As Egyptian Unrest Builds, Obama Left With Two Bad Options

I've been following this story somewhat (was a busy week, not much computer time). When this story first broke on the 25th, I was interested to see what was reported among different news sites. The first stories, for example on both MSNBC and FoxNews, were very understated and down-played. 3 dead, rioters in streets, not much else. Conversely, on this news site that I recently discovered, had this to say on that first day:
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/01/wha ... -explained
What's Happening in Egypt Explained (UPDATED)
— By Nick Baumann | Sat Jan. 29, 2011

This was originally posted at 1:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday. It is being updated and is being kept near the top of the blog. Some of the information near the top of the post may be outdated, and if you've been following the story closely, the information at the top will definitely seem very basic. So please scroll to the bottom of the post for the latest.

What's happening? Inspired by the recent protests that led to the fall of the Tunisian government and the ousting of longtime Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Egyptians have joined other protesters across the Arab world (in Algeria, notably) in protesting their autocratic governments, high levels of corruption, and grinding poverty. In Egypt, tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets. Here's a photo of one of the protests in Cairo, the capital (via Twitter):

Why are Egyptians unhappy? They have basically no more freedom than Tunisians. Egypt is ranked 138th of 167 countries on The Economist's Democracy index, a widely accepted measure of political freedom. That ranking puts Egypt just seven spots ahead of Tunisia. And Egyptians are significantly poorer than their cousins to the west.

How did this all start? This particular round of protests started with the protests in Tunisia. But like their Tunisian counterparts, Egyptian protesters have pointed to a specific incident as inspiration for the unrest. Many have cited the June 2010 beating death of Khaled Said (warning: graphic photos), allegedly at the hands of police, as motivation for their rage. But it's also clear that the issues here are larger.

Why is this more complicated for the US than Tunisia was? The Tunisian regime was a key ally for the US in the fight against Al Qaeda. But the US government's ties to Tunisia's Ben Ali pale in comparison to American ties to Egypt. Shadi Hamid of the Brookings Institution, a centrist think tank, explains:

Predictions that a Tunisia-like uprising will soon topple Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak are premature—the Egyptian regime, with its well-paid military, is likely to be more unified and more ruthless than its Tunisian counterparts were... The U.S. is the primary benefactor of the Egyptian regime, which, in turn, has reliably supported American regional priorities. After Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel, Egypt is the largest recipient of U.S. assistance, including $1.3 billion in annual military aid.

While Alternet.com had this to say: http://www.alternet.org/world/149664/up ... d_dictator
UPDATED: Members of Mubarak Family Flee Country? Egypt Rocked by Violence as Nationwide Protests Rage Against US-Backed Dictator
Egyptian police on Tuesday fired tear gas at thousands of protesters gathered in central Cairo to demand the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak and calling for reforms.
January 25, 2011

CAIRO — Hundreds of Egyptian demonstrators calling for economic and political reforms broke through police barriers on Tuesday and began marching in Cairo's streets, in a protest inspired by Tunisia's uprising.

Protesters gathered outside the Supreme Court in downtown Cairo and held large signs that read "Tunisia is the solution" amid massive police deployment, an AFP correspondent said. Chanting "Down with Mubarak" --in reference to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak who has been in power for three decades-- they broke through several police cordons and began marching towards Tahrir Square, in scenes seldom witnessed in Egypt.

The call was first launched by pro-democracy youth group the April 6 movement, to coincide with a national holiday to celebrate Police Day.

Among demands are the ouster of Interior Minster Habib al-Adly, whose police and security forces have been accused of heavy-handedness; the removal of the decades-old emergency law and a rise in minimum wages.

