Monday, January 31, 2011

Egypt: Monday (Updated)

We are a week into this crisis, and some things are beginning to set.

M. ElBaradei is trying to make himself important, but it seems people are seeing him for what he is. Remarkable good sense, that.

Newly appointed Vice President Omar Sulieman has opened the door to a negotiated solution but many in the streets are still questioning what is to negotiate. Some of the 'major' opposition (there really isn't any major opposition besides al-Ikhwan, the "Muslim Brotherhood") are also taking that position:
"We have no plans to reach out to Mubarak because in our eyes he is already gone and his regime is a failure," says Shadi Taha, the deputy head of the Al Ghad Party, a leading secular group in Egypt.
All well and good, but there needs to be some plan for the future and that best include the Army as a guarantor of the State.

Meanwhile, mass evacuations of foreign nationals are underway. Not exactly a timely response, but better than nothing.

For those wishing another informed opinion, here's CompHyp friend J. E. Dyer's take on the media malfeasance of claiming that al-Ikhwan's goals are of any potential benefit to however this all ends.

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Update, late Monday 'blog time:

Someone, somehow, got an ounce of good sense into the heads of Obama's NSC team. They've reached into the past and called on Amb. Frank G. Wisner Jr. to go to Egypt for the administration. Back in the day, he was Ambassador for the U.S.A. to several really tough spots. Hopefully, he's still got it.

(Wikipedia link provided for convenience only; source all citations there, please)

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