NY Times Overview
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/egypt/index.html
Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704832704576114541703266826.html?mod=ITP_pageone_3
ABC News Report
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Crisis in Egypt
After exploring the resources listed below, respond to this question in writing: "Do you support the anti-government protesters in Egypt who call for the immediate removal of President Mubarak, even though a change in leadership could negatively affect the United States?"
NY Times Overview
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/egypt/index.html
Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704832704576114541703266826.html?mod=ITP_pageone_3
ABC News Report
NY Times Overview
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/egypt/index.html
Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704832704576114541703266826.html?mod=ITP_pageone_3
ABC News Report
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With all of the riots occurring in Egypt it is hard to break everything down and make some sense out of it, but after analyzing a lot of research I would say that I support Egypt’s decision to riot against their government. To some, the riots in Egypt may seem inhumane, but the people that think like that may not know what its like to be run by a government that they do not agree with. If the people are willing to gather by the thousands and violently force their president out of power then there must be a good reason for it. Perhaps it’s because their president, Hosni Mubarak, has been in power for over 30 years and since the beginning of his presidency there hasn’t been much change. The people want to see some new revisions to their country that they believe the current president cannot do.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there is probably another solution to getting what they want, the Egyptians have taken the more violent root. Over the past years there have been peaceful attempts to get the president out of power, but nothing has been successful. According to “The Daily Show” the United States has no intention in invading Egypt and restoring peace. If we were to do that it would be ironic because we could potentially end up fighting against the very soldiers that were trained in our country and use our weapons. Although President Obama has been exchanging words with the Egyptian president, I believe that this is an issue to be dealt with by the Egyptian officials.
I do not support the anti-government protesters in Egypt who call for the immediate removal of President Mubarak, because a new head of government (president) will negatively impact America and its foreign relations. America has a fine relationship with President Mubarak of Egypt. Because of this high-quality relationship, Egypt has been able to be a huge assistance to the United States against Al Qaeda. Egypt also refines oil and is one of the world’s most critical transit points. If a new government steps in, then the question that is on everybody’s mind is what will happen to the oil prices? If the relationship between Egypt and the U.S. diminishes, then our economy will suffer due to the extra 6,000 miles used during trade due to the closed routes, which extend travel time while also increasing costs (Global Impact). Also, if President Mubarak falls, then America’s relationship with its allies may decrease and put America and its citizen’s safety at risk.
ReplyDeleteThe potentially, new Cairo government, headed by Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, could adjust Egyptian foreign policy from Mubarak’s pro American view (Solomon). If and when ElBaradei steps into power, then a form of Muslim brotherhood will take over. “Muslim brotherhood is an Islamist organization committed to ending Egypt’s peace agreement with Israel” (Solomon). Therefore, our ties with Egypt will be lost because as of now, they are helping us against Al Qaeda who is spreading the Islam religion. If an Islamist organization steps in at Cairo then they will no longer defend the U.S. against Al Qaeda. Losing Egypt as an ally will jeopardize the security of America. On the other hand, these anti-government protestors in Egypt are fighting for democracy, and as a democratic nation, we should support those fighting for democracy. However, our nation’s security is at risk, and our first responsibility is defending our own nation.
The crises happening over in Egypt may not seem relevant to the United States. However a change in government could mean some direct changes to our country. These changes would include but are not limited to an oil price increase and more terrorist attacks. In Egypt’s case it is what goes on behind the scenes that people should be looking at.
ReplyDeleteWith Egypt’s protection the United States has received warnings on planned terrorist attacks against us. However when Mr. Mubarak leaves, this source of protection could vanish. If a person with less sympathy towards the United States were to take power the nation would be more prone to receiving violent terrorist attacks. This means our country would be disaster and we would have no defense because of the war we are already fighting.
A second thing that would occur that we are already feeling the effects of is a drastic rise in oil prices. With the oil lines currently running through Egypt the nation was able to save a ton of time and money. Approximately three million barrels are pumped through these lines. If these pipes are no longer accessible to us we will have to rebuild around Egypt. By putting forth the money to do this the nation’s citizens will have a price raise of ten to twenty cents.
Finally, the Egyptian people were hoping for a democracy similar to ours. After Mr. Mubarak leaves office that they want to implement new rules allowing political parties which are strictly prohibited at this time. This means they will need our assistance setting up. With this our country will have to deploy troops over there. By doing so more men and women must leave their families and go back to what they just finished doing. Not to mention more riots will break out in the process of setting up the Democracy resulting in more U.S. lives being taken.
