There's been much talk lately about the relationship between Hosni Mubark's government and the United States. Few, if any commentator or editorial have referred to any alliance between the peoples of the two countries. But what is the essence of national alliances? Alliances between government or alliances between people.
The people of Egypt are crying out today, calling for an end to a 30 year misrule by one of Africa's and the Middle East's autocrats. The US government seems more interested in the idea that an unfriendly government might emerge in Egypt than in what that government might mean for the people of Egypt. Hosni Mubark is not good for Egypt or for Africa. Hosni Mubark is not much different that Kim Jun Ill of North Korea. Mubark is more interested in creating a new monarchy in Africa than he is in good governance. 30 years at the elm of a nation of 80 million people today is a travesty and should be treated as such by all nations of the world and by all governments of the world!
Sure, it will be tough for other despots like the Saudi government or the Sudanese government or even Chavez of Venezuela to see anything wrong in lifetime and hereditary rule, but America should avoid propping up a despot - regardless of the potential short term gain.
No government is worth allying with, if it is against the will of the governed. All governments, the world over must represent the interest of the governed and must be with the informed and requested consent of the governed. Egypt has no democracy. Most African and Middle Eastern nations have no democracy. But Egypt now has an opportunity, a real opportunity for democracy, and Mubarak can not, and should not lead that future.
It is now time for America to ally itself with the Egyptian people and not with its despotic and kleptomaniac autocracy...
The people of Egypt are crying out today, calling for an end to a 30 year misrule by one of Africa's and the Middle East's autocrats. The US government seems more interested in the idea that an unfriendly government might emerge in Egypt than in what that government might mean for the people of Egypt. Hosni Mubark is not good for Egypt or for Africa. Hosni Mubark is not much different that Kim Jun Ill of North Korea. Mubark is more interested in creating a new monarchy in Africa than he is in good governance. 30 years at the elm of a nation of 80 million people today is a travesty and should be treated as such by all nations of the world and by all governments of the world!
Sure, it will be tough for other despots like the Saudi government or the Sudanese government or even Chavez of Venezuela to see anything wrong in lifetime and hereditary rule, but America should avoid propping up a despot - regardless of the potential short term gain.
No government is worth allying with, if it is against the will of the governed. All governments, the world over must represent the interest of the governed and must be with the informed and requested consent of the governed. Egypt has no democracy. Most African and Middle Eastern nations have no democracy. But Egypt now has an opportunity, a real opportunity for democracy, and Mubarak can not, and should not lead that future.
It is now time for America to ally itself with the Egyptian people and not with its despotic and kleptomaniac autocracy...
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