Turmoil in Egypt

[Vulkyn]

Thanks for the kind words folks !! It is a pleasure sharing my experience with every one in this forum ...

-----

Originally Posted by Boston

Hey Vulkyn
a friend of mine just asked about the banks over there freezing accounts of political figures and other rich people involved in govt. Do you have any knowledge of whats going on in the financial sector.

thanks
B

Yah 6 ministers accounts have been frozen and several business men who belonged to the NDP and are under investigation..... im hearing stupid numbers like 8 bill 16 billion and the list of charges range from abuse of power, stealing public money etc..

in all cases this is enough to scare a lot of people and the names caught where the tycoons or the "untouchables". This is a sigh of relief to millions, ill try to dig their names out as i forgot them ...

----------

Originally Posted by Doug Lord

Vulkyn, can you shed any light on this report from MSNBC:

Fighting on Sinai Peninsula
Council on Foreign Relations
Question: There has been a little coverage of fighting in the Sinai Peninsula, including reports that anti-government protesters have taken over government facilities in the north. Is there a clear picture of what’s going on there?

There was an attack on the Jordan gas pipe line, in the fire fighting process the gas line to Isreal had to be shut down till the pipes are repaired.
Heavy fighting in Sinai started at the crises (around 28-29th) and reports said badwins had access to RPG and heavy weapons.

Problem with sinai is that camp david peace treaty does not allow any armed forces to be present in sinai only police, which means it is much more difficult to control.
Sinai also has very tough terrain so the badwins have the upper hand in gorrilla tactics thats about all the info i have on that situation doug...

P.S i heard several tanks where dispatched to sinai and isreal put their troops on high alert but thats not confirmed ....

[Vulkyn]

Originally Posted by Leo Lazauskas

While you are at it, is there any chance the disturbances could affect the operation of the Suez canal?

Suez canal is operational as of last Sunday and several ships have gone through 200+ i think as far as i know the area is well secured and should not be effected ...

[Vulkyn]

Dunno if this link will work or not but these are the pics i took couple of days ago when i went to Tahrir square which is where the clashes happened and the protesters and demonstrators are located ....

[Leo Lazauskas]

Originally Posted by troy2000

I'm guilty of straying 0ff-topic now and then myself. But what say we keep in mind that this is Vulkyn's thread, about what's happening in his native land and his own neighborhood? It isn't a thread about American politics.

Oh yes it is. At least in part.

US government policy has affected that region for a long time. And anti-Americanism is what is driving some sections of the protest movement. Sorry if that ruffles your delicate petals.

The US is opposing Mubarak, but talking to Omar Suleiman - a man with a history of torture. (Still, he did that on behalf of the USA, so some of your fellow Americans can live with that). Also, several of your politicians are opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood, some to other parties, and the amount of foreign aid is being re-considered. That will affect some outcomes, and has consequences for the Egyptian people in general.

For you to take offense at criticism of US foreign policy is bizarre and completely out of proportion. You personally represent about 10^-8 of the US vote, but you take umbrage as if you are being held responsible for policy in some way. Or have you discovered a new quantum effect, a kind of "Patriot Particle"?

Is torture the important issue here? I only feel you are torturing us from your pulpit. Give it a break - This is not about you and your personal cause célèbre.

[troy2000]

Originally Posted by Leo Lazauskas

Oh yes it is. At least in part.

US government policy has affected that region for a long time. And anti-Americanism is what is driving some sections of the protest movement. Sorry if that ruffles your delicate petals.

The US is opposing Mubarak, but talking to Omar Suleiman - a man with a history of torture. (Still, he did that on behalf of the USA, so some of your fellow Americans can live with that). Also, several of your politicians are opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood, some to other parties, and the amount of foreign aid is being re-considered. That will affect some outcomes, and has consequences for the Egyptian people in general.

For you to take offense at criticism of US foreign policy is bizarre and completely out of proportion. You personally represent about 10^-8 of the US vote, but you take umbrage as if you are being held responsible for policy in some way. Or have you discovered a new quantum effect, a kind of "Patriot Particle"?

Omar Suleiman is Mubarek's new vice-President. What do you believe the US is 'talking' to him about, and what sources do you base it on?

It's my opinion that the Egyptian public would refuse to accept Suleiman as a replacement for Mubarek, and I think it's extremely unlikely the US would try to prop him up as such.

It isn't criticism of my country's foreign policy as such that I object to, but the time and place. Your attempt to hijack Vulkyn's thread and turn it into your personal anti-torture polemic is getting old.

Why don't you go start your own thread on torture, instead?

add: this post earned me the following feedback: "pissy." I assume that was an attempt to give me negative rep, but it failed because the anonymous sniper apparently doesn't have enough rep himself.

[Boston]

I'll second that

Egypt doesn't have a monopoly on torture and its a distraction unworthy of the thread
had I known that my own post concerning the issue was participating in what would become what it has, I likely would have simply sent a private message and left it at that.

another Egyptian friend of mine ( found on face book, thanks for the suggest V ) has sent me a video of a man being ordered to step forward, open his jacket, and then is shot by what looks like police. Its pretty disturbing as the people filming freak completely at the murder of what appears to be there friend, I cant really tell whats going on cause I don't speak the language, but the point is that events there are at a critical stage and distracting V's brave narrative while his countrymen are being shot dead is simply rude. The occasional question sure, the occasional thank you, welcome. But post after post of torture this and torture that is not helping.

