Independent: Robert Fisk: Egypt's day of reckoning

[TomClash]

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-egypts-day-of-reckoning-2196751.html

Robert Fisk: Egypt's day of reckoning
Mubarak regime may not survive new protests as flames of anger spread through Middle East

Friday, 28 January 2011


All Egypt was waiting for the Muslim Sabbath today – not to mention Egypt's fearful allies – as the country's ageing President clings to power after nights of violence that have shaken America's faith in the stability of the Mubarak regime.

Five men have so far been killed and almost 1,000 others have been imprisoned, police have beaten women and for the first time an office of the ruling National Democratic Party was set on fire. Rumours are as dangerous as tear gas here. A Cairo daily has been claiming that one of President Hosni Mubarak's top advisers has fled to London with 97 suitcases of cash, but other reports speak of an enraged President shouting at senior police officers for not dealing more harshly with demonstrators.

snip

Amr Moussa, the head of the Arab League, spotted something important at the recent summit of Arab leaders at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. "Tunisia is not far from us," he said. "The Arab men are broken." But are they? One old friend told me a frightening story about a poor Egyptian who said he had no interest in moving the corrupt leadership from their desert gated communities. "At least we now know where they live," he said. There are more than 80 million people in Egypt, 30 per cent of them under 20. And they are no longer afraid.

snip

Interestingly, there seems no animosity towards foreigners. Many journalists have been protected by the crowds and – despite America's lamentable support for the Middle East's dictators – there has not so far been a single US flag burned. That shows you what's new. Perhaps a people have grown up – only to discover that their ageing government are all children.

[sasha031]

1. I always love Robert Fisk's analysis of the middle east

fascinating piece

[TomClash]

2. He has more experience in the ME than almost any US

diplomat. Always an interesting read.

[sasha031]

5. I followed him before and during the Iraq war

American journalism is dead especially when it comes to foreign policy.

[TomClash]

7. It's totally corporatized

Look at CNN's crap coverage of the Egyptian protests - compare it to Al Jazeera.

[EFerrari]

4. He's so fluent, it's a pleasure to read his work. n/t

[slipslidingaway]

3. knr nt

[girl gone mad]

6. A good antidote..

to some of the overwrought fear-mongering about these protests.