Egypt." As we walked past another group praying, we caught sight of a man standing on top of a lamp post at least 60 feet in the air, prostrating in prayer. It was amazing. One false move and he'd fall to his certain death. But he completed his prayers without missing a beat, as did at least three to four hundred thousand fellow worshippers.
The second prayers were done the chanting began. It was so loud and furious, but still peaceful. People seem determined not to lose the spirit of nonviolence.
We were in a waiting phase. Few hours later, I went to an apartment used by activists and journalists as a safe house and place to debrief and meet up. The mother of Khaled Said, the 28-year-old Egyptian who died in police custody on an Alexandria street last year, arrived.
Al Jazeera, as usual, was blasting in the background, seemingly the usual filler as there was nothing much to report. Suddenly there were screams of joy, sheer joy, and everyone ran for the terrace. Within about ten seconds, somehow, the entire square knew what had happened: The Pharaoh was gone. Everyone started to weep; it didn't matter what country you were from. Suddenly this wasn't just Egypt's revolution, it was the world's, or at least ours, who had been there for all the days and weeks leading up to it.
People in the apartment surrounded Said's mother, she was crying tears of joy while hugging a pillow with his picture embroidered on it. Right away we headed down to the square and as soon as we left the building confronted a tank on which at least two dozen people were standing with the soldiers, shouting and singing and waving Egyptian flags. It was almost impossible to move. I suppose this was what the liberation of Paris must have felt like.
We have been in the square for a couple of hours. Everyone is hugging. A deaf man grabbed me and signed to me the history of the last day. I don't know sign language but I knew exactly what he meant. He shook my hand and moved on. The happiest people are definitely the tent people. It is hard to conceive of their sacrifice, even when you've spent nights in the square. They have lived this revolution, and in a very real sense it is theirs. But if the rest of the world is smart, they will claim it too, before it loses momentum. As several people said to me, in reality, the revolution has just begun.
Edited: 2011-02-13, 4:21 pm
2011-02-12, 6:38 pm
It is nice you got to be a part of history in such an intimate way. Hopefully this is the first step for eventual lasting peace for the region.
2011-02-12, 6:40 pm
Maybe I'm living in a dream world, but I imagine that the military leaders won't find it any easier than Mubarak to maintain personal control in this situation. Hopefully that means there declaration that they will support the formation of a demcratic government is an honest one.
@Ahibba: Wow, thank you for sharing your experience.
@Ahibba: Wow, thank you for sharing your experience.
2011-02-12, 9:34 pm
'Religious extremists' will not and cannot take Egypt. It is a secular nation at heart dating back from its Nasserist days who swept the majority of votes. In anycase, this whole "we don't want X to lead their country" is complete farce. It's their country, they can vote for whoever they want, it will be democracy and independence in its utmost purest form. Every paper I read here in Australia has to pull out the "Copts are going to suffer more now" card (like they ever cared in the first place) so as to incite the White Christians in Australia to side with the dictatorship who supposedly took good care of their copts? I have never seen so much more blatant hypocrisy by western media ever before in my life and am outraged by the sheer audacity they have to even attempt to assert this propaganda.
And here we have Obama insisting that the new government must comply with (the current) treaties and obligations it has with israel? If that's the case nothing has really changed. The Egyptian people will decide that, not you Mr. Obama
Thanks ahibba that was a great read. I have been glued to Al Jazeera and youtube and facebook from day one.
And here we have Obama insisting that the new government must comply with (the current) treaties and obligations it has with israel? If that's the case nothing has really changed. The Egyptian people will decide that, not you Mr. Obama
Thanks ahibba that was a great read. I have been glued to Al Jazeera and youtube and facebook from day one.
2011-02-12, 11:10 pm
liosama Wrote:'Religious extremists' will not and cannot take Egypt. It is a secular nation at heart dating back from its Nasserist days who swept the majority of votes. In anycase, this whole "we don't want X to lead their country" is complete farce. It's their country, they can vote for whoever they want, it will be democracy and independence in its utmost purest form.You do realize that 90% of the Egyptian people want to bring Egypt back to the middle ages, right?
.
.