I say pardon the interruption Mohamed and please keep up with these absolutely fascinating posts you have sent us.

peace and be careful
B

[Leo Lazauskas]

Originally Posted by troy2000

Omar Suleiman is Mubarek's new vice-President. What do you mean when you say the US is 'talking' to him, and what sources do you base it on?

Early reports. And then Mark Mardell's piece on the BBC and others.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereport...washingto.html

Originally Posted by troy2000

It's my opinion that the Egyptian public would refuse to accept Suleiman as a replacement for Mubarek, and I think it's extremely unlikely the US would try to prop him up as such.

One day they do, then they change their minds and start looking elsewhere. It's hilarious to watch them chopping and changing so quickly.

Originally Posted by troy2000

It isn't criticism of my country's foreign policy as such that I object to, but the time and place. Your attempt to hijack Vulkyn's thread and turn it into your personal anti-torture polemic is getting old.

Vulkyn can still post as much as he likes every day, and a fascinating read it is. And you can put me in your ignore file.

Originally Posted by troy2000

Why don't you go start your own thread on torture, instead?

Because it is an issue in the Egyptian protests, and it fits in nicely with what is happening today.
In fact, it's front page news!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...orture-accused

Just think of it as water-boarding, and then it's not torture

[Vulkyn]

Things are taking again another bad turn, friends have been asked to leave his office immediately in smart village area (the whole area he works in is in panic), the houses next to the presidential palace have been evacuated and taken over by the presidential guards as it it seems that tomorrow the demonstrators are planning to either barricade, attack or protest infornt of the presidents home not to mention demonstrations are springing up all through out Egypt.
It does not look good at all .... tomorrow seems like the worst day in the crisis and i am sure if they proceed further there will be blood

-----------

Omar Soliman is not popular and if he will be elected its for an intermediary stage only people do not want officers or politicians who have been placed in power by the president.

The current turmoil in the mass detentions is the apparent panic in the streets, the amount of people being detained is mainly due to foreign interference (like IRAN) as well as local ones. I dont approve at all but i can understand the reaction in these panic times (also the lack of police force means the army has to pretty much do everything and a lot of the tasks are not with in their training at all).
--------

Boston thx, there are so many video's and pictures of deaths and suffering but i choose not to post them honestly it hurts too much, some of my friends lost relatives and friends as well and the media has focused mainly on that.

The video you mention boston was in Alexandria and he was not asked to take of the jacket he was showing he was not armed and had no weapons. The two women taking the video where screaming why? why in gods name would you kill an armed civilian?

[Vulkyn]

2 Political parties (El Hezb el Watany and El Shaam el Domocraty) have withdrawn from the ongoing talks with Omar Soliman :S

[Vulkyn]

The army council are in continues meeting and issued a vague statement which imply that army might join the public .... rumors are President Mubark will leave office before tomorrow and unconfirmed reports say he left Egypt ...

The army met with out President mubark which is the head of the military so meeting with out him is a clear statement that the army will move with out him ......

Signs of revolution are clear now, some army officials leaked info to people in tahrir square that they will hear good news today ..

This is not what i was hoping for the vacancy will create a bloody turmoil i am really worried ....

[troy2000]

Originally Posted by Leo Lazauskas

Early reports. And then Mark Mardell's piece on the BBC and others.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereport...washingto.html



One day they do, then they change their minds and start looking elsewhere. It's hilarious to watch them chopping and changing so quickly.



Vulkyn can still post as much as he likes every day, and a fascinating read it is. And you can put me in your ignore file.



Because it is an issue in the Egyptian protests, and it fits in nicely with what is happening today.
In fact, it's front page news!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...orture-accused

Just think of it as water-boarding, and then it's not torture

Just to set the record straight, I don't condone waterboarding -- or any other mistreatment of prisoners. I consider it a criminal act. In fact, the US Army court-martialed and convicted an officer for waterboarding during the Philippine Insurrection. And several Japanese officers were also convicted and sentenced to prison by American-run tribunals after WWII, for waterboarding prisoners of war.

In case you hadn't noticed, the American President and government officials who not only let waterboarding happen but made it quasi-official policy are gone. They've been replaced by people who agree with me that torture is not only legally and morally wrong, but an inefficient and unreliable way to gather information.

And I see no reason for you to hitchhike on Vulkyn's thread so you can obsess about torture, to the point that it makes me wonder if you're getting a naughty little thrill out of talking about it....

[wardd]

maybe if the military is involved there will be a replacement and if the military is in contact with the us things may not be so bad after all

the thing about military officers is they like their toys and the us would withhold new toys

[Vulkyn]

.... its either martial law, a revolution or struggle of power with in the army and government, its not joke or laughing matter now ...

[wardd]

what I said was not meant to be a joke

if the ties between the us and the military are as close as portrayed