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2012-01-27 Africa North
US outrage as Egypt bars Americans from leaving
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Posted by Steve White 2012-01-27 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11133 views ]  Top

#1 Please. The Bellman has no plan except to tingle his bell.
Posted by Muggsy Johnson7466 2012-01-27 00:48||   2012-01-27 00:48|| Front Page Top

#2 If they just wanted to rid themselves of a pesky NGO they'd deport these foreigners, or let them leave the country and refuse reentry. No one in the West would have payed attention.

This is serious. It is a hostage situation and the hostage taker is the Egyptian regime.

<speculation>
This is part of the deal between the military and the MB. They want to exchange these hostages for Egyptian islamofascists in US custody, including the Blind Sheikh.

The Taliban will be rewarded for 9/11 so why should Egyptians accept punishment for an attack that was trivial by comparison.
</speculation>

The Americans in question should be brought to the US embassy ASAP, lest they 'disappear.'

And Tantawi should be told that it is "LaHood&Co free and alive or Tantawi dead" he would do well to remember the fate of the last North African potentate who took Western hostages (NSFW).
Posted by Crainter Hitler5733 2012-01-27 06:24||   2012-01-27 06:24|| Front Page Top

#3 International Republican Institute is mainly funded by U.S. State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development and the National Endowment for Democracy. Board of Directors

National Democratic Institute was created by the United States government by way of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) to channel grants for furthering democracy in developing nations. Board of Directors

As can be assumed, each is loosely affiliated with the major US political parties, particularly the center-left factions of each. Technically, they're NGOs, but each performs some semi-official tasks that used to be performed by intelligence and other agencies.
Posted by Pappy 2012-01-27 11:15||   2012-01-27 11:15|| Front Page Top

#4 Pappy. To me it smells like a finishing school where the children of the elites get foreign relations experience (necessary for future political career) under safe (until now) conditions. Kinda like kids of roman senators spending a couple of years as military tribunes in a legion stationed in a safe province.
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2012-01-27 11:43||   2012-01-27 11:43|| Front Page Top

#5 Crainter,
Ditto.

IMHO, make them pay. Divide the US foreign aid to Egypt by 366 (this is a leap year) and deduct that amount for each day that the Americans are held. Then start ratcheting up the pressure from there; say putting delivery of military items and spare parts on hold. Tell the CIA to think up other ways to start pressuring the MB directly.
Posted by Mike Ramsey 2012-01-27 12:14||   2012-01-27 12:14|| Front Page Top

#6 To me it smells like a finishing school where the children of the elites get foreign relations experience (necessary for future political career) under safe (until now) conditions.

Well, yes. There aren't as many opportunities in State or the CIA (most of of the good-deeds and public relations work was farmed out to the IRI).

And it's not just political elites either - NDI gets a sizeable portion of up-and-coming young people affiliated with (or sponsored by)various unions.
Posted by Pappy 2012-01-27 14:09||   2012-01-27 14:09|| Front Page Top

#7 So, Bambi openly undercuts Mubarak in a way that also undercut the military who were aligned with him.

Is this administration really so naive as to think that they would respond like wealthy US liberals to his community organizer demands?
Posted by lotp  2012-01-27 20:09||   2012-01-27 20:09|| Front Page Top

#8 "Is this administration really so naive as to think that they would respond like wealthy US liberals to his community organizer demands?"

Of course, lotp. Silly you.

Next question?
Posted by Barbara 2012-01-27 20:14||   2012-01-27 20:14|| Front Page Top

#9 lotp, I think he thought they'd find a way to hurt American interests without attacking him or his vassals personally.

As usual, the headlong rush into feudalism is pushed by those least psychologically equipped to deal with feudalism.
Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2012-01-27 21:34||   2012-01-27 21:34|| Front Page Top

#10 He's only successful at feudalism because his little feudal power structure is situated in a larger republican society that he can cannibalize for profit.

If he lived in a real mostly feudal country, he'd be running a doughnut shop, or if he tried to rise past his level of competence, dead.
Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2012-01-27 21:44||   2012-01-27 21:44|| Front Page Top

#11 "If he lived in a real mostly feudal country, he'd be running a doughnut shop, or if he tried to rise past his level of competence, dead."

Naaahhhh, Thing. He'd just be dead. He doesn't have a level of competence.
Posted by Barbara 2012-01-27 21:55||   2012-01-27 21:55|| Front Page Top

#12 Mubarak was a good guy. The fact that Obama hung him out to dry is proof of that.
Posted by Scooter McGruder 2012-01-27 22:03||   2012-01-27 22:03|| Front Page Top

23:41 Procopius2k
23:28 Frank G
23:10 trailing wife
22:55 trailing wife
22:43 OldSpook
22:37 JosephMendiola
22:14 trailing wife
22:03 Scooter McGruder
22:03 trailing wife
21:55 Barbara
21:50 Barbara
21:47 Procopius2k
21:45 trailing wife
21:44 Thing From Snowy Mountain
21:40 Frank G
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21:37 Mercutio
21:34 Thing From Snowy Mountain
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21:10 JosephMendiola
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