Since then, mainstream media has been catching up. I would recommend starting with Mother Jones for news info - not to say that it'll be perfect, but it seems more comprehensive, objective, and transparent in its backing and mission.
http://motherjones.com/about

Mother Jones is a nonprofit news organization that specializes in investigative, political, and social justice reporting. We currently have two main "platforms": an award-winning bimonthly national magazine (circulation 240,000), and a website featuring new, original reporting 24-7. (In the past we've had a radio show and TV specials; theme parks are in the conceptual stage.) Why should you read or support us? Because "smart, fearless journalism" keeps people informed—"informed" being pretty much indispensable to a democracy that actually works. Because we've been ahead of the curve time and again. Because this is journalism not funded by or beholden to corporations. Because we bust bullsh** and get results. Because we're expanding our investigative coverage while the rest of the media are contracting. Because you can count on us to take no prisoners, cleave to no dogma, and tell it like it is. Plus we're pretty damn fun.

Who owns Mother Jones?
You do. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and the lion's share of our revenue comes from subscriptions and donors, big and small. We couldn't do it without you. We also take ads for both the magazine and the website, which accounts for about a third of our income.

Why are you a nonprofit?
Being a magazine that investigates everything, including corporations, and takes a pass on celebrity fluff doesn't exactly scream "ad friendly" or "giant profits." So the founders decided to diversify the income stream. This way, we're not beholden to any conglomerate. And since our donor pool is broad, we're not beholden to any person or foundation, either.

My brother says you're a lefty pinko rag. True?
Here's where we're coming from: We believe all people should have equal opportunity in life, that all children should be able to go to good schools, and that everyone should have health care. Call that what you will–we're not insulted by being called left, liberal, progressive, whatever. (We've noticed, though, that the people who resort to name-calling are often just trying to distract the public from their own misdeeds.) Political inclinations notwithstanding, we will cheerfully investigate any people or entities of any political persuasion, right, left, or center, if their behavior warrants it.

My sister says you're an apologist for the DNC. True?
Nothing makes us crankier than lefties who are as close-minded and unwilling to think things through as those whom they attack. Identity politics is up there, too. 'Nuff said.

Did you win a National Magazine Award?
We've won six, and been nominated for many more, but our most recent coup was winning the 2010 National Magazine Award for General Excellence. That's sort of like winning Best Picture. We won that award in 2008 too. We've also won Webbies and John Bartlow Martins and whole bunches of other awards.

Why don't you make endorsements?
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit we're forbidden by law to do so. But, also, we're not a magazine that chiefly publishes opinion. We're about reporting. If we endorsed candidates we might be loath to then investigate them. We want to keep our options open.

So what's your value system then?
Principally we're about good journalism, following a story no matter where it takes us. We are interested in protecting the little guy and uncovering injustice. We also believe in good storytelling and coverage that surprises. We have no interest in preaching to a choir.

Scary implications:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... et-mubarak
How Was Egypt's Internet Access Shut Off?
Preliminary investigations indicate that most of the country's ISPs cut Internet access within a 20-minute period, likely at the government's behest
By Larry Greenemeier | January 28, 2011

More updates:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/201 ... c=fb&cc=fp
Key Thing To Watch Now In Egypt: How The Army Reacts
by Mark Memmott January 29, 2011

"Why are people cheering and crawling all over the tanks?" Scott asked. "Are they certain the Army is on their side?"

"They are absolutely convinced of this," Soraya said. But, she added, "at this stage the Army is still being deployed by the government and Mr. Mubarak."

And that's a key point. While the soldiers she saw today appeared relaxed and the crowd was glad to see them replace the police who had battled with demonstrators in recent days, the Army — at this point — still takes orders from Mubarak. And how it reacts if things start getting tense again — for instance, if protesters defy curfews — is one of the next huge questions.

As Heather Hurlburt writes for The New Republic, Egypt's military "will ultimately, though perhaps not today, make the decisive difference. Years of repression and neglect mean that there's no obvious civilian — much less secular — force that can immediately step in to govern Egypt. But there are institutions: the military; the security services; blocs of elites around business, academic, and religious institutions; and the political parties and movements. The choices they make now will be central to what happens and how."