Swiss Freeze Mubarak Assets

Feb 11th, 2011

Well... That didn't take long. From Reuters:

"Switzerland has frozen assets that may belong to Hosni Mubarak, who stepped down as president of Egypt on Friday after 30 years of rule, the foreign ministry said.

"I can confirm that Switzerland has frozen possible assets of the former Egyptian president with immediate effect," spokesman Lars Knuchel said soon after Mubarak bowed to 18 days of mass protests. "As a result of this measure any assets are frozen for three years.

He did not say how much money was involved or where it was."

This should prove interesting. How does a billionaire despot advance into a state of repose without any money?

FOXNews' Mubarak Resignation Blunder

Feb 11th, 2011

Since FOXNews didn't feel the need to actually cover the Suleiman statement announcing Mubarak's departure that I and 100s of millions of others watched around the world, here's footage of their man in Cairo saying "We're now hearing this unbelievable roar from Tahrir Square... we don't know what that's about." Yes, facepalm. This is why we should all be watching Al Jazeera.

Gone! Now What?

Feb 11th, 2011

Hosni Mubarak has stepped down. The atmosphere in Tahrir is clearly electric. The people deserve this moment of jubilant revelry. We can only hope that they continue to press for and achieve the next step... truly free and fair elections.

"I Don't Understand What Has Happened"

Feb 4th, 2011

When Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said these words yesterday, many were stunned. Personally, I don't think any of Mubarak's people could have put it better. They really, really don't get it.

Worth 1,000 Words

Feb 4th, 2011

An Egyptian anti-government protester uses debris to protect himself from the continuing attacks of Mubarak and Suleiman's Thugs.

Worth 1,000 Words

Feb 3rd, 2011

نحن أبناء الله جميع

Hat tip to Jan.
UPDATE: THE DEEPLY MOVING PHOTO I CELEBRATE HERE WAS TAKEN BY NEVINE ZAKI

As we all watch the ongoing Egyptian struggle, which continues to provoke both hope and terrible fear here in The West, I proudly pass along this photo. Perhaps out of solidarity with the Muslims who formed human shields to protect Copts in December and very early January from continued extremist violence... perhaps out of simple decency... Egyptian Christians joined Muslims in Tahrir square earlier and made a barrier to protect afternoon prayers to Mecca from the violence and tyranny of the Mubarak Regime.

Amanpour Takes It To The Strongman

Feb 3rd, 2011

FULL VIDEO OF TONIGHT'S ABC NEWS REPORT FROM CHRITIANE AMANPOUR IS BELOW.

I have two observation about the reporting today by Christiane Amanpour from Cairo. First, she is to commended for her profound bravery in journeying through a terribly dangerous situation to get her story. Second, she really didn't get much out of Pres. Hosni Mubarak other than confirmation that he is a delusional, besieged thug. 

From ABC:

"We had to take a route that ran through a neighborhood where there were pro-Mubarak supporters in the streets were setting up their own check points.

When we got stuck in a crush of traffic, we were surrounded by an angry mob.

Mubarak's Heavies

Feb 3rd, 2011

A short time ago, Egypt's new Mubarak-appointed VP, Omar Suleiman, made a statement in which he apologized for the violence in Tahrir Sqaure while simultaneously blaming it on "outsiders" and "foreign" agitators. Suleiman's history as one of Mubarak's torturers is widely documented. 

The following is an account of yesterday's clashes.

David D. Kirkpatrick and Kareem Fahim report: 

"President Hosni Mubarak struck back at his opponents on Wednesday, unleashing waves of his supporters armed with clubs, rocks, knives and firebombs in a concerted assault on thousands of antigovernment protesters in Tahrir Square calling for an end to his authoritarian rule."

"The deployment of plainclothes forces paid by Mr. Mubarak’s ruling party — men known here as baltageya — has been a hallmark of the Mubarak government, and there were many signs that the violence was carefully choreographed.

