It is official now. The US is governing Egypt today. Don't be fooled by the negotiations with the opposition and even with the Muslim Brotherhood. When colonial powers feel threatened in their interests, they can force the puppet to be inclusive. Remember the February 4th, 1942 which went famous in Egyptian history: when the British (with tanks) ordered Faruq to dismiss the cabinet and to bring the Wafd in government. Communique Number 5 is also noteworthy because the military junta seems to be getting more confident. What also struck me is that Randa Abu-Al-`Azm (the Cairo correspondent for Al-Arabiyyah TV--the news station of King Fahd's brother-in-law) seems to have the eyes and ears of the Ahmad Shafiq government. She was an unapologetic propagandist for the Mubarak regime to the last days, and even wanted to dismiss the protesters as armed goons (baltajiyyah). And I was astonished to hear that the "new"government offered the portfolio of Minister of Information to none other than `Imad Ad-Din Adib (a propagandist for Mubarak who helped launch the last presidential campaign of Mubarak in the news media through marathon soft-ball interviews). Adib is also close to the House of Saud. And the fact that Ahmad Abu Al-Ghayt remained despite leaked memos by him during the uprising in which he called on Egyptian diplomats to spy on Egyptian protesters overseas tells volume. The work has not been completed, and the military junta--as we have seen elsewhere in the region--can extend its life for years and decades at the insistence of the US/Saudi Arabia/Israel. I can't prove that each member of the junta has received a bag of Saudi dinars but I would have bet my potatoes on it. The regime will also be playing games through the divisions of the opposition. Mubarak is gone: long live Mubarak clones in military uniforms with the same outside (US/Israel/Saudi Arabia) sponsors.
PS Worst sign: Abu Al-`Azm of Al-Arabiyyah indicated that the role of `Umar Sulayman may be revived.
PS Worst sign: Abu Al-`Azm of Al-Arabiyyah indicated that the role of `Umar Sulayman may be revived.
