Main Drudge story: "USA secretly backs Egypt uprising"

[Knightskye]

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/1480/uprising.png

It links to this story:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/8289686/Egypt-protests-Americas-secret-backing-for-rebel-leaders-behind-uprising.html


The American Embassy in Cairo helped a young dissident attend a US-sponsored summit for activists in New York, while working to keep his identity secret from Egyptian state police.

On his return to Cairo in December 2008, the activist told US diplomats that an alliance of opposition groups had drawn up a plan to overthrow President Hosni Mubarak and install a democratic government in 2011.

He has already been arrested by Egyptian security in connection with the demonstrations and his identity is being protected by The Daily Telegraph.

The crisis in Egypt follows the toppling of Tunisian president Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali, who fled the country after widespread protests forced him from office.

A couple nights ago on Twitter, I was talking to someone who didn't believe America had any involvement in the Iranian coup in 1953. Maybe this story will turn on a lightbulb in someone's head.

[PatriotOne]

US gave material support to pro-democracy groups in Egypt: WikileaksAgence France-Presse

Last Updated: Jan 28, 2011


OSLO // The United States has pumped tens of millions of dollars into pro-democracy organisations in Egypt to the dismay of beleaguered President Hosni Mubarak, according to diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks and published by a Norwegian paper Friday.Another release of cables by the whistleblowing website itself meanwhile painted a gloomy picture of any willingness by President Hosni Mubarak to introduce meaningful reforms.

According to a December 6, 2007, cable posted online Friday by Norway's paper of reference Aftenposten, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) planned to dedicate 66.5 million dollars in 2008 and 75 million in 2009 to Egyptian programmes promoting democracy and good governance.

"President Mubarak is deeply skeptical of the US role in democracy promotion," reads another cable from the US embassy in Cairo dated October 9, 2007, also posted Friday by the Norwegian daily.

"Nonetheless, (US government) programs are helping to establish democratic institutions and strengthen individual voices for change in Egypt," that cable adds.

According to Aftenposten, which has laid its hands on all of the more than 250,000 classified US diplomatic cables leaked to WikiLeaks, the United States has thus directly contributed to "building up the forces that oppose the President" Mubarak.

Egypt has since Tuesday been rocked by massive protests against Mubarak's 30-year rule.

The second diplomatic cable published by Aftenposten says the money spent by Washington for democracy promotion was aimed both at programmes run by the Egyptian government itself and by Egyptian and US NGOs working in the field.

Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation Fayza Aboulnaga had sent a letter to the embassy requesting that USAID stop financing 10 of the organisations "on the grounds that (they) have not been properly registered as NGOs" according to a third cable dated February 28, 2008.



Generally considered Mubarak's designated successor, his son Gamal is also described in a fourth cable, dated October 20, 2008, as "irritable about direct US democracy and governance funding of Egyptian NGO's."

Another release Friday of cables dating from 2009 and 2010, posted by WikiLeaks on its "Cable Viewer" site, described Mubarak as a "classic Egyptian secularist who hates religious extremism and interference in politics."

The cables showed that the United States repeatedly encouraged Egypt to introduce political reforms, abolish the decades-old emergency law, which restricts freedom of assembly, and respect human rights.

Mubarak complained that any effort to open up the political arena would empower the Muslim Brotherhood and he warned that he "would not tolerate" the existence of political parties with a religious agenda, Muslim or Christian.

Egypt chafed at US support for civil society, saying it funds NGOs and human rights organisations dominated by "communists and extremists."

A member of the ruling National Democratic Party and a former minister, Ali El Deen Hilal, called the opposition weak and described democracy as a "long term goal."



He reminded the United States that "the real centre of power in Egypt is the military" and security forces.

[Kludge]

This is total bullshit. They're making this story up -- the cables did not provide any proof that the US is backing the current revolt in Egypt.

For the fourth time...

They [referring to the OP article] used a false title. The actual message of the article does not claim what the title reads, and I did not see the evidence that the US is involved in the current revolt in Egypt.

The kid said there were plans by the opposition parties to overthrow Mubarak BY 2011. He criticized the US's lack of support and said it was the cause of Mubarak's continued reign. Note Biden, Kerry, & Obama (to a lesser extent) have come to the defense of Mubarak. Aid to Egypt has also continued since this 2008 letter. The kid was working with US civilian groups who agreed to protest with Egypt, which has happened in the US.

[nobody's_hero]

I hope it isn't true. It seems like every time another country has a good thing going for it, the U.S. gov't has to get involved and blow the movement's credibility.

[jclay2]

So wait a sec....The US gives billions over the years to prop the guys military and then tries to back the opposition as well. While I don't doubt the US being this stupid, I have to wonder if there is any logical reason for this (assuming I am for a NWO and foreign intervention).