About eight-in-ten Muslims in Egypt and Pakistan (82% each) endorse the stoning of people who commit adultery; 70% of Muslims in Jordan and 56% of Nigerian Muslims share this view. Muslims in Pakistan and Egypt are also the most supportive of whippings and cutting off of hands for crimes like theft and robbery; 82% in Pakistan and 77% in Egypt favor making this type of punishment the law in their countries, as do 65% of Muslims in Nigeria and 58% in Jordan. When asked about the death penalty for those who leave the Muslim religion, at least three-quarters of Muslims in Jordan (86%), Egypt (84%) and Pakistan (76%) say they would favor making it the law; in Nigeria, 51% of Muslims favor and 46% oppose it. In contrast, Muslims in Lebanon, Turkey and Indonesia largely reject the notion that harsh punishments should be the law in their countries.
http://pewresearch.org/databank/dailynum...berID=1184
2011-02-12, 11:29 pm
Womacks23 Wrote:About eight-in-ten Muslims in Egypt and Pakistan (82% each) endorse the stoning of people who commit adulteryGetting stoned while committing adultery actually enhances the experience I have found. But then, I had access to some pretty potent stuff grown in the fertile volcanic ash soil of Hawaii most of my life.
Womacks23 Wrote:When asked about the death penalty for those who leave the Muslim religion, at least three-quarters of Muslims in Jordan (86%), Egypt (84%) and Pakistan (76%) say they would favor making it the lawIt would actually make more sense to offer the death penalty to the most devout followers and hasten the long-suffering wait for the reward of a heavenly paradise. I have considered converting myself just for those flocks of virgins waiting for me on the other side. But then, I figured I would be so excited they would all be deflowered within 48 hours leaving me to deal with refereeing the bickering of 30 wives for all eternity.
2011-02-12, 11:43 pm
I'm more worried about ‘survey fundamentalism’ about other cultures that I see some online blindly ascribe to than I am about fundamentalism alleged in surveys...
Related: http://afpak.foreignpolicy.com/posts/201...n_practice
Related: http://afpak.foreignpolicy.com/posts/201...n_practice
Edited: 2011-02-12, 11:47 pm
2011-02-12, 11:58 pm
Womacks23 Wrote:Woomacks: I ignore both your posts and nukemarines.liosama Wrote:'Religious extremists' will not and cannot take Egypt. It is a secular nation at heart dating back from its Nasserist days who swept the majority of votes. In anycase, this whole "we don't want X to lead their country" is complete farce. It's their country, they can vote for whoever they want, it will be democracy and independence in its utmost purest form.You do realize that 90% of the Egyptian people want to bring Egypt back to the middle ages, right?
.
.
About eight-in-ten Muslims in Egypt and Pakistan (82% each) endorse the stoning of people who commit adultery; 70% of Muslims in Jordan and 56% of Nigerian Muslims share this view. Muslims in Pakistan and Egypt are also the most supportive of whippings and cutting off of hands for crimes like theft and robbery; 82% in Pakistan and 77% in Egypt favor making this type of punishment the law in their countries, as do 65% of Muslims in Nigeria and 58% in Jordan. When asked about the death penalty for those who leave the Muslim religion, at least three-quarters of Muslims in Jordan (86%), Egypt (84%) and Pakistan (76%) say they would favor making it the law; in Nigeria, 51% of Muslims favor and 46% oppose it. In contrast, Muslims in Lebanon, Turkey and Indonesia largely reject the notion that harsh punishments should be the law in their countries.
http://pewresearch.org/databank/dailynum...berID=1184
I won't even bother.
2011-02-13, 12:02 am
Suit yourself. Keep ignoring the views of the vast majority of Egyptians while talking about democracy.
BTW Egypt needs liberalization not democracy.
BTW Egypt needs liberalization not democracy.
2011-02-13, 12:20 am
The Internet, and what ever new form of technology that follows it, will cause all forms of religious fundamentalism to literally die out, much like old racist people croaking in America allowed for a Black president.
2011-02-13, 12:28 am
bodhisamaya Wrote:On a related note, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is now blocking international access to his shows.WTF!!!!
Edited: 2011-02-13, 12:39 am
2011-02-13, 1:35 am
liosama Wrote:Woomacks: I ignore both your posts and nukemarines.What did Nukemarine say? Did they delete their comment? Nukemarine's always reasonable, they're not the type to, for example, take a survey and its numbers as gospel to be uncritically followed and use it to label in an overly simplistic way the complex sociocultural beliefs of an entire nation.
I won't even bother.
Edited: 2011-02-13, 1:36 am
2011-02-13, 2:02 am
They? Is Nukemarine Sybil? That would explain the dual opposite personalities the two of you have perceived.
2011-02-13, 2:09 am
84% of surveyed Egyptians favor putting to death people who leave Islam. Not just personally favoring the concept but making it the law of Egypt.
Don't worry because Nestor says this is a distorted number. Because pollsters in Pakistan couldn't get out to the civil war areas ask ask them questions. How that is relevant to Egypt? I don't know.
Don't worry because Nestor says this is a distorted number. Because pollsters in Pakistan couldn't get out to the civil war areas ask ask them questions. How that is relevant to Egypt? I don't know.
Edited: 2011-02-13, 2:12 am