All the protesting in Egypt has taken a toll on people’s well being. Many people have died because of the protests and many more are wounded. All this chaos is because of the anti government protesters are insisting that the current President, Hosni Mubarak, step down and resign. In the U.S., The Obama administration has discussed efforts of a proposal to have Mubarak resign and turn power over to a transitional government run by Vice President, Omar Suleiman. Personally, I am against the protesting because it has had a negative effect on the United States.
ReplyDeleteThe protesting is effecting the United States by making Americans fear become unstable. It risks America's foreign policies and jeopardizing America's allies. The Muslim Brotherhood is currently stepping up, being the largest opposition force, and is making efforts to issue a statement asking President Mubarak to step down. Although, in Egypt this might be a good thing to do, but the protests are negatively effecting America and that I do not support. Since President Mubarak had such close ties with some allies, and since he had made peace with Israel, the question is whether or not this will make the allies step back if President Mubarak resigned from office. Although a new government may be needed in Egypt at this point, the negative results of replacing their current President outweigh the positives.
The crisis in Egypt is a heavy, emotional topic, placing America torn between two daunting sides. While siding with our ally, Egypt, in hopes to keep the American people safe sounds logical on paper, we must also consider the side of the protesters who wish for a democracy and freedom.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Egypt is already in turmoil, the effects of President Mubarak stepping down now could be devastating for the United States and Egypt as well. Cairo and all of Egypt would be thrown into complete chaos. How could order possibly be kept without someone being in power? This situation would also place the United States in a tough position because we too have power to lose. Egypt is a strong ally of ours and without this relationship, the United States could see the price of oil skyrocketing. American highly depends on the use of the Sumed Pipeline and Suez canal for the transport of over 2 million barrels of oil per today.
Additionally, does losing Mubarak in power pose a threat to our national security? In the past, Egypt has been a strong player in cracking down on Islamic terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda, not only capturing large numbers of them, but also passing on their knowledge to the United States. Cairo’s state of weakness, especially if Mubarak leaves the government, leaves a gap for not only a president who could weaken the relationship between Egypt and the United States but also a pro-Al-Qaeda government.
While I feel that democracy is crucial in Egypt right now, I do believe the transition does not occur overnight. If Mubarak is to step down now, the chaos in Egypt could turn into an even larger issue, not only for Egypt but it puts the United States at a high risk as well. Mubarak needs to find a way to compromise with the people of Egypt. He needs to calm down the outbreaks of chaos and needs the outcome of this situation to better the people of Egypt as well as their current allies.
The crisis and turmoil in Egypt is a heavy topic. The citizens feel that there needs to be a change and that this change will be beneficial for them. Hosni Mubarak has served, as Egypt’s president for the past twenty-nine years and during his run has been extremely helpful to the United States in such ways as integrating terrorists for the United States, pumping 1.1+ million gallons of oil a day, and making boat routes very simple and less timely through cannels leading to Egypt. If Hosni Mubarak’s rein as president were to end the new leader could possibly close or limit-shipping routes through the cannel, which will extend the length of the shipping routes along with costing more in fuel, therefore will raise gas prices here in the United States and could create immense problems for us as a nation.
ReplyDeleteWith a change in order, perhaps with a leader not as friendly and helpful to the United States as Hosni Mubarak we as a nation could suffer and could damage an already damaged economy. Sure, I believe in fairness and for people to have the right to decide what they want for their country but I also want what is best for our country and I feel that that is for Hosni Mubarak to remain in power. I understand that the people of Egypt want a change and should have the right to but as a United States citizen, this could be a disadvantage for us and potentially hurt us significantly in the long run.
Even though the government is calling for the removal the current president should not rush out so fast. With the removal of President Mubarak could come some complications for the U.S. One of the more costly complications would be the rise of oil prices which in turn would cause gas prices to rise as well. Egypt refines 1.1 million gallons a day, and 2.2 millions gallons pass the canal every day as well.
ReplyDeleteThe economy could also be affected in a negative way. because of the price of gas, people would have to spend more money which means people could be getting less gas in their cars. this would affect gas stations, which could cause them to fire people which creates more job loss for Americans. The same goes for people who have oil for their homes heat in the winter which is a necessity.
One last problem could be more terrorism due to the fact of a terrorist group trying to get total control of the government in Egypt. This would hurt our alliance and could cause many problems between our country and theirs.
