For those who are following the situation in Tunisia...

[oberliner]

Does anyone think that something similar may follow in Egypt?

There seem to be some striking similarities - in that there is a long-standing "president" who is less-than-democratically elected and who does not really enjoy the support of the majority of the people there.

It seems that the sort of factors that led to the Tunisian uprising may repeat themselves in Egypt.

Anyone with more insights into the situation who can comment or add some perspective?

[Warpy]

1. Apparently it's got all the ruling thugs in the region nervous

because this went from thuggery as usual to a massive uprising in a nanosecond.

[sabrina 1]

2. Reading the blogs from the region, that is the hope apparently.

It really is exciting to see the people prevail against an oppressive government. And it's also interesting that there has been so little news about it here in the U.S.

It should make all those regimes very nervous. The only concern is that they will become even more oppressive, although that is likely to actually spark a similar uprising.

If they were smart, they would begin some of the reforms the people of Tunisia were demanding, before anything similar happens, but dictators are not prone to listening to their people.

It truly is great though to see that first, the people won, at least so far, and that it took such a short time. There were deaths, but it could have been worse. The cowardly president fled when things got as tough as he had made them on his people who did not have the same option to flee from the injustices they suffered under.

[TheBigotBasher]

42. It is because no-one knows whether to celebrate yet.

We do not know if the Leaders of the Coup are better or worse (and for whom).

[sabrina 1]

43. There aren't any leaders really. It was a people's uprising

against a dictatorship. It was fairly spontaneous. Now, they will have to find leaders who can successfully establish a democracy there. That will be the hard part. They could bring back many of the exiled dissidents but most of them have been gone for a long time and are not well known to the population.

[Catherina]

3. They've already started demonstrating in Egypt and Jordan.

On Friday they rallied in Jordan and demanded the removal of their prime minister. I think this will spread.

Tunisia's revolution started with just one young man setting himself on fire over an injustice. He's set the whole Arab world on fire.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJgRsND8iIw

[oberliner]

4. Very interesting video

"Down with autocracy. Down with dictators"

Sure seems like something is afoot.

But would the US get involved if this grew in Egypt?

[Catherina]

6. The US is already involved, as is France

Ben Ali didn't just up and leave Tunisia on his own. The US and France got him out of there in the hopes his PM, Ghannoushi, would take power. The PM did but the people yelled even louder and demanded he step down too. So he did and now the Constitutional Council is in charge.

The West is already doings its best to clamp down on this movement by convincing the people they've already won their great victory so go home and celebrate. The problem is the Tunisians aren't having any of that. I watched videos from the streets of Tunisia today. They want the entire corrupt system changed, not just the figureheads.

The West can't allow that because it means the entire house of cards would come crashing down. I think the intent is to be involved before this gains any more strength in Egypt. If Algeria falls, I think it's all over.

Three excellent sources of real news, true news are

http://twitter.com/search?q=%23sidibouzid
http://twitter.com/sultanalqassemi
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/

Al-Bab, a blog written by Brian Whitaker, the Guardian Middle East editor mentioned above, is also very good but not very timely. http://www.al-bab.com/


What exactly do you mean by getting involved it this grows in Egypt? Do you mean involved to the point of military aid?

[Cerridwen]

7. Thank you, Catherina for the links and synopsis.

I much appreciate it.

[Catherina]

9. Welcome C. Just to heat things up, Anonymous just declared war on Saudi Arabia

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Catherina/131

[Cerridwen]

10. Oh, my.

That's especially troublesome if Virginia Woolf was correct. You see, she said, "...anonymous was a woman."

[Catherina]

11. Yes! You know what the joke in Cairo was this weekend?

The joke in Cairo was whether Ben Ali's plane would stop in Cairo to pick up Mubarak :rofl:

That song by Keny Arkana is really good. I'm surprised at how *female* that whole message is. It makes me proud for some odd reason.

[Cerridwen]

12. Okay, now I need a link, please.

To the song you mentioned. I'm not familiar with it.

I like the joke from Cairo. Maybe we could use one plane for all the, er, troublesome sorts?

