|
Post by bjd on Feb 8, 2011 19:57:18 GMT
Soviet news was the same. Some Party secretary inaugurating a new collective farm. I imagine it's still limited to that in China, especially in the countryside.
Actually, I'm surprised at how in many countries there is a picture of the current ruler in places like post offices and public buildings. Morocco comes to mind. At least they don't have to change the pictures very often.
For those who don't recognize him, the guy on the right is the president of Syria -- Assad-- who took over from his father.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2011 20:04:51 GMT
Yes, good old Bashir, and of course wonderful King Abdallah of Saudi Arabia in the middle. Fine people.
|
|
|
Post by onlymark on Feb 9, 2011 14:27:31 GMT
Tentative plan is go from spain to germany on sunday and see what happens from there.I'm following this but obviously can't spend much time on it. Thanks all for the info though.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 9, 2011 14:54:53 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2011 15:48:19 GMT
Al Jazeera claims that protest is still building up -- with trade unions getting involved and a new "camp" in front of parliament.
|
|
|
Post by cristina on Feb 10, 2011 5:25:45 GMT
First, Mark, I have really appreciated your posts. Both your personal experiences in returning and leaving Cairo, and your observations about the culture of Egypt. I am among those who really were ignorant of the cultural differences. More than that though, I am so relieved that you and your family are out. I have been following this thread with a great deal of interest. Everyone's input has been illuminating to me since I really don't feel like I have understood the politics of the Middle East in the same way as some in other parts of the world. However today came the meeting of thoughts (for me, anyway). I have been following the story of Wael Ghonim, as I know many have. I came across this story in the Sydney Morning Herald, which is probably worth a thread of its own. Having worked for globally prominent firms for most of my life (although not at the A-list level, prominent enough in my own community to warrant attention), I have been extremely aware of how my comments or affiliations may or may not agree with my employer. I struggle with this because it obviously interferes with free speech. In my view, because I am employed by XYZ Company, my right to free speech is almost immediately curtailed. At least if I want to remain employed. This is obviously contrary to my country's beliefs (most of the time, any way), but may not be so contrary to my State's beliefs (Arizona, which I won't say any more about). So, I will be interested to see how Google progresses with marrying the hero that Ghonim has become for the people of Egypt, with their corporate identity.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 6:55:52 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 18:13:16 GMT
Out of the frying pan .......... ? Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- President Hosni Mubarak is expected to announce Thursday night that he is yielding power to the nation's military, a senior Egyptian government official told CNN.story is from less than a half-hour ago: edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/10/egypt.protests/
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2011 18:17:35 GMT
Yes, all of the channels in Paris are talking about it, and people are gathering for a really big party in the square.
Less than 2 hours to go...
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2011 18:26:48 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 20:13:16 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 20:21:22 GMT
Al Jazeera is announcing that the state tv station in Egypt is finally showing the same images of "Liberation Square" that other networks have been showing all along. Al Jazeera's live video link in English is far superior to the link I gave above because of the commentary. english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2011 20:37:32 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 20:44:15 GMT
That report is a week old. The question is, what is happening to political prisoners or people "who know too much" right now, with the ruling party still in power.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 20:59:08 GMT
Mubarack's speech is bullshit. He is absolutely unbending. All his words only add up to "après moi le déluge". Arrogant dickhead!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2011 20:59:22 GMT
I'm not sure that Mubarak will live until dawn after that speech. He is a dead man.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 21:14:48 GMT
So creepy you should say that. I'm listening to the Al Jazeera commentary & one of the questions is why were there indications that "something historical would happen today".
The thought that passed through my mind is that Mubarak might go back inside and commit suicide.
Or, surely he long since must have organized some plan wherein he could clandestinely leave the country if the tide turned against him. However in his hubris, his vision of himself as the father of his people, perhaps not.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 21:39:31 GMT
Now the army is saying that it will step in to safeguard order in the country. Was this whole thing orchestrated? Get the crowds out to hear a speech that was sure to infuriate them, then make it obvious that the military is needed to control "the mob"?
|
|
|
Post by lola on Feb 10, 2011 22:06:38 GMT
The speech: Masterpiece snow job vs splendid self-delusion? Or a combo of the two?
|
|
|
Post by fumobici on Feb 10, 2011 22:08:04 GMT
I've been watching the goings on on BBC News. After listening to first Mubarak's then Suleiman's speeches it seems that the plan was to make Mubarak's the more conciliatory and for Suleiman to play the role of bad cop with his dark xenophobic intimations that the whole crisis was the work of unspecified foreigners wanting to destroy Egypt from without. The disconnect from reality is frightening. I fear a military coup unseating mubarak is the only way to avoid massive violence.
|
|
|
Post by lola on Feb 10, 2011 22:10:58 GMT
Why would the military come out and announce that the crowd would get everything it wanted?
|
|
|
Post by fumobici on Feb 10, 2011 22:13:40 GMT
Did they say that explicitly? If that is the case, then it could only be to increase pressure on Mubarak to stand down.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 22:26:08 GMT
There was an emergency session of the Egyptian military: The Egyptian military convened a special session on Thursday. Hosni Mubarak, who usually chairs the session, was not present. In his place, Mohamed Tantawi, Egypt's defense minister and head of the military was leading the meeting. (from NPR) What we kept hearing on the news today was that the army had indicated that Mubarak's speech would be about his renunciation of the presidency. I was watching the Al Jazeera feed during and after the speech. Afterward, the commentator asked one of the journalists on the scene in Egypt WHY were signs so misread, in particular, why would the army have indicated that Mubarak was to step down. As I listened to that, the ticker tape portion of the screen announced that the army was going to step in to maintain order, prompting my comment in #197. Modified to add this in answer to Fumobici's query: Army Gen. Hassan al-Roueini, military commander for the Cairo area, told the crowd at Tahrir Square during the afternoon that "all your demands" would be met.I just found that on NPR -- www.npr.org/2011/02/10/133646320/spreading-labor-strikes-jolt-protests-in-egypt?ps=cprs
|
|
|
Post by lola on Feb 10, 2011 22:33:11 GMT
NPR reported military's words to the effect of "everything you want", a good way to build up unrealistic expectations.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 22:41:37 GMT
see exact quote above
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 22:48:07 GMT
Fascinating commentary on Al Jazeera right now speculating about what it all means. One theory is precisely my cynical one at #197.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 10, 2011 23:10:58 GMT
|
|
|
Post by lola on Feb 11, 2011 1:22:16 GMT
oops yes. That's different.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2011 6:07:01 GMT
So, today they want to march on the television headquarters.... and the presidential palace in Heliopolis. There are likely to be many deaths.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2011 10:50:43 GMT
An interesting tidbit this morning:
An Egyptian army officer who has joined the protesters said 15 other middle-ranking officers had also gone over to the demonstrators.
"The armed forces' solidarity movement with the people has begun," Major Ahmed Ali Shouman told Reuters news agency. "Our goals and the people's are one."
Shouman said the officers would address the crowd after Friday midday prayers.
|
|