Recently, Egypt has witnessed some of the most violent protests in its history. About 150 people have already been killed, and around 800 have been injured. The protesters are demanding an immediate removal of President Mubarak, and I do not agree with them. Mubarak has been a strong ally of the United States, and if he is removed, he will not be replaced with someone as pro-America. One way the American people will be affected is the huge increase in oil prices. Already, the price per barrel is projected to double in March, from ten cents to twenty cents. This will take a huge toll on the American economy because everyone needs to buy gas. Prices will go up on consumer goods, and consumers will refuse to spend as much as they normally do because they need the money for gasoline.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is hard to believe, America will be affected in greater ways than just an economical impact. The Muslim Brotherhood will have a strong influence in the next Egyptian election. The Brotherhood is a pro-terrorist organization who openly state that they will dissolve the peace treaties with Israel. Their clear aggression is definitely of concern. It is clear that they will attack Israel, and, since Israel is allied with America, we could face potential attacks from Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood funds major terrorist organizations, including Hamas and al Quaeda. If the Brotherhood comes to power in Egypt, the United States will be prone to attacks from those terrorist groups as well. The conflict in Egypt right now could cause a loss of American lives in the future, and that is always worse than any size economical impact.
There are people, however, who support the anti-government protesters. They say that what Egypt wants is a democracy, and we should allow them that. But while a democracy is important to any nation, there must be a peaceful transition. Through the violent protests that have already begun, Egypt has shown us that their transition will not be peaceful. A violent transition will lead to chaos in the country, therefore leading to the opposite of democracy. Although I support a democracy in any nation, I do not support Egypt’s craving for a democratic government at this time.
Turmoil. Chaos. Uproars in Egypt have torn the United States and a question of safety and security is brought up with links with al-Qaeda. Recently in Egypt, more specific, in Cairo, protestors roam the streets to terminate the power of President Mubarak and take him out of office. Believe it or not, we as Americans are being affected by the “Turmoil in Egypt”. With gas prices on the rise and a possibility of an al-Qaeda ruled government in Egypt, the United States could have a negative affect by what is going on in Egypt.
ReplyDeleteFor years, Egypt has passed intelligence to the United States in relation to the international terrorist group, al-Qaeda. Most notably, Egyptian intelligence warned us about the September 11 attacks. “Egyptian intelligence warned American officials about a week before Sept. 11 that Osama bin Laden's network was in the advance stages of executing a significant operation against an American target, President Hosni Mubarak said in an interview on Sunday,” (New York Times, Tyler, MacFarquhar). Why would Egypt want to get rid of a guy with the inside scoop on what’s going on with the al-Qaeda?
Oil prices have been a major concern for the U.S. for as long as I can remember. Everyone gets freaked out when they hear $3.00/gallon and now it can be much more because of the issues Egypt has with their president, Hosni Mubarak. Egypt does not export it’s oil but they do refine it.
From reading my work here, you can probably already tell that I do not support the anti-government protestors that are in Egypt. Why would I support something that can hurt the United State security wise and economically? The United States have a history with terrorist groups and we are a large consumer when it comes to oil.
Alex Giovanni 2/4/11
ReplyDeleteContemporary literature Block 1
"Do you support the anti-government protesters in Egypt who call for the immediate removal of President Mubarak, even though a change in leadership could negatively affect the United States?"
I am in support these protestors who call for the removal of the current President of Egypt, for many reasons. First, Mubarak rule over Egypt is harsh. Second, he is corrupt and has created an unstable economy in Egypt, and thirdly in the long term it may be beneficial to the US to have a more stable ally in the Middle East if there is a peaceful transition into a more democratic less involved government.
First of all Mubarak is cruel dictator who took advantage of the people of Egypt by tainting their markets for his own gain and accepting “under the table bribes”; basically he is corrupt. He has also been in power for about 30 years, the longest in Egypt’s history. He has corrupted the Egyptian army as well as the police force so he basically controls them to do what he wants.
Egypt’s economy is also very unstable, their domestic government debt has tripled since 2001 from 194.6 billion in 2001 to 768.2 billion in 2009. Since Mubarak came into power in 1980 the economy has fluctuated from the debt crisis in 1982 through 1990 to the reforms starting in 1991 to the current time. So the economy has had its ups and downs and has been widely deemed as unstable.
Thirdly this change may help the US in the long run because of the stability it will bring to Egypt. Right now Egypt is a close ally of ours but due to there instability they can’t always be relied on. So if it is more stable we should be able to count on them when we need them.
All in all I feel that the protesters are right and the current president should be removed, I do however feel that it would do little to have him removed immediately and feel it would be better if he just didn’t run for president again.