[Catherina]

13. French Revolution Rap. Very powerful.

Give me a few minutes. Come back in 5 for an edited post

[Cerridwen]

15. But, but, I already listened and read. :)

I'll check back. I liked what a read and heard so far.

:D

[Catherina]

16. French Resistance Rap. Very powerful. Take 2. Song Anonymous quoted

It took me over an hour to do this and I'm still not happy with it but here goes. I have no idea how she manages to sing this. I could barely transcribe it! I'm so delighted you like it!

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/12004639/Keny+Arkana+7383kenyarkana.jpg


Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUGlxEUA-iE

English
fifth sun by Keny Arkana

my specie's losing its way
minds are overheating
people hate each other
war of egos ~ 21st century ~ cynicism and contempt
no respect
for the Earth ~ guts filled of with madness ~ boundaries,roadblocks ,
riots and
night sticks ~ Screams and bloodbaths, bombs exploding
Politics of
Fear, Immoral Science ~ Insurrection of the People
weapons market

New world order, collusion of terror ~ Man is
the most predatory animal ~ The system stinks of Death ,
murderers of Life ~ Killed the memory to better
kill the Future

Head full of disks
senses betray us
3rd eye open
because the brain lies to us

Mankind is lost
forgot its strength,
forgot the moon,
the sun and the atom
reversal of the poles
all going to hate
Lost its damn mind over an excuse to divide us
selfishness for banners
miserable time
collective hatred against visceral rage

a glimmer in the heart
a tear in the eye
a prayer in the head
an old pain
a life of resentment where forgiveness dies
where even the faith gets scared,
Come on, we're going now.

Laws made only for the people
while rulers tyrannize us
brotherhoods and business at the top of the pyramid
They sponsor blood between tanks and uzis
innocent in a sky stained by the color of factories

A silence of mourning
a stray bullet
An entire family in tears
a child shot down
state militias
paramilitaries
cerebral lunacies
entire populations on the ground

squalid slums of misery at the palace doors
freedom stolen, a synonyme of paperwork
humanity bartered away for a make believe life
between the morning's stress and evening's anguish
heads full of neuroses, nerves worn-out
characterize modern man often corrupted
and when the city sleep, it happens without even noticing,
a silent death, a homeless person out in the cold

cement jail, behind the blinders
the struggle is so long for just a little light
families broken up, and the fathers disappear
children don't laugh more, to build their own ramparts

Mothers take it all on their shoulders,
one out of three young people in jail
All this shit is real, so we'll be fighting again
It's a bad drug trip that devours us from the inside
A bottle of vodka,few grams of weed (bad trip )

some of them never come back,
they tighten their arm so violently
Subutex injected in a puddle of blood

Childrens fightingt, one knife too many
It's no longer home when the kids come home early

they learn craftiness in a glass of anger
Formatted in thes streets,formatted in school

Everyone has his own floppy,when worlds meet
it's war of cultures, even hatred of shame

barriers are here in our heads, well warmed
the most intransigent crack up fast,it's the law of the reed
No, nothing is simple here,daily grind remain
In wounded hearts slowly dying.

Don't cry my sister, 'cause you carry the world
noble is your heart, believe in yourself and get up
don't listen the bastards who want to see you sad
Even mother earth is sick, but mother earth is resisting

man has manufactured his world for himself,
apprentice creator who messed it all up
bloodthirsty predator

Babylon seems so great
but it has no more substance
than a vulgar masquerade perfumed with illusion
it's the master of our naive and gullible minds,
mass conditioning while our nerves are frayed,
by rage, a bastion of galley slaves
together we're the world and the system is nothing

take care of your brother, stay close to your hearts
Be wary of the system, murderer and liar
keep away from hatred that jumps into our arms
humanity of mankind, only love will save us

listen to the silence when your soul is in peace
The light is there,the light came in
truth is inside us, fruits of creation
Don't forget your history, don't forgot your mission

that we're the last generation that can change everything
Life is with us, don't be afraid of the danger
raise up our voices in order to never forget
Heaps of stardust,what are you waiting for to shine?

