Finding out Pres. Obama’s special envoy to Egypt, Frank Wisner, has economic conflicts is causing a flurry of understandable rhetorical indignation and all around sputtering. Mr. Wisner’s conflict of interest on Egypt and his Mubarak message doesn’t forward the theme of Pres. Obama’s “orderly transition” beginning now. However, given how the old guard has responded to Egyptians demanding the clearing the decks of Mubarak I think the outrage is ridiculous.
Does anyone think after being a member of the 20th century Mubarak policy diplomatic corp that Mr. Wisner would have had any other response than what he did, business conflict of interest or not?
To recount, Sect. Clinton began it with calling the Mubarak regime “stable,” which I critiqued straight out, unlike many who took a week to notice. One reason she could forward this Administration talking point was because she believed it had to be true, because the alternative was impossible for her to imagine. We are talking about Egypt after all, the most important alliance the U.S. and Israel has in the Middle East. Clinton would never ever stray to far from that primary coupling.
V.P. Joe Biden continued this theme on PBS. Former British PM Tony Blair upped the rhetoric, with former V.P. Dick Cheney seconding the trios acclamation on Mubarak.
What you’re seeing play out now is the forwarding of Henry Kissinger’s realpolitik, circa 21st century.
Foreshadowing of the next installment was seen in Christiane Amanpour’s interview with Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman. He played nice with the American media super star, while getting in a shot that radicals inspired the protesters. Message received?
The anti-regime protesters have won Pres. Hosni Mubarak’s pledge he will not seek the presidency again. Major concessions are being reported, but I remain skeptical that they’ll manifest, but the fight will go on for a very long time for the future of Egypt.
All of these signs point to a different Egypt, which is why realpolitik is rearing it’s pragmatic head.
The earthquake in Egypt will have aftershocks for months and years to come, but in the short-term the 20th old guard and the people who run the world can only accept so much change at a time.
This is Egypt we’re talking about. Egypt.
It’s the beginning of a whole new reality in the Middle East, which for the U.S. is going to be difficult. One step at a time, let’s be practical, shall we? At least that’s the Obama administration’s message, which injects a dose of realism against the Egyptian people’s idealism.
Taylor, did you write this?
Well, myself being an unrepentant idealist,I’m with the Egyptain people.
Ditto.
Lake Lady we are not “serious people”.
Nope Ramsgate…never been a “serious person”. I am oddly not motivated by self interest.
I just want to be counted among the not “serious people,” please.
Of course Joyce you are welcome in our little club.
Thank you
After spending sometime on Baseline.
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/02/florida-foreclosure-mill-king-david-stern-shows-crime-sure-did-pay.html
… and reading the AP story on the “Foreclosure King”
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=12852757
I can only hope that at some point in time Americns will become inspired by the brave Egyptians.
The banks have been literally stealing people’s homes from them.
We don’t seem to do “inspired” very well, but I’ll hope with you that it happens this time, LL.
Stealing homes, and the Electeds and Elites don’t seem particularly concerned.
I find that fact outrageous beyond explanation.
Taylor wrote: ***At least that’s the Obama administration’s message, which injects a dose of realism against the Egyptian people’s idealism.***
Triangulation is the wrong way to govern. Why are the Egyptians dealing with Suleiman? Heck, they have NO clue as to what U.S. foreign policy is on this matter. I don’t either, it changes daily. Add in U.S. Envoy Frank Wisner’s platitudes to the Egyptian leadership, it left no choice to the Egyptians. IMHO, Wisner’s remarks were intentional on Obama’s part. Don’t give me this business Barack, Joe and Hillary didn’t know what Wisner was going to say. If they didn’t, that is even WORSE foreign policy fail. Therefore, I choose the Egyptian citizens over Obama’s “pragmatically” led Village Idiots of America!
Of course, Obama will do business with Cheney’s war criminal buddy, Suleiman. After all, it is the Obama administration who’ve been most instrumental in covering up all of the Bush administration’s war crimes in the interests of being non-partisan. You know, I see no evil, therefore, I am moving on. Presumably (isn’t it so freaking obvious!?!), so Obama could continue to carry out torture and renditionings which began under Bill Clinton’s legacy. See Pfc. Bradley Manning — now tortures have come home to roost in America. Drone attacks on Americans by our government is next. No wonder those triplets named Barack, Joe and Hillary hate Wikileaks, haha!
Today, Obama is the enabler of war crimes and the enforcer of them as official U.S. government policy. Go ahead and vote for that nonsense, because you fear the scary Republicans who are performing only by Wall Street’s script. Obama is THEIR guy, not mine. And they are doing all they can do, with Palin’s help, to ensure he is re-elected. I think Taylor will do same.
I notice other people’s remarks are being posted without moderation while mine remain IN moderation. Interesting.
Anyhoo, my best friend from Dallas, TX, who worked with me trying to get Obama THE LIAR elected in 2008, sent me the below remarks just now by email. I totally concur with her. Enjoy.
