Tuesday, February 01, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A mother who lost her daughter in the Lockerbie attack has condemned the “cold, callous and brutal” behaviour of British ministers after WikiLeaks documents revealed how they secretly advised Libya on securing the successful early release of the bomber.Documents obtained by the Daily Telegraph show that a Foreign Office minister sent Libyan officials detailed legal advice on how to use Abdelbaset al-Megrahi’s cancer diagnosis to ensure he was released from a Scottish prison on compassionate grounds.
The Duke of York is also said to have played a behind-the-scenes role in encouraging the terrorist’s release.
Susan Cohen, whose only daughter Theodora, 20, was one of 35 students from Syracuse University who died, said: “I am not surprised by this latest news but I am glad it is out there.
“I almost feel like laughing. This confirms everything that we have been saying, that business and oil deals were being done behind the scenes.”
Mrs Cohen attacked the Scottish Government's request for families of the victims to contribute in the lead-up to the decision, noting that the new documents suggest ministers had already made up their mind to approve Megrahi's return home.
“How cruel that was to put the families through that,” she added. “It shows how cold, callous and brutal this whole affair has been. >>> Auslan Cramb, Christopher Hope and Robert Winnett | Tuesday, February 01, 2011
HAARETZ – EDITORIAL: Until now, Israel viewed itself as a Western outpost and displayed no interest in the language, culture and public opinion of its immediate surroundings.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the ongoing events in Egypt by urging that "regional stability and security" be preserved. Israel even asked Western governments to work to save the regime of President Hosni Mubarak.
Netanyahu's concern for his Egyptian friend and ally is touching. It also reflects his fear of what will happen if regime change occurs in Egypt and Mubarak is replaced by opponents of the peace with Israel.
But above all, Netanyahu's stance reflects his clinging to the status quo and his instinctive aversion to any change in the Middle East. Israeli foreign policy views the reigning regional order, one of tyrants who remain in power for years, as the lesser evil. Israeli leaders have always preferred to do business with Mubarak and his ilk, on the assumption that they would "preserve stability" and forcibly repress the radical forces seeking change in the region.
This view led Israel to disregard the citizens of neighboring countries, viewing them as devoid of political influence in the best case and as hostile Israel-haters in the worst case. Israel viewed itself as a Western outpost and displayed no interest in the language, culture and public opinion of its immediate surroundings. Integration into the Middle East seemed like a trivial, if not a downright harmful, fantasy. As a result, Israel never prepared for the changes that were occurring behind the sclerotic facade of these countries' rulers. >>> Haaretz Editorial | Tuesday, February 01, 2011
HAARETZ: Mainly Muslim Tunisia has one of the largest Jewish communities in North Africa, but attacks are rare.
A synagogue was set on fire by arsonists in the Tunisian city of Ghabes overnight, a spokesman for the Jewish community said on Tuesday.
"I condemn this action and I believe those who did it want to create divisions between Jews and Muslims in Tunisia who have lived for decades in peace," Peres Trabelsi told Reuters. >>> Reuters | Tuesday, February 01, 2011
THE INDEPENDENT: The world watches and waits to see how the 30-year reign of Egypt's corrupt, incompetent President will end – whether the man who has reduced his country to a political slum will fight or take flight. Patrick Cockburn studies the lessons of his pastWill he or won't he go? And if he goes in what circumstances will he do so? Never has there been such acute interest in Egypt and the rest of the world about what goes on inside the head of President Hosni Mubarak.
Almost everybody is agreed from street protesters in central Cairo to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington that Mubarak is going to lose power in the short or medium term. His 30-year regime has long been notorious for its corruption, incompetence, authoritarianism and brutality, and it now appears to be losing the monopoly of force which alone guaranteed its survival. The riot police fled the streets at the weekend and the tank commanders who replaced them are pictured fraternising with demonstrators.
But the uncontested transition to a democratically elected government, largely preserving the political status quo, which the US and Britain would like to see, will not happen easily. First of all, Mubarak shows no signs yet of departing, though he is unlikely to advertise his travel plans.
His appointment of a new government led by Omar Suleiman, the chief of intelligence, might open the door for Mubarak to step down, but it might also mean that he believes he is not finished yet.
For all Mubarak's three decades as president of Egypt it is difficult to read his mind or his likely reactions, particularly as he faces an unprecedented crisis. Egyptians have long mocked his bovine appearance and utterances. "La vache qui rit" was the contemptuous phrase used to describe him. But he would not have held power for so long if he did not know how to manipulate political forces inside and outside Egypt. Read on and comment >>> | Tuesday, February 01, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Effigies of President Mubarak have been hung in Cairo's Tahrir Square as tens of thousands of protesters gather for the largest demonstration yet in Egypt.
THE JERUSALEM POST: King Adullah nominates ex-army general Marouf al-Bakhit as prime minister after thousands of Jordanians take to the streets and call for the current PM to resign, due to rise in food, fuel prices.Jordan's Royal Palace said the king has sacked his government in the wake of street protests and has asked an ex-army general to form a new Cabinet.
