‘So what are the differences between Tunisia and Egypt?’
For those following events in Egypt, this al-Jazeera interview with the US State Department’s PJ Crowley is essential viewing. I’ve taken the liberty of transcribing some of the highlights:
AJ: ‘But we’re not talking in general terms here. Egypt is not letting its people protest peacefully. It’s deploying the full ranks of its US-backed $1.3 billion backed security forces to beat up those protesters.’
US State Dept: ‘Absolutely. We want to see restraint on both sides.’
AJ: ‘So what specifically are you asking? A transition to democracy, a dismantling of the secret police, an end to torture, a national unity government? Because these are the things the protestors are asking for.’
Watch.
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‘…and stop torturing people while you’re at it.’ Brilliant. Thanks Jack – a very revealing interview.
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‘Tis, and Joe Biden repeated it verbatim in his PBS interview:
‘Hundreds are being detained. Perhaps we should be emphasising that more than Twitter and Facebook.’
Yes.
More and more obnoxious.
What about rubber bullets being fired at protestors? “We want to see restraint on both sides”
Crowley: Egypt should allow its citizens to protest peacefully
AJ: If it doesn’t, will your funding to the Egyptian forces be in jeopardy?
Crowley: Well I don’t see this as an either or proposition. *raves about how wonderful Egypt’s government is*.
AJ: What are you calling for? An end to secret police? An end to torture? (etc) Because that’s what the protestors are calling for.
Crowley: Again, there’s a fascinating process in the Middle East…
The state department official was playing the usual politician’s trick: asking the questions he would like to be asked – thus the nonsense about ‘taking a cookie cutter approach’ to the region – rather than answering the specific questions, e.g. about the huge US aid programme for the repressive security forces.
Meanwhile the Australian Government has (that I’m aware) maintained total silence on the issue of the repressive measure being used by Mubarak’s forces to maintain his dictatorial machine including cutting the internet/SMS and killing protestors.
Aligning ourselves with tyranny (as we surely have via our US/Israel/Egypt alliances) makes Australia a less safe place in the world – and it undermines our moral voice in the arena of diplomacy.