What’s this? More freedom and democracy breaking out all over the world? The Bush plan and influence at work yet again? Could it be? Why yes, I believe it could be.
I should note that these are very tentative steps and I’d really like to learn more about this announcement, but on the face of it it looks good. Once the refreshing clean democracy toothpaste is squeezed out, it is very difficult to put the toothpaste back in the tube. (OK, not a very sophisticated-sounding doctrine, but it’s very early here.)
Egypt paves way for first presidential elections since 1981
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) – Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Saturday ordered a revision of the country’s election laws and said multiple candidates could run in the nation’s presidential elections, a scenario Mubarak hasn’t faced since taking power in 1981.
The surprise announcement, a response to critics’ calls for political reform, comes shortly after historic elections in Iraq and the Palestinian territories, balloting that brought a taste of democracy to the region. It also comes amid a sharp dispute with the United States over Egypt’s arrest of one of the strongest proponents of multi-candidate elections.
“The election of a president will be through direct, secret balloting, giving the chance for political parties to run for the presidential elections and providing guarantees that allow more than one candidate for the people to choose among them with their own will,” Mubarak said in an address broadcast live on Egyptian television.
Mubarak -who has never faced an opponent since becoming president after the 1981 assassination of Anwar Sadat -said his initiative came “out of my full conviction of the need to consolidate efforts for more freedom and democracy.”
The audience before him at Menoufia University broke into applause and calls of support, some shouting, “Long live Mubarak, mentor of freedom and democracy!” Others spontaneously recited verses of poetry praising the government.
In another story on the same subject, it is pointed out that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (note the spelling, news editors) will NOT be visiting Egypt in her latest swing overseas.
Rice had registered her “very strong concerns” about the detention of Ayman Nour, the leader of an opposition party, when she met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Tuesday in Washington.
[…] A senior U.S. official, citing Rice’s displeasure with the arrest and other internal actions taken by the Egyptian government, said change was needed and she wanted to see what steps were taken before going to Cairo. The official spoke only on condition of anonymity.
And here’s an interesting twist: This quote regarding Rice’s decision to not go to Egypt…
On Capitol Hill, [Representative] Adam Schiff […] said in an interview that he hoped Egypt “gets the strong message that the United States will not look the other way anymore, that the suppression of democracy is no longer a matter of purely domestic affairs in a country.”
The interesting twist is that the quote is from a Democratic Congressman. Sounds a little like a Republic doesn’t it? Canada? Liberals? You listening? Let’s review: “the United States will not look the other way anymore, that the suppression of democracy is no longer a matter of purely domestic affairs in a country.”
Grab a lesson or two from these good people.
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
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