All brothers and sisters, make again the chain
Because we are only one, divided in the flesh
Find joy again, mutual aid to help each other rise
A glimmer is enough to melt the darkness

Time is running out of steam, a smell of sulfur
You can feel the end, the Beast captivates the crowd
The symbols are reversed, funerals are getting all mixed up

The star that spins the wheel is getting closer to our sky

Earth in agony,
honor despised,
madness,
slander,
not enough heart at the right time

ignorance of happiness, of the magic of life
shocked by horror, trained to survive

this era, the worst,
one part of the consequences
good or evil, today you must choose which side you're on

mankind got lost, too concentrated on owning things
the stars consulting with each other to bring us back on the right path

the grid's all chiseled up but the light still gets through
trust in life, in the strength of your dreams
everyone's got an angel on his shoulder, there if you search for him
when your hearts is one with your spirit and deeds

the big day is coming, don't you see the signs?
death doesn't exist, it's just the end of the cycles
this end takes shape, humanity decimates itself
indigo hope, the Pleiades are choosing us
raise your head and understand
feel the strength in your soul
rise above babylon,
solve the mystery
nothing's coming by chance,
heaven bless you,
child of the 5th sun, understand what's between the lines

(spoken)

understand between the lines,
childs of 5th sun
the sun is in you.
shine your interior light to illuminate the chaos of their world
we're not here by accident
the Pleiades are choosing us
raise your head
understand what's written between the lines
listen to your heart
disobedience
because the truth is inside us
because the solution is inside us
because the life is inside us
because the life is inside us




