Free Egyptian Blogger Karim Amer
The Guardian reports that Egyptian authorities have put blogger Karim Amer on trial for posts they claim are critical of Islam, fundamentalist rioters and Hosni Mubarek. He faces up to ten years in prison.
This is not an isolated instance of Hosni Mubarek regarding free speech or speech critical of his authoritarian rule. Mostly, he has directed his war against moderate voices in favor of more freedom and democracy. He allows the Islamic fundamentalists much more latitude as he needs there presence as an extortive threat against the west --- that is, its either me or the acolytes of Osama and Zawahiri.
If I remember correctly, Egypt receives a shitload of American aid, second only to Israel. Yet, recent reports are that the Bush administration - and Condi Rice more specifically - have toned down pressure on Mubarek for democraticization. Yet, in doing so, we lose the benefit of having followed a principled approach on human rights.
This is not an isolated instance of Hosni Mubarek regarding free speech or speech critical of his authoritarian rule. Mostly, he has directed his war against moderate voices in favor of more freedom and democracy. He allows the Islamic fundamentalists much more latitude as he needs there presence as an extortive threat against the west --- that is, its either me or the acolytes of Osama and Zawahiri.
If I remember correctly, Egypt receives a shitload of American aid, second only to Israel. Yet, recent reports are that the Bush administration - and Condi Rice more specifically - have toned down pressure on Mubarek for democraticization. Yet, in doing so, we lose the benefit of having followed a principled approach on human rights.
posted by Macswain at
2:40 PM
3 Comments:
WTF?????
The Middle East is near the point of total chaos, and you're worried about some blogger's 1st amendment (there's no such thing in Egypt) rights?
The whole lesson of Iraq is dictators ain't all that bad, when you consider the alternatives (which we're now experiencing thanks to Rummy and crowd).
I say more power to Mubarek if he can keep the place from nuking out.
By
Anonymous, at 3:55 PM
Webhub,
You're starting to sound like the righties who don't know there are possibilities other than full-scale invaision, on one hand, and coddling a human rights abusing dictator, on the other.
And, yes, a principled approach is important to the big picture regarding foreign policy.
By
Macswain, at 4:02 PM
Macswain:
I might ordinarlily agree with your "principled approach to the big picture." However, we got bigger fish to fry in the Mideast.
Part of me thinks the planet will be lucky to even see 2009 given the mess the chimp created over there.
Let's put first things first--try to keep the region from nuking out. That means working with dudes like Mubarek and Musharraf.
Although a blogger would never admit it, disciplining bloggers is hardly equates to
"coddling."
By
Anonymous, at 12:14 PM
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