King Abdullah's move comes after thousands of Jordanians took to the streets — inspired by the regime ouster in Tunisia and the turmoil in Egypt — and called for the resignation of Prime Minister Samir Rifai who is blamed for a rise in fuel and food prices and slowed political reforms.
The Royal Palace says Rifai's Cabinet resigned on Tuesday.
Abdullah also nominated Marouf al-Bakhit as his prime minister-designate. No other details were immediately available. >>> Associated Press | Tuesday, February 01, 2011
GOBAL POST: Syrians are watching Egypt's popular uprising carefully.
DAMASCUS, Syria -- In one of Old Damascus’ new cafes the text messages buzzed between mobile phones in quick succession, drawing woops of joy and thumbs up from the astonished Syrians.
Suzan Mubarak, wife of the reviled Egyptian president, had flown into exile with her son, so the rumours went, driven out of the country by days of unprecedented protest against the 30-year rule of her husband, President Hosni Mubarak.
The news from Cairo has brought with it a flutter of excitement to this country, founded on principles so similar to Egypt that the two nations were once joined as one.
Like Egypt, Syria has been ruled for decades by a single party, with a security service that maintains an iron grip on its citizens. Both countries have been struggling to reform economies, stifled for generations by central control, in an effort to curb unemployment among a ballooning youth demographic.
Could the domino effect that spread from the streets of Tunis to Cairo soon hit Damascus? >>> Hugh Macleod | Sunday, January 30, 2011
YNET NEWS: American response to uprising in Egypt shows Washington has no qualms about 'dropping' long time ally. Is Israel in danger of receiving similar treatment? Experts say 'possibility always exists,' recommend strengthening relations with India, ChinaThe United States sided with protesters over the weekend, threatening to stop aid to Egypt if President Hosni Mubarak does not promote reforms in the country. Washington also added that the Egyptian public's grievances require an immediate response from the government
"The possibility of being abandoned over interests is always possible," says Hebrew University Professor Michal Pomerantz, an expert on international law and US foreign policy.
According to Pomerantz, "The United States is not completely committed to a state, and what happened in Egypt as well as in Iran – with which it had such close relations at one point, that Carter was considering transferring it nuclear technology – proves that it is always possible, especially when there are changes in the administration, as has happened in the United States." >>> Aviel Magnezi | Tuesday, February 01, 2011
BUSINESS INSIDER: This revolution in Egypt is more likely to result in something like Iran, than it is to be like the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, according to Niall Ferguson.
Speaking to the German daily Handesblatt, Ferguson says that because the forces for democracy in Egypt are not well organized, Islamic fundamentalism will have a chance at success.
Ferguson also says there is a real threat that what happens in Egypt will spread to other countries, including Saudi Arabia.
The most important lesson from this crisis though, according to Ferguson, is that state capitalism, like that conducted by Egypt and China, is not perfect. [Source: Business Insider] | Gregory White | Monday, January 31, 2011
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH NIALL FERGUSON: Yes, The US Is Screwed >>> Henry Blodget and Mamta Badkar | Friday, January 28, 2011
BBC: Google and Twitter have launched a service which circumvents the ban on net services in Egypt.
The so-called speak-to-tweet system allows people caught up in the unrest to post messages without any need to use an internet connection.
The service, which is already live, allows people to dial an international telephone number and leave a voicemail message.
The message is then sent out as a tweet with the hashtag #egypt.
People can listen to messages by dialling the same phone numbers (+16504194196 , +390662207294, +97316199855) or going to a special Twitter page. >>> | Tuesday, February 01, 2011
NZZ ONLINE: «Es ist eine Frage von Tagen, bis Mubarak aufgibt» : Der Fall Ägypten könnte auf weitere arabische Staaten Einfluss haben >>> | Dienstag, 01. Februar 2011
THE AUSTRALIAN: BENJAMIN Netanyahu has warned of the dangers of an Iranian-style regime led by Islamic extremists arising out of the political chaos sweeping through Egypt.
"In a time of chaos, an organised Islamic group can take over the state. It happened in Iran and it also happened in other places," the Israeli leader said at a press conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
His remarks were made as the Egyptian regime wrestles with a wave of unprecedented anti-government protests, which have pitted hundreds of thousands of demonstrators against the regime of embattled President Hosni Mubarak.
Although it was not extremist elements that provoked the instability in Tunisia or Egypt, the fear was that they could exploit the political vacuum left by the collapse of the ruling power, Netanyahu added, saying he was being updated about developments "every half hour."
"Every one hopes that this will be resolved peacefully, that stability will return and peace will be maintained," he added.
In Iran, mass protests against the Western-backed shah erupted in January 1978 and he was forced out a year later, leaving a power vacuum that was grasped by the exiled Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini who returned to set up the Islamic Republic. >>> AFP | Tuesday, February 01, 2011
NZZ ONLINE: «Ägypten könnte ein Erdbeben auslösen» : Harvard-Professor Niall Ferguson im Interview >>> Interview: Marco Metzler | Dienstag, 01. Februar 2011
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