French
Cinquième Soleil par Keny Arkana

mon espèce s'égare, l'esprit qui suchauffe
les gens se détestent, la guerre des égos
XXIe siècle, cynisme et mépris
non respect de la Terre, folie plein les tripes
frontières, barricades, émeutes et matraques
cris et bains de sang, bombes qui éclatent
politique de la peur, science immorale
insurrection d'un peuple, marché des armes
Nouvelle Ordre Mondial, fusion de terreur
l'homme, l'animal, le plus prédateur
le système pue la mort, assassin de la vie
a tué la mémoire pour mieux tuer l'avenir
des disquettes plein la tête, les sens nous trompent
3e oeil ouvert car le cerveau nous ment
l'être humain s'est perdu, a oublié sa force
a oublié la lune, le soleil et l'atome
inversion des pôles vers la haine se dirige
a perdu la raison pour une escuse qui divise
l'égoisme en devise, époque misérable
haine collective contre rage viscérale
une lueur dans le coeur, une larme dans l'oeil
une prière dans la tête, une vieille douleur
une vive racoeur, là ou meurt le pardon
où même la voix prend peur, allez viens nous partons
des lois faites pour le peuple et les rois tyrannisent
confréries et business en haut de la pyrammide
sa sponsorise le sang, entre chars et uzis
innocent dans un ciel aux couleurs des usines
un silence de deuil, une balle perdue
toute une famille en pleure, un enfant abbatu
des milices de l'état, des paramilitaires
des folies cérébrales, des peuples entiers a terre
bidonvilles de misère à l'entrée des palaces
liberté volée, synonyme de paperasse
humanité troquée contre une vie illusoire
entre stress du matin et angoisses du soir
des névroses plein la tête les nerfs rompus
caractérisent l'homme moderne, bien souvent corrompus
et quand la ville s'endort, arrive tant de fois
une mort silencieuse, un SDF dans le froid
prison de ciment, derrière les oeillères
le combat est si long, pour un peu de lumière
les famille se déchirent et les pères se font rare
les enfant ne rient plus, se batissent des remparts
les mères prennent sur elles, un jeune sur trois en taule
toute cette merde est réelle, donc on se battera encore
c'est la "malatripa" qui nous bouffe les tripes
une bouteille de vodka, quelques grammes de weed
certains ne reviennent pas, le serrage est violent
subutex injecté dans une flaque de sang
des enfants qui se battent, un couteau de couteau en trop
ce n'est plus à la baraque que les mômes rentrent tôt
ils apprennent la ruse dans un verre de colère
formatage de la rue, formatage scolaire
c'est chacun sa disquette, quand les mondes se rencontrent
c'est le choc des cultures, voir la haine de la honte
les barrières sont là, dans nos têtes bien au chaud
les plus durs craquent vite, c'est la loi du roseau
non rien n'est rose ici, la grisaille demeure
dans les coeurs meurtris qui a petit feu meurent
ne pleure pas ma soeur car tu portes le monde
noble est ton coeur, crois en toi et remonte
n'écoute pas les batards qui voudraient te voir triste
même Terre-mère est malade, mais Terre-mère résiste
l'homme s'est construit son monde, apprenti créateur
qui a tout déréglé, sanguinaire prédateur
babylone est bien grande mais n'est rien dans le fond
qu'une vulgaire mascarade au parfum d'illusion
maîtresse de nos esprits, crédules et naifs
conditionnement massif, là ou les nerfs sont à vifs
dans la marche et la rage, bastion des galériens
ensemble nous sommes le monde et le système n'est rien
prend conscience mon frère, reste près de ton coeur
méfie toi du système, assassin et menteur
éloigne toi de la haine qui nous saute tous au bras,
humanité humaine, seul l'Amour nous sauvera
écoute le silence quand ton âme est en paix
la lumière s'y trouve, la lumière est rentrée
vérité en nous même, fruit de la création
n'oublie pas ton histoire, n'oublie pas ta mission
dernière génération à pouvoir tout changer
la vie est avec nous n'ai pas peur du danger
alors levons nos voix, pour ne plus oublier
bout de poussière d'étoile, qu'attends-tu pour briller ?
tous frères et soeurs, reformons la chaine
car nous ne sommes qu'un divisé dans la chaire
retrouvons la joie, l'entraide qu'on s'élève
une lueur suffit à faire fondre les ténèbres
s'essoufle ce temps, une odeur de souffre
la fin se ressent, la bête envoute la foule
les symboles s'inversent se confondent les obsèques
l'étoile qui fait tourner la roue se rapproche de notre ciel
terre a l'agonie, mal-être à l'honneur
folie, calomnie peu de coeur à la bonne heure
ignorance du bonheur, de la magie de la vie
choqué par l'horreur, formé a la survie
l'époque, le pire, une part des conséquences
le bien, le mal, aujourd'hui choisi ton camp
l'être humain s'est perdu trop centré sur l'avoir
les étoiles se concertent pour nous ramener sur la voix,
quadrillage ficelé, mais passe la lumière
ai confiance en la vie, en la force de tes rêves
tous un anges à l'épaule, présent si tu le cherches
quand le coeur ne fait qu'un, avec l'esprit est le geste
le grand jour se prépare, ne vois-tu pas les signes ?
la mort n'existe pas, c'est juste la fin des cycles
cette fin se déssine, l'humain se décime
espoir indigo, les pléïades nous désignent
lève ta tête et comprend, sa la force en ton être
dépasse babylone, élucide la mystère
rien ne se tire au sort, que le ciel te bénisse
enfant du quinto sol, comprend entre les lignes.

(parlé)
comprend entre les lignes
enfant du quinto sol
le soleil est en toi
fait briller ta lumière intèrieur
pour éclairer le chaos de leur monde
on est pas là par hasard
les pleïades nous désignent
lèves ta tête, comprend entre les lignes
écoute ton coeur
désobeissance,
car la vérité est nous
car la solution est en nous
parceque la vie est en nous
parceque la vie est en nous

[JDPriestly]

18. Thanks for translating

[Catherina]

19. Wow. Thanks for reading it! n/t

[Desertrose]

21. This is fantastic...thanks for the translation!

I really love this ...on so many levels they are giving a major message.....

"the big day is coming, don't you see the signs?
death doesn't exist, it's just the end of the cycles
this end takes shape, humanity decimates itself
indigo hope, the Pleiades are choosing us
raise your head and understand
feel the strength in your soul
rise above babylon,
solve the mystery
nothing's coming by chance,
heaven bless you,
child of the 5th sun, understand what's between the lines"

[Catherina]

24. I thought so too. Here is a better video with English subtitles

I wish I had found this video last night! It's Keny doing it live with subtitles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVR6xL7fkaY


The rhythm and rhymes are perfect, this song is an artistic masterpiece in addition to being an intellectual one.

