Saturday, 12 February 2011

A New Egypt

Within hours of the abdication of Hosni Mubarak, President Obama appears on the world television networks to welcome the resignation and call for “the military to ensure a credible political transition to a genuine democracy“.
That seems a bit rich from the President of a country which has propped up a tin pot dictator with arms, munitions and financial support for 30 years whilst at the same time turning a blind eye to the excesses of the despot who has abused human rights, destroyed all political opposition, employed thugs and criminals disguised as police, to retain a grip on power with the use of torture, imprisonment without trial and “renditions” on behalf of the US Government. However, the world observers may be excused for giving the US the benefit of doubt, and assuming that there has been a change of heart in Washington and they have now realised that the days of US interference in the politics of Middle Eastern Countries and the shameless hypocrisy of justifications, have come to an end. This hope was very short lived. Within hours of the Obama speech, we were informed that The White House says it is important that the next government of Egypt recognize existing accords with Israel. An instruction from the Americans to a Government of another Country, which has not yet been elected.
Whatever Government the people of Egypt, or Tunisia elect, or any other country in the region which replaces its existing Government within the coming months, then so be it. We in the West, particularly in the United States and to a lesser extent in Europe, have no right to interfere, whatever our own personal views or preference may be. The people of the Middle East were betrayed by the West in 1917, following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire during World War 1. The peoples of these Countries, although not necessarily their propped up Governments, have mistrusted the West ever since. We must stop trading in hypocrisy, stop propping up tin pot tyrannical regimes in the name of political expediency, stop demonising Islam and start building bridges with the people of these countries, or we shall all be the losers

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