Obama urges political reform in Cairo

[True_Blue]

Source: Financial Times

President Barack Obama stepped into the debate about Egypt and called on the government of Hosni Mubarak to carry out political and economic reform for the long-term good of the country.

On a day when demonstrations against Mr Mubarak’s rule intensified and the wave of protests, which began in Tunisia, spread in Yemen, Mr Obama stressed Washington’s hope that further violence be avoided.

In his State of the Union address less than two days before, Mr Obama had steered clear of discussing the demonstrations in Egypt, while declaring US solidarity with the people of Tunisia.

But as protests have gathered steam in both Egypt and Yemen, the question of how to handle the situation in the two countries has become pressing for the White House. Egypt is one of the US’s chief allies in the region and Yemen has become a key battlefield against al-Qaeda.

Read more: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/122aa98c-2a77-11e0-804a-00144feab49a,dwp_uuid=c59753ec-d316-11db-829f-000b5df10621,print=yes.html

[nyy1998]

1. While I think Obama is right, I think this will backfire on him.

I honestly don't see Egypt making any actual changes, and I don't think the Mubaraks will be too pleased will Obama comments.

[Catherina]

2. I'm sorry Barack but I hope Mubarak goes down

This business of having dictators in place for America's benefit is wrong. It doesn't matter how much more benevolent he becomes, he's still a dictator and the Egyptian people have every right to live in a country of their own making, whether it suits America's interests or not.

I hope he goes down and we lose our privileged access to the Suez canal that the US needs for transporting war materials. No country has a divine right to interfere in another country's affairs. There's been altogether too much of that already and I hope to see it end soon.