Kyle Coulson 02/08/11
ReplyDeleteEgyptian Crisis
“Do you support the anti-government protesters in Egypt who call for the immediate removal of President Mubarak, even though a change in leadership could negatively affect the United States?”
When specifically men have problems with each other, they tend to duke it out with guns and weapons in a duel to determine which man is stronger. Protestors now in Egypt have already turned to violence which in result has left over 150 people dead in the events that have unfolded since January 25, 2011. Although since the birth of this great nation that we live in has had numerous protests to deliver a message about what the people want done, none should be as violent as the one in Cairo.
Whenever there is a change in power over a regime, there always is some unknown. Ever since the late 1970’s when President Mubarak was sworn into office, he has been a prime ally of the United States in terms of Al Qaeda. His country has also been a strong ally in keeping the extreme Islamic nations at peace, which is what everyone in this world wants. But, here’s the problem. If President Mubarak is to leave office, who knows if the new leader is going to be Pro or Con Al Qaeda?
Another problem that might persist if the new leader is Pro-Al Qaeda is that Egypt is a major contributor to the refining of oil. There are two major oil passage ways that this major refining site can supply America with oil. This is the Sumed Pipeline and the Suez Canal. Nearly two million barrels of oil are passed within those gates a day! If the new leadership were to take control and somehow block the passage of oil there, it would add another 6,000 miles on the journey to the United States! Economists are predicting if that were to be the case, it would tack on an additional 20 cents per gallon in the cost of fuel.
Therefore, based on the facts and events that would unfold if President Mubarak were to leave office immediately, I personally do not support the Anti-Government protestors due to the overwhelming conflicts that would follow if he were to leave.
The events occurring in Egypt right now are tricky to handle. If the United States decides to help the people and try to get rid of Mubarak, then the U.S. will be looked at as a country that doesn’t really stand behind its allies. If the U.S. decides to back up Mubarak, then it gets looked at as a country that is going against what it said it will always stand up for, freedom.
ReplyDeletePresident Mubarak is a good ally to the U.S. One way that he aids the U.S. is in his concentrated effort on preventing terrorism. Not only capturing terrorists but finding out important information and then sharing it with the U.S. Without a leader like Mubarak in power, things can get very bad for the United States. The last thing that we want is a group like the Muslim Brotherhood coming to power. The Muslim Brotherhood would pretty much end the alliance with Egypt. They fund terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda and Hamas. This would obviously be a huge issue for the U.S. Losing an ally like Egypt would also have a large effect on our economy. The Sumed Pipeline and Suez Canal transport over 2 million barrels of oil per day. Without access to this, the price of oil will increase dramatically.
It is a shame what is happening to the people in Egypt and the relationship with the leader. However, it is in the best interest for the United States to have a man like Mubarak in power.
Egyptian crisis puts America on the fence with daunting issues resting on either side. The threat of losing the resistance of al-Qaeda in Egypt, our strongest Arab ally, could be detrimental to the safety of Americans everywhere. On top of that runs the risk of even higher gas prices, as Egypt refines a bulk of America’s gas. However, are these real threats? Do the pros of the protestors succeeding outweigh the cons? I think so.
ReplyDeleteIf America is to support Egypt’s government and not the protestors, it will do more harm than good. Even if we don’t try to stop it, we will get a good portion of the blame, “Should such allies use repressive tactics in dealing with their own internal opponents, they would place themselves at odds with an Obama administration that has openly called for tolerance of political dissent. Such allies also could pull away from the U.S., reasoning that President Mubarak's close ties to Washington are a principal reason he is so unpopular on Cairo's streets now” (Soloman). Also because we support Egypt financially it will look poorly upon the U.S, “After Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel, Egypt is the largest recipient of U.S. assistance, including $1.3 billion in annual military aid. In other words, if the army ever decides to shoot into a crowd of unarmed protestors, it will be shooting with hardware provided by the United States” (Baumann). America needs Egypt for the struggle against al-Qaeda. Supporting the protestors may make that job even easier for us as well, “Of course, a successful and peaceful transition in Cairo to a more democratic, and politically moderate, system in coming months could offset such downside risks, and ultimately provide Washington with a more stable and sustainable ally, said senior U.S. officials. Egypt, as the Arab world's most populous country, often serves as a bellwether for broader shifts in the Mideast, they said” (Soloman). America, as selfish as it sounds, really only cares about what side of the debate they land themselves on.