I spent all morning reading up about the 5th Sun just to follow this better.

I don't buy music anymore but in this case I'm making an exception. She's one of the unmarketed ones sending a major message and her stuff goes all around the world in less time than the music industry can get a slick ad of hype out the door.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vSyk6SJoF1M/SgI4dvxE_QI/AAAAAAAACrk/AvQNyeB1NvQ/S220/the+end+of+the+world+of+the+spectacle.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vSyk6SJoF1M/TM4P_Z6P3_I/AAAAAAAAGOk/CyvKSonkvjM/S220/copanhagen+climate+change+Cop15+our+future.jpg


If you really like her, here's another powerful song with English subtitles. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drlpkQTPr0Y

This one is an international anthem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8txhtB2e5M

[Kaleko]

44. Starseeds talking to each other -

if you know what I mean.

[Cerridwen]

41. OMG! That was wonderful that you did that!

Thank you!

I enjoyed, okay, I'm not sure enjoyed is the right word; the video was very powerful as are the words and her voice.

Now, I'm going to go put my post to which you replied in my journal, so I can be sure to have this whenever I need to be reminded. I would feel awful if all your hard work went to waste and this young woman is powerful.

Thank you so much!

[oberliner]

14. Thanks for the info

I guess what I mean is that the US government seems to have a lot more invested in the continued maintenance of the status quo in Egypt as opposed to Tunisia.

I am wondering if the US might get more aggressively involved to try to prevent something like this from happening there.

I'm not sure exactly what that might entail.

[Catherina]

17. Yes. I think that the US will do everything in its power to control the Tunisian outcome

precisely so that it doesn't spread to Egypt. It would be the most effective way of preventing it there. If this thing spreads to Egypt, nothing will protect Mubarek. The rage was been to caged up for too long. And now people are hungry. I'm not sure what the US could do other than trying to contain this before it explodes in Egypt. It's not like we have troops to spare (thankfully imo) or that we haven't sent Egypt a ton of aid to crush just such a thing.

It's hard to predict anything, I wish I were psychic. Personally I think it's all a powder keg waiting to explode.

Tunisian protests serve as a red flag for other Arab autocracies, such as Egypt, where protesters yesterday called for President Mubarak to get on a plane, too.

y Kristen Chick, Correspondent / January 15, 2011
Cairo

Unprecedented protests in Tunisia have deeply shaken one of the Middle East’s most repressive regimes, forcing the president that ruled Tunisia for 23 years to step down.

Combined with unrest in neighboring Algeria and Jordan over food and fuel prices, the Tunisian protests serve as a startling red flag for other autocracies across the region, which have long dismissed warnings that maintaining stability through suppression may backfire.

In particular, Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country, is home to a bulging youth population that has a far harder time landing jobs than other segments of society. Its tightly managed political system, headed by President Hosni Mubarak for nearly three decades, has left little room for dissent.

After Tunisia President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on Friday, protesters in Cairo chanted, "Ben Ali, tell Mubarak a plane is waiting for him, too!”

“Tunisia is a warning for the Egyptian regime,” says Diaa Rashwan, an analyst at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo. “It’s a warning, and any rational regime would take action to address it. But I don’t think Egypt has any strategy for addressing it.”

...

Is Egypt next?

The ‘Tunisian scenario’ could not play out in Egypt, its trade minister has said, arguing conditions differ.

Dr. Achy of the Carnegie Middle East Center says some of the factors in Tunisia are absent in Egypt: Tunisians are more highly educated and more likely to live in mid-sized cities – thus their aspirations are higher. But Egypt has a huge youth population that shares a disproportionate burden of the country’s unemployment; those under 30 account for 60 percent of the population but about 90 percent of the jobless. Youths are growing restless under 82-year-old President Hosni Mubarak, who has increasingly clamped down on dissent in the past year.

Though liberalization has helped the economy grow, many Egyptians say they don’t feel their lives are improving. As global food prices and inflation in Egypt rise, the government will need to carefully manage issues like unemployment and food security, says Achy.

