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The Spectacle Blog

Defying Hillary, Egypt Blocks the Internet

By John Tabin on 1.27.11 @ 7:37PM

"We support the universal rights of the Egyptian people," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday in Jordan, "including the rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly. And we urge the Egyptian authorities not to prevent peaceful protests or block communications, including on social media sites."

The AP is now reporting that Internet service is cut off in Egypt. So what are we going to do about it?

It's time, as Charlie Szrom has been suggesting over at National Review Online, to reassess US aid to Egypt:

Second, the administration could threaten cuts in aid to the Egyptian government if the regime continues to ban demonstrations and arrest and otherwise abuse protestors. This would be in line with measures I proposed yesterday on the Corner. The Egyptian regime has ignored the Obama administration's calls for "restraint." The specter of reduced funding would demand the regime's attention. Without the threat of such action or rhetoric straight from the President, the Mubarak regime is unlikely to respond.

Continuing to throw unqualified monetary support at the Mubarak regime under the current circumstances is insane, and not just because everyone in Washington these days claims to be looking for ways to save money. Szrom has called for an immediate $100 million cut, with threats of more if the regime doesn't open up the coming presidential election, scheduled for September.

UPDATE: Joe Biden should be ashamed of himself.

View all comments (24) | Leave a comment

Martin| 1.27.11 @ 7:56PM

This is exactly what Carter did to the Shah, turn on him and start prating about human rights, thus preventing him from responding forcefully enough to the clerical opposition. Surely even the most benighted leftie now recognizes that allowing the Shah to be removed has achieved nothing good, either for the Iran people, for US interests or for world order.

By Middle Eastern standards Mubarak has run a capable, not over-oppressive regime in a very tough situation -- Egypt's population growth is far above the level at which per capita enrichment is prevented. One accepts that our dreadful pinko-ignorant current government will be on the wrong side, as they were in Honduras, but for National Review and AS to advocate his replacement is childish and indeed disgraceful.

Alan Brooks| 1.27.11 @ 8:55PM

You can't compare Iran to Egypt to Iran, that is an odious comparison indeed.
Iran was and is more prosperous-- Egypt is a third world cesspool.

Patriot| 1.27.11 @ 10:20PM

Who cares what you think about Iran, Alan? Ask the protesters who've been tortured and killed by the Iranian government if Iran is a cesspool.

Chris| 1.27.11 @ 9:04PM

Yes, the question is is who are the demonstrators? If they are ones pushing for a more Islamic government, it's better off to keep Mubarak.

Floyd Looney| 1.27.11 @ 8:07PM

That is a power that Obama wants.

And yes, Mr Biden, Mubarak is a dictator.... one doesn't stay in power for nearly 40 years any other way.

Defintely not an "ally" in more than name only

Alan Brooks| 1.27.11 @ 8:59PM

In Reza Pahlavi we lost an autocrat of an ally;
in Mubarak we lose a third world cesspool-crat of an ally. Not nearly as much oil in Egypt

The former was then somewhat better than the latter is today.

Chuck| 1.27.11 @ 8:29PM

If Hillary was the leader of a country she would be oppressing the opposition in spades. Digging up dirt in FBI files...threats & intimidation, detaining her political enemies without warrants, curbing the internet, etc. Who is she kidding?

Mostafa Elkordy| 1.27.11 @ 8:30PM

No internet, no Phones, nothings but pullets... Now i know why America insist on giving the Egyptian government all this money every year. So they can keep the people oppressed. How different Mubarak from Sadam and denajad? if anything he is worse. Ladies and Gentlemen we're about to witness the greatest genocide in years. Police are killing random Egyptians right now as I am writing this.

Interested Conservative| 1.27.11 @ 11:10PM

Close, but not quite. Mubarak is, so far, quantitatively different.

"Genocide"? Seriously? Bad, yes. Oppressive, certainly. Evil, perhaps. But genocide, extremely doubtful under any definition, and absolutely not random.

It does the cause no good to make unfounded claims.

As for American aid - it is likely a waste, but not necessarily a cause of this effect.

Finally, cutting communications is really an admission of defeat. Even the Persians understand that.

I wonder if Mubarak won't be the ultimate problem. He could leave in an instant, and then what? That's when real trouble could start. Can Egypt calm down as Tunisia seemingly has?

Real American| 1.27.11 @ 9:20PM

And Obama wants the "internet kill switch" to use in an emergency (like losing the 2012 presidential election!)

Bob K.| 1.27.11 @ 10:14PM

That is a good observation and it puts Obama in an awkward position here. And it also puts Senator Lieberman, a strong defender of Israel, who also supports it in the same position.

One wonders about the timing of her remarks and what Hilary's real intention was when she came out so strongly against this action by Egypt? Is she saying that she also supports the same rights of freedom of expression and association and assembly here in the USA?

My bet is she is still thinking about running for President!

Red Phillips| 1.27.11 @ 10:17PM

"It's time ... to reassess US aid to Egypt"

It's time to reassess aid TO EVERY COUNTRY! Foreign aid is unconstitutional and outrageous for a country that can't pay its own bills. No real conservative can support foreign aid to any country.

Sean| 1.27.11 @ 10:44PM

You are correct sir.

cali| 1.28.11 @ 4:51AM

You took the thoughts right out of my mind. I've asking the same questions for some time.
Kudos to you!

Patty| 1.27.11 @ 11:13PM

We were never meant to be an empire, our Founders knew better. Too bad we haven't stayed true to their vision.

Bob Miller| 1.28.11 @ 8:21AM

Czar>>>Kerensky>>>Lenin
Shah>>>Bakhtiar>>>Khomeini
Mubarak>>>Reformers>>>Muslim Brotherhood

Bob K.| 1.28.11 @ 9:41AM

One of the organizations behind these riots is The Muslim Brotherhood, no friend of the USA either.

And don't look for them to restore internet freedom or establish democracy in Egypt if they take over the country.

Too Many Tims| 1.28.11 @ 10:51AM

Looks like Obama is headed for a Carter moment.

rhnoda| 1.28.11 @ 1:26PM

He keeps talking about green energy because he hasn't a clue about anything, anything else (not even about green energy for that matter. This is a man who ascended with no skills and no knowledge. If he has any it certainly hasn't been evident--ever. No clue on foreign policy. Probably would flunk a high school, no middle school history test.

Interested Conservative| 1.28.11 @ 11:26AM

Is it 3:00 a.m. yet? Is a phone ringing somewhere? Hello?

Joan of Snark| 1.28.11 @ 11:59AM

Heard on a conservative radio show last night that the Egyptian police presence is really undercover military and about the government's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Not pretty, folks. Not pretty at all.

rhnoda| 1.28.11 @ 1:23PM

Hillary is a mouthpiece (and she is an excellent mouthpiece. Her greatest skill is speaking for minutes without saying anything offensive nor substantative.) for Obama who has n't a clue what to do nor how to lead. He should be impeached for deriliction of duty. He is paid for a job but does not perform. Not pretty at all.