Billmon: Cooking With Gas

We are confident that building democratic societies is the only way to a better future that we seek.

Hosni Mubarak
Remarks to the World Economic Forum
May 20, 2006

Brian Whitaker of The Guardian has an appropriately scathing take on the Egyptian president's commitment to democracy -- and the Cheney Administration's commitment to propping up his regime at all costs:

Despite all the hoo-ha from President Bush about promoting democracy, the deal -- at least where Egypt is concerned -- is to criticise the Mubarak regime (politely) in public while fending off any threats of more serious action from Congress.

On the one hand, this placates Americans who are concerned about the recent turn of events in Cairo; on the other, it reassures the aged pharaoh that nothing untoward will happen if he carries on arresting, beating up and torturing people as usual.

Sections of the American media seem to be falling into line, too. I love the delicate way the Houston Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury and other subscribers to the Knight Ridder news service began their reports today: "Egypt's uneasy path to democratic reform received more setbacks Thursday ..."

Poor Mr Mubarak: he is trying to so hard to reform, but after 24 years it's not getting any easier.

Whitaker's piece (posted on The Guardian's blog, Comment is Free) is entitled "Teflon Pharoah." Which is cute, but I can testify that the teflon is backed by a pretty thick wall of steel, much of which is currently wrapped around the Sharm El-Sheikh Convention Center.