The Mubarak supporters emerged from buses. They carried the same flags and the same printed signs, and they all escalated their actions, from shouting to violence, at exactly the same moment: 2:15 p.m. The protesters showed journalists police and ruling party identification cards that they said had been taken from Mubarak supporters who had been caught infiltrating Tahrir Square, also known as Liberation Square, and detained in a holding pen.

The preparations for a confrontation began Wednesday morning, a day after Mr. Mubarak pledged to step down in September while insisting that he would die on Egyptian soil. The president’s supporters waved flags as though they were headed to a protest, but armed themselves as though they were itching for a fight."

"A Massacre"

Feb 2nd, 2011

Selma Al-Tarzi reports from Cairo for Democracy Now.

Clashes In Cairo

Feb 2nd, 2011 7:25am CST

Clashes have begun between pro-Mubarak and anti-government forces in Cairo's Tahrir Square. A short time ago, pro-government partisans charged into the square on horseback. So far, the army and police have continued to exercise restraint. It is possible that Mubarak is attempting to engineer violence to reassert authority. There is strong on the scene coverage here at The Times of India as well as Al-Jazeera.

Mubarak Statement - Live Blog

Jan 1st, 2011

3:15 Dylan Ratigan: "wildly disappointing." Jonah Goldberg via Twitter: "Mubarak losing the future."

On FOX, arguments that violence against protesters was probably perpetrated BY protesters. 

We're out.

3:10 WELL. Statement is over. I doubt very much that the crowds of thousands are even remotely pleased by this. No specifics other than paying lip service to a supposed democratic process which has never in 30 years been anything than a farce. It was a defiant and thuggish statement. It was also painfully short and without contrition.

3:09 "On this land I will die." I dunno, Hosni. I think you better split. And soon.

3:07 He  looks forward to "serving and protecting" his people. WTF? Is he a cop? "this is my vow to my people in the remaining months." Here we go... "So I can end my serving time (trans)." "The people will achieve what they are asking for." WHEN?

3:04 "I did not intend to run for another term." Riiiiight. What does that mean? He says he has to "finish my work." None of this is looking good. He "call the Parliament to discuss" blah, blah, blah... he is trying to hold on. Draping the lawlessness of his phony Presidency in legalese. He picked his parliament.

3:02 Mubarak seems to have engaged in some self praise (cabinet shuffle, etc...). BAD sign. Complaining of those who have "rejected dialog." Is he kidding?

3:00pm CST Or maybe not... talking about "looting" and "frightening diplomats." "has imposed upon us" the need "to choose between stability and chaos." Uh oh.

2:55pm CST There is a lot of chatter in the background. Seems pretty chaotic. Praising the peaceful nature of protests.

Made In The U.S.A.

Jan 28th, 2011

This photo is causing quite the stir around the world. It should. It shows an Egyptian protester holding one of the hundreds of spent tear gas canisters that litter the streets of Cairo. As you look at it, remember that it was our tax dollars that payed for it's manufacture. It was our tax dollars that payed for it's shipment it to Mubarak's regime. It was our country that made it possible for a people crying out against their own tyrannical government to be abused with "low-intensity" chemical weapons.

When Cliché Is Essential

Jan 28th, 2011

Mother Jones posted this as the tweet of the day. A clear response to Mubarak's unnervingly detached statement regarding the current upheaval.

Egypt Unravels And We Are Reminded...

Jan 25th, 2011

القمع يخلق مقاومة

History seems to be repeating itself. In a stunning scene many are comparing to the moment when "Tank Man" stood alone in the path of soldiers moving into Tienanmen Square more than two decades ago,

an Egyptian protester this afternoon obstructed an advancing water cannon unit in the streets of Cairo. The video below shows the event. As of this writing, Egypt has blocked Twitter and 3 are dead amidst calls for President Hosni Mubarak's resignation. There are reports the president's family has fled the country.

Early reactions on the part of authorities were muted. We see again what is always the case with repressive regimes. When you loose the yoke of real tyranny, even very briefly, it does not take long for a people to bare their anger and their bravery.