***Obama is in cahoots with Mubarak to wait the protesters out and then arrange some sort of faux “agreement” to get him back on the throne. They’re hoping the heat of the movement burns out or goes to embers…then they will stage something that seems legitimate enough to pimp in the media. It won’t be all that convincing, but it doesn’t have to be because something will come along to displace the story to grab everyone’s attention for diversion. Later when questions are asked, we’ll get the whole “we’ve moved on” lines.***
Well said, Yvonne
Ronc99 says:
07 February 2011 at 5:49 pm
I second Yvonne.
This is what the serious people call pragmatic or realpolitic.
http://www.truth-out.org/despite-talk-concessions-egyptian-military-cracking-down67516
This must be why the State Department is telling Americans to get out now.
Taylor and Lake Lady,
Some facts, below, about U.S. Envoy Frank Wisner as delivered by Daily Kos, today. They are NOT buying the overt lies of the THREE TRIPLETS named Barack, Joe and Hillary. Kossacks doing their homework, fortunately, for all of us:
***Frank Wisner, President Barack Obama’s envoy to Cairo who infuriated the White House this weekend by urging Hosni Mubarak to remain President of Egypt, works for a New York and Washington law firm which works for the dictator’s own Egyptian government….the litigation firm Patton Boggs, which openly boasts that it advises “the Egyptian military, the Egyptian Economic Development Agency, and has handled arbitrations and litigation on the [Mubarak] government’s behalf in Europe and the US”…
So why on earth was he sent to talk to Mubarak, who is in effect a client of Mr Wisner’s current employers?***
And the TRIPLETS act all shocked? Total cronyism on their part. Unfortunately, today, we can expect no different from these critters. They have got to go!!!
The link from Daily Kos: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/2/7/941777/-Obama-Envoy-To-Mubarak-Works-For…Mubarak.
Keeping it REAL — as in realpolitik.
WikiLeaks: Israel preferred Suleiman as Mubarak’s successor.
2008 cable quotes senior Defense Ministry official as telling US that in the event of Egyptian president’s death, “There is no question that Israel is most comfortable with the prospect of Suleiman.” http://goo.gl/XBKwK
Really! Really! The more I see, the more I regret my vote for Mr Obama. I will NOT repeat that mistake.
MUBARAK’S STAY WILL ONLY PUSH EGYPT INTO BROTHERHOOD’S LAP
The Egyptian demonstrations have been led by common folks wanting a corrupt and a dictatorial leader out of power and out of their country. The Muslim Brotherhood is a late comer to the game. In fact the first few days of uprising they stood on the sidelines probably fearing that crowds could turn on them. Watching things heat up, they have gradually come into the fold. By now it is a well known fact that the uprising has nothing to do with the Brotherhood, but, if there is no quick resolution and uncertainty continues, they stand to reap rewards far greater than they deserve.
The Obama Administration’s backtracking on Hosni Mubarak’s departure may have inflicted a minor blow to the uprising. But Hosni Mubarak’s plan to stay till September and oversee election of his cronies will not be palatable to the Egyptian public. They have had enough of him in thirty years and they want to see the back of him sooner rather than later. The self appointed pundits like Farid Zakaria saying that army will outlast the crowds will probably be proven wrong, as usual.
Egyptian economy has already suffered $3 billion damage and the longer Mubarak remains as Head of State (with or without full powers), the demonstrations will continue and the losses will multiply. Hosni Mubarak has no credibility to bring a meaningful change to Egyptian constitution or arrange an orderly transition. At this time, he is a catalyst for more violence and upheaval. He should leave Egypt NOW before he suffers a Mussolini like fate.
The immediate need is to pacify Egyptian public by replacing Mubarak with an interim non-political Authority with a mandate to come up with a constitutional reform package and oversee a fair and transparent election. The interim authority should ideally be headed by a superior court judge and not by the Vice President or the Speaker (both Mubarak’s party men). Once Mubarak is out and the Authority is in place, the public will most likely go back to their daily lives.
Only then can the new political parties be formed and electioneering begin in earnest. If this path is followed, chances are Egyptian public will reject the Brotherhood, who will be lucky to get 2 to 3% of the vote. However, a prolonged agitation will only strengthen their hands and they would gain significantly by playing on people’s fears.
It is time for President Obama and Hillary Clinton to act as visionary leaders, with behind the scenes diplomacy and not many public statements. Also, they should not pay attention to those advisors who are for Mubarak’s stay or continued involvement till September. Lest the Iranain revolution repeats itself in Egypt.
DailyKos: the ultimate stupid people who backed, wholeheartedly and without any ability to assess and question, ….the elevation of Obama to the throne of the Democatic party….Why would anyone take anything they say seriously? They have already demonstrated what morons they are. Or prepaid propagandists. They are as corrupted as any other media.
klassicheart~ This is an instance where we agree.
Daily Kos: Why would anyone take anything they say seriously?
klassicheart, I think same of you