Egyptians chanting Obama's name

[impik]

"NBC's Richard Engel, who has done a brilliant job reporting from Egypt, gets the reaction to Obama's words live from Tahrir Square, where he is mobbed by young men chanting Obama's name and "We love America!"


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/feb/11/egypt-hosni-mubarak-left-cairo#helper

[Jennicut]

1. I hope a lot of rightwingers get that these people simply want what we take for granted.

These young people are incredible. I wish them nothing but the best. It is clear they are not anti-american or any of that extremist nonsense. Today was a bad day for Faux news, wasn't it? They have been blathering on and on about the Muslim Brotherhood and how extremists will take over Egypt. So so wrong, once again. It is just everyday people.

[gateley]

7. The Muslim Brotherhood may have long-term plans to turn Egypt into an Islamic

country (you know what I mean), but I sure have faith in these people! They saw what happened in Iran and Palestine, I don't think they're going to give their power to anybody else.

[Jennicut]

9. These people want a more secular country as did those in Iran last year.

These younger people use the internet, want jobs, want lives not that different from ours. Though of course, democracy is not perfect either. But I think you are right, they won't want religion to interfere. And inserting religion in everything just is not what these people want.

[DLnyc]

12. Here is a pretty good discussion of this idea, I think

http://comops.org/journal/2011/02/04/should-we-fear-muslim-brotherhood-influence-in-egypt/

All in all, I think there are very strong reasons to believe that the rise of democracy in Egypt makes fundamentalism LESS likely there, not more likely.

My take on the reality:
An oppressive government can narrow people's choices and information and push them toward a fundamentalist alternative; on the other hand, an open, liberal government gives people more choices and information, and can lead them away from fundamentalism.

[gateley]

19. I think your "take" summed it up very well - I agree. Heading to your link now - thanks! nt

[Jennicut]

59. That idea seems to be so right to me.

These people want true democracy, why would they let some theocratic extremist come in?

[loudsue]

51. The Muslim Brotherhood are NOT the Taliban. They are NOT the Ayatollah.

They are peace-loving, true Muslim people. They are the antithesis of Al Qaeda. Some, of course, may be Al Qaeda infiltrators, but the movement by and large is to push peace, the way Islam was meant to be.

[leftynyc]

68. Don't get so carried away

They've got a long way to go before I'd trust them with the reins of power. They weren't always pushing peace.

From Mother Jones:

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/what-is-the-muslim-brotherhood

In 2007, the Brotherhood released a draft political program that included several very troubling proposals, including the idea that Egypt's government be overseen by an unelected council of Islamic scholars who would measure the country's laws against the Koran and sharia to make sure governance would "conform to Islamic law." Since then, various Muslim Brotherhood officials have also made conflicting statements about anything from the role of women to the treatment of non-Muslim minorities.

In the end, there's no getting around the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood is, if not an anachronism, a profoundly reactionary force. Its views on marriage, the family, homosexuality, and the like are distasteful to most Western minds and many Egyptian ones. And it harbors a strong current of overt anti-Semitism, along with a penchant for conspiracy theories. Despite Egypt's drift toward a more conservative Islamic outlook since the 1970s—which paralleled similar trends across the Muslim world—the Egyptian people, especially the middle class, may in the end not be receptive to the Brotherhood's message.

[wisteria]

56. We will have to wait and see if they really have a choice. n/t

[olegramps]

47. FOX only revealed that it is a Fascist Propaganda Machine.

They support dictators who are in allegiance with Corporations that are waging war on the working class to pay CEOs exorbitant salaries.

[Tx4obama]

2. Obama! Obama! Obama! :) n/t

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

5. BREAKING Fox "News": "Angry protesters yelling BOOOOO..bama!" nt

[sallyseven]

28. their saying boo fox news.

[Blue-Jay]

36. They're saying "Booo-urns"

[peekaloo]

45. Exclusive : Obama in Egyptian means "Death to America!"

phlegm at 11

[Buzz Clik]

3. What a bunch of Obama cheerleaders.

:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:

[onehandle]

4. Proof that Obama is a Secret Muslim!

Quiet, you fools!

[Cali_Democrat]

8. LOL

No doubt!

[woo me with science]

42. Bwah!

:rofl:

[old mark]

43. I knew that was coming...was going to say it myself....nt

[killbotfactory]

6. Haha!

Iran part 2 this is not. Suck on it FUDmongering bigots.

[Tx4obama]

10. Egypt state TV aired Obama's speech live. n/t

[Proud Liberal Dem]

11. Sounds like the road is paved

for an Iranian style theocracy run by evil Muslim Brotherhood.
:eyes: :sarcasm:

[hlthe2b]

13. I am heartened... I always felt the love from Egyptians

when I was there, even while my government did not always act so honorably in their eyes.

[tabatha]

15. From what I have seen on the "TV"

they are a great people. Smart, savvy and really nice.

[tabatha]

14. I thought Obama was supposed to have blown it all.

He was wishy washy, not supportive, etc, etc.

[JuniperLea]

25. That's what I heard too! Weird!

Obama FAILED as the Egyptian president, donchano!



But he looks so stinking cute in the uniform!

[flamingdem]

40. ha ha I love Obama sphinx! nt

[JoePhilly]

49. The new meme ... "Obama didn't do anything at all".

All the folks who were demanding more bluster over the last 3 weeks, are not saying "Obama didn't really do anything".