[Kludge]

So wait a sec....The US gives billions over the years to prop the guys military and then tries to back the opposition as well. While I don't doubt the US being this stupid, I have to wonder if there is any logical reason for this (assuming I am for a NWO and foreign intervention).

The US already publicly plays two sides. Biden this morning said Mubarak was an ally, not a dictator, and shouldn't resign. But other officials, like Obama, have come out in support of "the people" and is pretending to have been seriously trying to reform Mubarak.

I'd guess the US is simply covering its ass, uncertain whether Mubarak will stay in power after tomorrow or if a revolution will occur. If Mubarak stays in power, the US can say it backed him and continue supplying him with money & arms. If there is a successful revolution, the US will say it supported the people and was disappointed Mubarak did not reform as they wanted him to.

[brandon]

I second Kuldge's bullshit call. This is pure propaganda. The US KNOWS the current regime is going down, so there is in point in continuing to support them. They are trying to court the revolutionaries in the hopes that the new government is still favorable to the US. Simply playing both sides here....

[RonPaulCult]

And I third it. The headline is bullshit. The United States was doing intelligence gathering, but the leak doesn't show any proof that they were behind the protests. I came to this conclusion on my own, and I'm happy to see others feel the same way.

[Anti Federalist]

I fourth it.

Consider this as well: this could (probably) be carefully crafted disinformation being used as a last ditch effort to defuse the popular uprising, get the Egyptian people to second guess it and give and go home.

There would be no better way to taint, confuse, demoralize and destroy a popular uprising than by having it tied to us.

[vita3]

Matt Drudge is no good

[Vessol]

The U.S has long supported the regime in Egypt. If it is bound to collapse, I can see them courting the successors to be good little puppets.

[LibForestPaul]

The U.S has long supported the regime in Egypt. If it is bound to collapse, I can see them courting the successors to be good little puppets.

or trying to ensure that the ones in power can be bought, i.e. keep them islamo-fascicsts out

[erowe1]

So wait a sec....The US gives billions over the years to prop the guys military and then tries to back the opposition as well. While I don't doubt the US being this stupid, I have to wonder if there is any logical reason for this (assuming I am for a NWO and foreign intervention).

I don't see how that's stupid. The American politicians need to hedge their bets, so whoever wins, they do.

[erowe1]

or trying to ensure that the ones in power can be bought, i.e. keep them islamo-fascicsts out

Keeping so-called islamo-fascists out is the last thing any politicians actually care about. Some of them just use that rhetoric to excite their useful idiots. Our whole operation in Iraq since 2003 has been nothing but helping secure the rule of islamo-fascists there, and expurgating any influence by secularists and Christians.

[specsaregood]

How do you know the US isn't behind it? Because they start the spin that they are behind it. Fairly obvious....

[HOLLYWOOD]

It can, but with the exact opposite past experiences...

It's a know fact in the latest about the people of Egypt.

1/3 fully support Hebollah
1/2 fully support Hamas
1/5 fully support Al Qaeda

Roughly speaking, 1/5 of Egyptians applaud the most extreme Islamic terrorist group, while around 1/3-1/2 back revolutionary Islamists abroad. This doesn’t tell us what proportion of Egyptians want an Islamist government at home, but it is an indicator.

Let's look at who wins if the area is destabilized?
US Government
US State Department
Alpha Agencies
Military Industrial Complex / War Machine / Global Control
Israel (USAid, Funding, Subsidies, Tax Credits, Weaponry, etc)
Protection (CONTROL) forces and justifications to maintain the Suez Canal open for Commerce and Energy to Europe (All Europe bought off @ our expense)

The Machine Continues... Bilderberg, CFR, & a slew of other international control groups.

[amy31416]

The US already publicly plays two sides. Biden this morning said Mubarak was an ally, not a dictator, and shouldn't resign. But other officials, like Obama, have come out in support of "the people" and is pretending to have been seriously trying to reform Mubarak.

I'd guess the US is simply covering its ass, uncertain whether Mubarak will stay in power after tomorrow or if a revolution will occur. If Mubarak stays in power, the US can say it backed him and continue supplying him with money & arms. If there is a successful revolution, the US will say it supported the people and was disappointed Mubarak did not reform as they wanted him to.

+ rep.

[TexanRudeBoy]

The cable says nothing outside of some light pressure to release dissidents and some handshaking on capitol hill. Where in the world do they get "we supported the revolution" from that cable?

[Kludge]

The cable says nothing outside of some light pressure to release dissidents and some handshaking on capitol hill. Where in the world do they get "we supported the revolution" from that cable?

Hard to say if for site traffic or from gov't, but Telegraph & Drudge now have the credibility of Xinhua in my book.

[pcosmar]

Let's look at who wins if the area is destabilized?


Define "destabilized".
Who stabilized it? When?

Regardless of the ideology of the people,, do the people of a sovereign land have the right to choose their own leaders?