I’ve stayed pretty silent about the amazing popular uprising in Egypt. I don’t know enough to comment intelligently. I knew that we’d been backing an autocrat for 30 years because he was willing to acknowledge Israel, and keep the Suez Canal open, and give America first place to use the canal.
But Rachel Maddow tonight pointed out something that was pretty astounding. The new V.P. that Mubarack appointed, Omar Sulieman was the C.I.A.’s go to guy for renditions during the Bush administration. He was the man who received the terrorist suspects that were snatched off the streets of various countries, flown to Egypt for “interrogation” (read tortured), and held without charge or trial.
The leader of one of the opposition parties in Egypt is Mohamed ElBaradei. He is a winner of the Nobel peace prize, former head of the IAEA, the man who told the Bush administration there were no nukes or WMD in Iraq, and was roundly scorned and vilified.
Sort of sums up the regime that has been in power for 30 years. Whose elections are as much of a joke as the last election in Iran.
I don’t know what’s going to happen in Egypt. If Mubarak will fall. Who will take power if he does. I just hope the people who are filling the streets early this morning in Cairo and Alexandria stay safe, and that they get to keep control of their destinies.
