The allocation of food around the world is very uneven and since especially in the BRICS and other developing countries the population is growing more and more, the food production can’t keep up with it (plus speculation, natural hazards, printing of money etc.) the prises will go up. And the first people who’ll feel it are the ones who are living at the existence minimum and a little at a time can’t buy the same quantity/quality of food with their earnings as before. So I’m also expecting that things won’t get better, especially not in the long run.
Saw it as well yesterday but didn’t fell like posting it here, since the Army seems to be more demonstrator-friendly than the police forces.
Regarding a series problem, but I still wanna post this since I found it today:
In the last month a worldwide survey was conducted. The question was:
“Please give us your honest opinion to resolute the food-shortage in the rest of the world.”
Here are the results:
In Africa the participants didn’t knew what “food” is.
East-Europe didn’t knew what “honest” means.
West-Europe didn’t knew the word “shortage”.
The Chinese didn’t knew what “opinion” is.
The Middle East did inquire, what “to resolute” means.
South America didn’t knew the meaning of “please”.
And in the USA nobody knew, what “the rest of the wold” is.
I’m thinking its going to come down to whoever the military decides to support
Mubarak being in his 80s doesn’t exactly give the military a reason to support him
I’m not sure what to make of all these Muslim Brotherhood reports, from all the stories I’ve seen has been that the people are demanding more freedoms and honest elections not to trade one dictatorship for an iron fisted theocracy either
then listening to a local radio talk show today two people called in, one had lived in Egypt for 5 years claiming that the vast majority of the Egyptian people don’t trust the Muslim Brotherhood either
and the other that called in claims to have been born there and still have family and his report was the Muslim Brotherhood has much more influence than we even think and that he wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them take power
I’m on the other side of the world I really have no idea what I think WILL happen though
We’re having a snow day here, in Massachusetts. So, I’m sipping my coffee and watching CNN and apparently the mood has changed in Egypt.
There are clashes of pro/anti mubarik protesters and Molotov Cocktails are flying back and forth. Yesterday it was described as “like a music festival or rally” and now a lot less so.
How ever this turns out, it’s still amazing to watch. Not something I thought I’d see in my lifetime.
We’re sure they weren’t just frequent viewers of his show?
My step mom was on TV last night, local interest story because she’s been to Egypt 40-45 times and has a tour group over there right now. She talked to her guy over there, and he says the tourists in the group have been having a good visit, it’s peaceful in Luxor, but she’s not advising anyone go currently because of the airport chaos. It’s not violence she’s worried about as much as logistics.
I hope I have read this correctly, that Suleiman is also leaving power and the army is taking charge until elections. If Suleiman stays, then there is no change.
El Tahrir square is quite a bit different from the last time I was there, negotiating for taxi fare. There are fewer taxis and more newly free citizens.
Unless there is a national vote in 6 weeks, a just election, and the pledge of support from the military for the winner regardless of who it is, there would be no real change. Without those 3 things, it doesn’t really matter if Mubarak leaves or Suleiman leaves. Ultimately the military will still be in charge, like how it has been for Egypt since 1952. The only difference will be which general in the military will now have absolute power.
So far, events just says someone in the military ousted Mubarak’s influences on the military, forcing him to step down.
Sorry for such a downer view, but coming from a place that went through all this, and feel like the democracy earned can be taken away in a day, i am not as optimistic. I hope the Egyptian people do get their freedom peacefully, and get to vote well and pave the way for a strong democracy. But that point just hasn’t arrived yet.
So far, the military has done well to avoid being “the stick that hits”. My expectation would be that in an incipient junta, they would have shown their hand by now, but of course as you say, the month is still young.
My view is Mubarak has the special police forces, and the upcoming forces in the military has… well the military. So the military moving in but chose to do nothing and the police disappearing at the same time isn’t a coincidence. It’s simply the result of an internal power struggle.
Right now the military has a lot to gain to be viewed as on the side of the people, and ousting Mubarak without really having to do anything. What they do when the government totally steps down and during the election is a whole different matter.
This whole situation reminds me of China’s Tian-an-men Square protest. That was also an internal power struggle that the students interpreted as a call for democracy. The Chinese Communist Party called in the military from around Beijing only to realize local soldiers are unwilling to open fire. Either because they consider Beijing citizens as their own, or they don’t know which side within the CCP they should bet on.
The difference is China is so freaking big, they can call in other armies from thousands of miles away, who doesn’t know wtf is really going on, and doesn’t give a rats sry-brb about citizens of Beijing. Those out of provinces Liberation Armies pancaked protesting students and Beijing citizens on the street.
Wait, by posting this does it mean GWC will now be blocked by the GFW? Oh frak it, by talking about the Egyptian revolution it’s probably already banned in China.
Thanx for your thots Hansioux.
The attitude that the people have spoken, and now they are free can only come from those of us who are blessed with the luxury of taking freedom for granted. My gut tells me that the Egyptian people have just liberated themselves from the frying pan to the fire, but I hope I’m wrong.
Feel the same way. It is truly rare for any country who’s people overthrow the government to produce a fair representative government. Better than the one they replaced. In fact I can’t think of any examples. But here’s hoping I’m wrong.
People just about never give up power. It’s taken. And now the people with the tanks and guns have the power.
Just from the top of my head, I would say that the people in East-Germany went on the streets back in 1989 and made it that the hole system fell with the then authoritarian-like SED-Government.
Of course the new “democratic” system with the principle “of the people, by the people, for the people” is a smoke mirror when most of the people are against topics like “Afghanistan war” or the “energy supply with Nuclear power plants” when the government decides exactly opposite.
And who knows what would have happened if there wouldn’t have been a strong partner to help in the transition like West-Germany.
In Developing countries it is more unlikely that it will be a success, but who knows. Only time will tell.
Whole Germany struggled after unification for a good 10 years at least. It’s a good thing that during the last of those 10 years world economy was doing pretty well.
All the African and middle eastern nations that are seeing demonstrations are under authoritarian rule. If these the people get to vote and they went for Theocracy like Iran did, then they will be under an even more oppressive authoritarianism. Especially this time, their leader is infallible… while being a puppet of the military…