Popular outbursts like Tunisia’s are “always an accumulation of a number of things,” he says. In Egypt, “people are suffering silently for the moment, but at some time you might have an explosion of popular anger.”

...

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0115/Tunisian-protests-shake-one-of-the-most-repressive-Arab-regimes/%28page%29/2

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0115/Tunisian-protests-shake-one-of-the-most-repressive-Arab-regimes

[siligut]

31. Big business wants all of it

It is the last few paragraphs that explain the US involvement. I know this isn't exactly what you are asking, but it tells me, the US will do what it needs to.

From: Is Libya The 'New Dubai'?

Other projects include introducing 4G wireless services into the country and building a high-speed rail-link along the Mediterranean coast between Sirte and Benghazi, a distance of about 310 miles (500 kilometers). Future plans envision the General Motors-built trains running straight across from Tunisia to Egypt.

Gene Cretz, the U.S.'s first ambassador to Libya in 36 years, said the nation is keen to have American companies return because "our companies tend to go beyond the investment ... to provide capacity building."

A link to the entire article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/27/libya-the-new-dubai_n_696909.html

[Catherina]

32. German, Swedish and French operatives have already been caught

trying to mess with things. The West better stop interfering.


Latest from Tunisia: four persons with German passports arrested in rented vehicle with stash of weapons 37 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone

Al Arabiya: Tunisian Police say those who fired at the head office of the Tunisian opposition Democratic Party carry Swedish passports about 2 hours ago via web

http://twitter.com/sultanalqassemi

[Cleita]

5. According to the news report I'm watching the unrest is

already starting in Egypt, but I don't know any more than you do at this point.

[LuckyStrykes]

8. please continue to update on this

[Lucian]

20. Is there any way an uprising could happen here in the US?

I think sometime soon somebody is going to get sick of the corporations running things and getting federal money to pay for their debts, while the "little guy" gets no help. That certain somebody will start a movement, a movement which I will join.

[lonestarnot]

25. I'm hearing we have too many hamburgers readily available.

[Silent3]

26. I don't think you'd like the results of an uprising in the US

If you think a popular uprising in the US would lead to a more progressive, liberal country you're living in a dream world. The greatest concentration of anger, not to mention enthusiasm for firearms, is on the Tea Party side of American politics.

[Catherina]

33. In other words, on with the status quo?

I believe you're quite wrong about the greatest concentration of anger being on the Tea Party side. It's equally distributed with a seething anger against those who feel entitled to more than their share.

On with the dreams because this nightmare reality of the rich eating the poor is a sad facsimile of life.

[Silent3]

36. Saying that I don't believe a magic magnetic astrology bracelet...

...is going to cure someone's arthritis in no way obligates me to know a cure for arthritis before I can say that, nor does saying so mean I think arthritis is a good thing.

I could say more at this point, but why argue with the kind of dull, witless thinking that translates what I said into "on with the status quo"?

[Lucian]

34. So you're saying liberals will never uprise against a corrupt...

conservative government? I think you're wrong.

I'm a very liberal person, and I'm just as angry as a Teabagger, but I have legitimate reasons to be angry whereas the teabagger is angry because of things that don't exist (ie Obama is a Socialist, they're going to take away guns, etc.).

[Silent3]

37. Perhaps not *never*, but any time soon?

Not likely. Things would have to get a lot worse, sorry to say, before that happened.

I'm a very liberal person, and I'm just as angry as a Teabagger...

What does your own individual anger matter? As the saying goes, "you and what army?" We're talking about popular uprisings here, and liberal views aren't that popular -- at least not in a way many people are smart enough to realize in order to rally behind a massive movement that could actually overthrown the US government.

I can think of lots of things people should be angry about, but the anger just isn't there. And even though you're completely right that the supposed reason's for teabagger anger are mostly bullshit, the anger itself is real, and a lot more organized, and a lot more heavily armed than anything on the left.