Its hilarious.

:rofl:

[SpartanDem]

16. Wanna guess what Beck is going to talk about tonight?

[gateley]

20. He'll be broadcasting from his underground bunker. nt

[Kurovski]

17. Well, He was nice enough to visit and give that beautiful speech.

Let that be a lesson to folks who think a visit and a chat is worthless.

How many nation's did our ex-resident, Little Boots visit? Fucking miserable war criminal jag-off.

[babylonsister]

32. A visit and a chat...priceless!

:rofl: and :thumbsup:

[Number23]

18. Well you just pissed off half of DU.

:rofl:

[gateley]

21. Haha! nt

[impik]

22. More like 75%... But i enjoy it. This is a very strange place.

[JoePhilly]

26. +1

[Name removed]

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[Bobbie Jo]

65. LOL

:yourock: :pals:

:rofl:

[ReggieVeggie]

23. Did this just start today?

I hadn't heard of any of the protestors chanting his name before.

[JuniperLea]

24. I guess this blows the earlier lies out of the water...

They hate America, Americans, and especially Obama, donchano!

[Name removed]

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[JI7]

33. What do they know ??? there are people online in America

woh know for a fact what was happening in Egypt unlike the people in Egypt.

[jeanpalmer]

34. They should have chanted Anderson Cooper's name

Anderson was out front and on the attack from the beginning and set the anti-regime tone for other news coverage. The other news outlets had to try to catch up to him. I've seen several Egyptians acknowledge the key part he played. Obama was straddling the fence the whole time, had to play catchup today. Three days ago his SOS aligned herself with Omar Suleiman. Obama seemed willing to go with whatever outcome occurred.

[JI7]

35. yeah, what do they know. maybe we can get a petition or something

telling them what really happened in their country.

[jeanpalmer]

37. They were chanting his name at the time

because he was giving a speech, in support of them after the fact. The dictator had already left, he was playing catchup. It was clear throughout this revolt that Obama was willing to go with whichever side won. He was willing to go with the chief torturer just 3 days ago. That says it all.

[JI7]

38. he has said he supported them before

[Exilednight]

53. Maybe they jsut don't really know what happened in this country.

Even though we have had around the clock coverage of what is happening in Egypt, Egyptian official news has had a complete blackout of what was going on in the world outside of Egypt.

The above poster is right. Obama straddled the fence the entire way. I find it sad that our president actually allowed the SoS support such an oppressive regime and he willing went along with it. But hey, why should I be surprised? We do the same thing in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Yemen and a whole host of other countries in the name of stability.

Why let other peoples oppression get in the way of our exceptionalism.

[olegramps]

48. Some on here are as unfairly critical of Obama as are the rabid Republicans.

Obama urged the government not to use violence as it has in the past to put down the revolt. This was a major factor in the people obtaining the ouster of this bastard. Be thankful that we have close ties with the military that has promised to bring about radical changes and we were able to convince them not to attack the people.

[Exilednight]

54. The only reason we have close ties with the military is

due to the fact that they now do the torturing that Obama says we no longer do.

Let's also not forget the fact that the military in Egypt is a conscription force. There was no way that the lower ranks were going to fire on their own brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers.

Let's see how well the military commanders do at running the country over the next few months. Let's see if they remove emergency law, lift curfew, and allow political parties that might upset countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan; or Israel, for that matter.

[olegramps]

60. How about backing up your charge with some facts ab out torture.

[Exilednight]

61. You might want to start out by checking

ACLU website
Frontline on PBS did an entire show on it
Amnesty International released a recent report

So, before you accuse someone of throwing around accusations, you might want to do a little homework.

Google is your friend.

[olegramps]

63. I went to the sites that you listed .

Everyone of them were reports about torture under the Bush administration. Please provide specific references concerning the Obama administration. I don't condone torture by anyone and would condemn it if employed by this administration.

[flamingdem]

39. Smart people, Obama somehow helped them pull this off

I'm glad Richard caught that.

[flamingdem]

41. Dat's cuz HE'S A SECRET MUSLIM !11! ! ! ! !

just channeling Beck

[quaker bill]

44. Isn't it a "secret Muslin"???

[flamingdem]

46. !!! exactalay! nt

[tomp]

50. why? nt

[stevenleser]

64. Why what? n/t

[Name removed]

52. Deleted message

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[jwirr]

55. Promises kept. One of President Obama's promises was to restore

our respect in the eyes of the rest of the world. Standing back, or at least giving the indication that he is standing back has taken us a long way toward that promise.

[ReggieVeggie]

57. there's the kind of interference favored by Bush

then there's the kind of non-interference that Obama has employed

There must be something in the middle.

Other than the speech he prepared for the Mubarak resignation, he didn't really take a stand or come down on one side or the other during the entire revolution.

[jwirr]

58. I am sure that the state department was busy behind the scenes.

[Pirate Smile]

62. The Defense Department was probably actually more influential behind the scenes with their military

counterparts in the Egyptian Military with whom we are very close. The fact that the Military kept its cool, didn't move against the protesters and, eventually, pushed Mubarak out was the real key to the situation. I think that is where US influence was most important.

[WatsonT]

66. So go back to isolationism?

[stevenleser]

67. Kick

:kick: