I watched Aljazeera coverage of the Egyptian protests this morning (really the best coverage in the U.S. if you can get it). But it struck me that no where in this mess do you see Obama exerting much leadership. Where was good ol' Uncle Sam during all this time? Sitting on the sideline while military forces that it funded in Egypt turned their hoses and tear gas weapons on anti-dictatorship protesters who were exerting their freedom of speech rights against an authoritarian regime. Using good ol' fashioned American technology, Mubarak cut off the mobile phone networks and all internet traffic. But despite a plethora of well-intentioned words, Obama essentially stood by the Egyptian dictator-- and in the near future, pictures of the Big O will adorn millions of posters from anti-American political parties across north Africa.
That's right-- the people of the Muslim world finally are standing up for themselves and for freedom, just like King George Bush wanted. But unfortunately, the United States of America is not joining them. Yes, yes, yes-- the White House promises there will be a “review” of our relations with the Mubarak regime in the “coming days, but it will be too late. Egyptians have already stuck their necks out and the U.S. wasn't there. Credibility gone. More propaganda for the Muslim Brotherhood.
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