On a more humane note, the protestors in Egypt have a reason for protesting. Most Americans become so caught up in what it means to them, and we neglect their initial reason for the protest. Egypt isn’t doing too well, and they want to get their feet back on the ground which the government is not helping them do, “They have basically no more freedom than Tunisians. Egypt is ranked 138th of 167 countries on The Economist's Democracy index, a widely accepted measure of political freedom. That ranking puts Egypt just seven spots ahead of Tunisia. And Egyptians are significantly poorer than their cousins to the west” (Soloman). Egypt is suffering, and the protestors have a right to say they don’t want to live poorly anymore. As America, we should be nothing but supportive of freedom in a different country.
Marina Paganessi
ReplyDeleteThough it appears that citizens of Egypt are increasingly unhappy with their President Mubarak’s leadership, his removal could pose dangerous threats for the United States and our safety. As stated in the ABC news report online, not only does this threaten standing ties between Egypt and the U.S. but threatens costs of oil and gas. Egypt passes nearly 1 billion barrels of oil which eventually reach the U.S. If these barriers were to be closed, an additional 6,000 miles would have to be added to the route which would raise oil prices dramatically. Along with this, gas prices are estimated to increase 10-20% by March 2011. Aside from economic issues this change in power would create, this poses an increased threat of terrorism for the U.S. Egypt had captured and interrogated suspected terrorists then passed this information on to the U.S. With new government implemented in Egypt, this same safety and share of information between countries may not continue. The new government which would take over if Mubarak were to step down, would be pro-Al Qaeda.
Turmoil In Egypt
ReplyDeleteEgypt and its current president, Hosni Mubarak, is a recipe for disaster. This president has done nothing but wound the economy for the U.S. Because of this, gas and oil prices are rising dramatically. ABC news reporter says gas will have gone up at least twenty cents more by the month of march. President Mubarak has been asked by U.S. president, Barrack Obama, to resign or step down from his power as leader in Egypt government. There are many protesters against Mubarak. He is refusing to demote his power and lose presidency.
With Egypt being the main route for oil distribution, the U.S. can suffer paying even more on gas and oil due to being enemies with the Egyptians. While we deal with this crisis, Egyptians are beginning to migrate to the United States to escape the poverty. If the Egyptians refuse to send us the oil through the Suez canal, then the United States has to pay more expenses because the oil would have to be brought by Boats and would have to go all the around the bottom of Africa. This would be more costly because its a longer route and the fuel it takes to travel isn't inexpensive.
Right now, I do not think it would be a good idea to force Mubarak out of office. The United States has such good relations with Mubarak. He has helped us out numerous times with threats from Islamic groups such as Al Qaeda. They have played a key roll in capturing and interrogating these terrorist to find out information to pass on to us. What if we didn't have this crucial help from Egypt? Would America still be the same? Personally, I would not like to see anything worse happen to America so for now, I like having him leading Egypt.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it is clear that our economy is not the best at this moment. If Mubarak is pushed out of office, we could lose our oil connection with other countries. Therefore, it would force us to add at least 6,000 miles to our oil shipment route. This could potentially cause prices of gas to raise a substantial amount. Think about how much you pay for gas now. Would you like that to double?
Mubarak has been in office for so long now. His term is almost over. If Egypt has been dealing with this for this long, what caused the uprising now? They finally got sick of it and decided to do something about it? It isn't even worth the hassle at this point. Just wait it out, lucky for Egypt, he is almost out of their hair. And it is not like he can come back because he has sworn not to run for office again. At this point, it is best to just wait it out.
The stepping down of President Hosni Mubarak could have devastating effects for the United States.
ReplyDeleteIf President Mubarak were to step down from his position of president of Egypt it could mean that there would be an increase in of terrorism. Since Egypt is also a huge part in our oil systems this would mean a lack of oil for the United States too.
There needs to be an agreement between Mubarak and the people or an agreement between the U.S. and Egypt. Egypt seeks change from Mubarak’s rule, but the U.S. does not want to see the possible negative effects that could be caused with new leadership.
The rioting has become out of control. If a civilized resolution isn’t met, this could still cause devastating effects to Egypt, as well as the United States. The Egyptians have the right to seek change, but it should not be acted upon with rioting and overthrowing of the government.
Mubarak is an anchor right now. If he steps down then chaos would be created for the United States. But if he does not find a way to calm the people of Egypt, then Egypt will face consequences along with the United States. The resolution needs to benefit everyone, not just one side or the other. Therefore Mubarak should not step down.