[Lucian]

38. So the real question then is why aren't we organized?

[Catherina]

27. If it does, people won't even see it coming.

I think many people are beginning to ask the right questions and starting a journey to real change. The same ones people like Martin Luther King Jr asked 50 years ago in his speech "Beyond Vietnam".

the movement must address itself to the question of restructuring the whole of American society. There are forty million poor people here, and one day we must ask the question, "Why are there forty million poor people in America?" And when you begin to ask that question, you are raising a question about the economic system, about a broader distribution of wealth. When you ask that question, you begin to question the capitalistic economy. And I'm simply saying that more and more, we've got to begin to ask questions about the whole society. We are called upon to help the discouraged beggars in life's marketplace. But one day we must come to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring. It means that questions must be raised. And you see, my friends, when you deal with this you begin to ask the question, "Who owns the oil?" You begin to ask the question, "Who owns the iron ore?" You begin to ask the question, "Why is it that people have to pay water bills in a world that's two-thirds water?" These are words that must be said.

What I'm talking about is far beyond communism... What I'm saying to you this morning is communism forgets that life is individual. Capitalism forgets that life is social. And the kingdom of brotherhood is found neither in the thesis of communism nor the antithesis of capitalism, but in a higher synthesis. It is found in a higher synthesis that combines the truths of both. Now, when I say questioning the whole society, it means ultimately coming to see that the problem of racism, the problem of economic exploitation, and the problem of war are all tied together. These are the triple evils that are interrelated.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Everybody who is anybody in the power elites

is scared shitless of the arab streets.

He fled to Jedah... but both Jordan and Egypt are showing signs of distress... look to the West and Kadafi as well.

[JCMach1]

23. Egypt was problematic long before the current Tunisian problems

The difference is Mubarak is still something of a national hero and the main opposition is the Islamic Brotherhood. A large section of the middle-class are simply not down with the idea of an Islamic Republic in Egypt.

I think for Egypt the catalyst will come with the death, or very serious illness of Mubarak. They are not going to accept a Mubarak II.

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. Why Mubarak should seriously consider an election

like a clean one.

[oberliner]

30. What do you think the results would be?

My guess - a crushing defeat.

[JCMach1]

40. Best guess would be a divisive defeat

Poor and Islamic Brotherhood vs. Middle-class and Mubarak forces...

What Tunisia points toward is a 3rd way. If opposition develops in the middle-class and spreads to the poor, groups like the opposition in Tunisia can get a chance.

[Silent3]

28. When the choices are between repressive but largely secular and US-friendly...

...governments, and an overthrow leading to repressive fundamentalist Islamic governments, I'll hope for the repressive but secular and US-friendly governments.

It's too bad there aren't better choices, but I don't see them.

[WinkyDink]

35. "Imelda Marcos" of N. Africa:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1347626/Tunisia-riots-Presidents-wife-drove-nation-streets-start-revolution.html

"Greed of the Tunisian president's wife that drove a nation onto the streets to start a revolution"

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

39. A region's tipping point - Al Jazeera

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/01/20111167156465567.html

A region's tipping point

The stakes could not be higher. The "Tunisian Scenario" could lead either to a greater democratic opening across the Arab world, or it could lead to the situation in Algeria in the early 1990s, where democratisation was abruptly halted and the country plunged into civil war when it seemed that an Islamist government might come to power. We can be sure that leaders across the Arab world are busy planning how to stymie any attempts by their people to emulate the actions of Tunisia's brave citizenry. But at this moment of such great historical consequence what is the US doing about the situation?

The timing couldn't have been more fortuitous, as Secretary of State Clinton was in the Middle East meeting with Arab political and civil society leaders at the moment events took their fateful turn. Yet when asked directly about the protests the day before Ben Ali fled her answer said volumes about the mentality of the Obama administration and the larger US and European foreign policy establishments to the unfolding situation.

"We can't take sides."

A more tone deaf response would have been hard to imagine. This was a moment when the Obama administration could have seized the reins of history and helped usher in a new era in the Arab/Muslim world world. In so doing it could have done more to defeat the forces of extremism than a million soldiers in AfPak and even more drone strikes could ever hope to accomplish. And Mrs. Clinton declared America's attention to remain on the sideline.

[bikebloke]

45. It was mentioned either on France24 or the Beeb.

People are watching Tunisia in the North African countries. Using Twitter and Facebook, demonstrations are quickly organized in Tunis. It could spread.