Obama tells Mubarak: Must take 'concrete steps'

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By MATTHEW LEE and ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Matthew Lee And Erica Werner, Associated Press – 1 hr 1 min ago

WASHINGTON – Stepping up pressure on a stalwart but flawed Middle East ally, President Barack Obama said he personally told Egypt's Hosni Mubarak Friday night to take "concrete steps" to expand rights inside the Arab nation and refrain from violence against protesters flooding the streets of Cairo and other cities. The White House suggested U.S. aid could be at stake.

"Surely, there will be difficult days to come, but the United States will continue to stand up for the rights of the Egyptian people and work with their government in pursuit of a future that is more just, more free and more hopeful," Obama told reporters in the State Dining Room after speaking with the long-time leader from the White House.

The president made his comments on television shortly after he and Mubarak spoke. The half-hour phone call was initiated by the White House.

The conversation between the two leaders followed closely on a middle-of-the-night TV speech in which Mubarak, in Cairo, announced he was sacking his government to form a new one that would accelerate reforms. At the same time, he said, violence by protesters would not be tolerated.

reply to post by mike dangerously


Kinda too late there Mr. Obama. You should have told your puppet to straighten up maybe about 2 decades ago. That would have been nice, maybe then we wouldn't have Al-Qaeda, nor would we have Al-Zawahiri as the second in command.

and

While your are at it, ask your other puppet in Saudi Arabia to straighten up, or maybe should have told him and his family couple of decades ago, maybe then we wouldn't have Al-Qaeda and we wouldn't have Osama as the first in command.

Searched the site and did not see this posted.The President and Secretary of Sate are trying to save Mubarak's ass and making the usual empty statements about making "concrete steps" and showing "restraint".Yeah he fired his Cabinet in the belief that would satisfy the Egyptian people.I think his time has come his son bailed,The Revolutionaries are still fighting the army and counter-terrorism units and now we are beginning to hear from Washington words of support for The Movement it's called hedging your bets so if Mubarak is forced to flee then the spin from the US gov will be "we have always supported the brave people of Egypt.ect." if Mubarak survives then the spin will be "Now the people of Egypt must begin to heal and work with the Government of President Mubarak."

The fact that we give them any money at all is extremely problematic. People that understand the ins and outs of "aid" giving do their best to explain this to the populaces. It's taken me lots of time and energy (and anxiety and pain) to come to terms with the fact that the entire "international aid" system that has at it's helm- organizations, companies and government entities- is corrupt. Not corrupt in the manner that money isn't making it to where caring people would like to see it go, but corrupt to the extent that they created an economic system of dependency that allows power to be disseminating in ways that are difficult for the populaces to comprehend.

When Obama speaks about aid giving and advising other counties it is difficult to accept that this aid and advise is the origin of the problems.

I do not have enough time to explain one of my prime pieces of information that convinced me that "aid" is in fact one piece of larger foreign policies which are hegemonic and unjust. (I will come back to this thread and elaborate).

For now, I will say: USAID was in Afghanistan & Pakistan decades ago and many of the people that helped them disseminate the aid are now in influential positions.

Stop listening to Obama. He does more than lie, he deceives. I haven't listen to government figures for quite some time now. Please stop looking to the corrupt leaders for advice or leadership. It is counterproductive.


Reatarded: I like that you call the situation out, however, I personally would be more receptive to what you are saying if you omitted the attitude. Make it more point of fact. Less sarcasm. (just my humble advice)

Chaos engulfs Cairo; Mubarak points to succession

By HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press Hamza Hendawi, Associated Press – 26 mins ago

CAIRO – Egyptians woke up to a dawn of uncertainty Sunday with several key buildings still smoldering in the capital and thousands of anti-regime protesters remaining camped out at the city's main square in defiance of an extended nighttime curfew.

President Hosni Mubarak, clinging to power with promises of reform and a new government, had named his intelligence chief as his first-ever vice president on Saturday, setting the stage for a successor as chaos engulfed Cairo. Soldiers stood by — a few even joining the demonstrators — and the death toll from five days of anti-government fury rose sharply to 74.

Overnight and as police melted away, residents set up self-styled checkpoints and barricades at street corners and intersections of their neighborhoods, armed mostly with clubs and sticks to protect their homes. By dawn, the city was eerily quiet, with armored military vehicles encircling main government buildings in the downtown.

Sunday marks the start of the working week here but banks and the stock market will remain closed, as will schools.

Saturday's fast-moving developments across the north African nation marked a sharp turning point in Mubarak's three-decade rule of Egypt. Residents and shopkeepers in affluent neighborhoods boarded up their houses and stores against looters, who roamed the streets with knives and sticks, stealing what they could and destroying cars, windows and street signs. Gunfire rang out in some neighborhoods.



Mubarak fires his cabinet and in a cheap ploy to try and appease the people he appoints a vice-president? this to me shows just how stupid our "elected leaders." really think we are and just how delusional they are,A few cosmetic changes and that's going to satisfy them? The Egyptian Revolution has made it very clear they want him and his cronies gone NOW.I truly believe that by Monday it's gonna be clear to Obama and Mubarak that his situation is dire and no successor (who in reality will be a puppet for him and the US.) will save his regime.My major concern is if he somehow hangs on he will begin a crackdown that will be harsh and sadly the US and MSM will declare it's support for this because it's in the name of "fighting terrorism."


PS:I have decided to use the thread to post articles that have slipped through.


Chaos engulfs Cairo

Obama tells Mubarak: Must take 'concrete steps'

really? i heard them going on about how when some leaders are overthrown they sometimes loot the country, but i think obama is telling him to go to far.

reply to post by lifeform11
Very true lifeform I guess Obama is telling Mubarak to take the money and run.I have the feeling if he does he won't get far...