Tag: mubarak

Hypocrisy carnival مهرجان النفاق

Posted on By 3arabawy

Below is an English translation of a “birthday card” signed by “Egypt,” sent by the state-owned daily Al-Akhbar to our beloved President on his birthday:

My dear child,
On the celebration of your birthday, I find myself at a loss as to what kind of gift I should offer you, my most beloved child.
On this happy occasion I asked myself: Should I offer you a flower, watered with the water of the Nile, and that flourished in the embrace of the palm trees… and as I presented it to you, it took the shape of 70 million of my sons and daughters?
Or should I take the traditional course and light a candle for your birthday, and all my sons and daughters would gather round as they sang with a beautiful voice and with all their heart ‘happy birthday Mr. President’?
Shall I just plant a kiss on your forehead my beloved son?
What can I do to express my happiness on the day of your birthday… well I will recount, on this happy occasion, something precious in my mind, your long and difficult path which takes you to my heart, my memory and my feeling.
You are a powerful eagle soaring the skies… teaching my enemies lessons they cannot forget, and you protect me from the shame of defeat.
You, my beloved child, tackle the difficult issues like a noble fighter, carrying my sons and daughters to security, comfort, allowing the flower of freedom to bloom and sing the melodious tunes of democracy.
You tower above all patiently, while some of my children try to tarnish the forum of freedom, abusing the democracy which you have welcomed through doors and windows.
You have been patient with some of my children who have lost their way, and wished they could see the light. You didn’t try to silence any voice or break any pen, for the sake of freedom and democracy. You treated them like a noble knight.
I know you don’t like praise… but you are a part of me and with the rest of my sons and daughters, you are my wealth.
Happy Birthday,
Egypt

Mubarak slips from powerbroker to event planner

Posted on By 3arabawy

From AFP:

Even as Egypt gears up to play host to another international conference on Iraq, its role in the region is looking ceremonial and toothless compared to the successes of Saudi Arabia.
Analysts argue that diplomatic endeavors to solve the crises in Sudan, Lebanon, Iraq, and the Palestinian territories have exposed the decline of Egypt as a key powerbroker.
“After 26 years of reign, the Pharaoh is growing tired,” said Antoine Basbous, who heads the Observatoire des Pays Arabes, a Paris-based think tank on the Arab world. “The Egyptian regime is running out of steam, takes few initiatives, and is constantly on the back foot,” he added.
World leaders shuttling across the Middle East to find fixes to the region’s woes still stop over at President Hosni Mubarak’s palace to lend a respectful ear to the veteran leader’s advice.
The May 3 to 4 talks on restoring security in Iraq are taking place in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh but observers argue that Egypt’s role is increasingly confined to lending its resort facilities.
“Egypt is merely hosting the conference but it will have no influence on the substance,” said Imad Gad, a political analyst with the Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies. “The fact that Saudi Arabia plays a prominent role in the affairs of Iraq is not surprising but it is much more striking to see it take the lead on the traditionally Egyptian files of Palestine and Sudan,” he said.
Statements from foreign diplomats visiting Cairo are still peppered with praise for “Egypt’s central role” in the region, but few foreign powers still take their cue from Cairo, he argued.
“Egypt is too busy preparing the tricky succession to Gamal Mubarak and striking deals with the US administration on economic and democratic reform … so it has given up its regional role,” Gad said.