President Obama increases pressure on Mubarak's government
Updated 8:20 p.m.
President Obama tried Thursday night to exert more pressure on the Egyptian government, saying that President Hosni Mubarak has not convinced his countrymen that his handover of powers "is immediate, meaningful or sufficient" and must do more.
"Too many Egyptians remain unconvinced that the government is serious about a genuine transition to democracy, and it is the responsibility of the government to speak clearly to the Egyptian people and the world," Obama said in a statement.
The statement was released several hours after Mubarak went on national TV in his country, and said he would reject international calls to resign. Instead, Mubarak said he would hand over some powers to his vice president, Omar Suleiman.
Obama said, "The Egyptian people have made it clear that there is no going back to the way things were," and he advised the Mubarak government "to spell out in clear and unambiguous language the step-by-step process that will lead to democracy and the representative government that the Egyptian people seek."
Obama closed by underscoring that the Egyptian people "must know that they will continue to have a friend in the United States of America."
The full statement follows after the jump.
Statement of President Barack Obama on Egypt
The Egyptian people have been told that there was a transition of authority, but it is not yet clear that this transition is immediate, meaningful or sufficient. Too many Egyptians remain unconvinced that the government is serious about a genuine transition to democracy, and it is the responsibility of the government to speak clearly to the Egyptian people and the world. The Egyptian government must put forward a credible, concrete and unequivocal path toward genuine democracy, and they have not yet seized that opportunity.
As we have said from the beginning of this unrest, the future of Egypt will be determined by the Egyptian people. But the United States has also been clear that we stand for a set of core principles. We believe that the universal rights of the Egyptian people must be respected, and their aspirations must be met. We believe that this transition must immediately demonstrate irreversible political change, and a negotiated path to democracy. To that end, we believe that the emergency law should be lifted. We believe that meaningful negotiations with the broad opposition and Egyptian civil society should address the key questions confronting Egypt's future: protecting the fundamental rights of all citizens; revising the Constitution and other laws to demonstrate irreversible change; and jointly developing a clear roadmap to elections that are free and fair.
We therefore urge the Egyptian government to move swiftly to explain the changes that have been made, and to spell out in clear and unambiguous language the step by step process that will lead to democracy and the representative government that the Egyptian people seek. Going forward, it will be essential that the universal rights of the Egyptian people be respected. There must be restraint by all parties. Violence must be forsaken. It is imperative that the government not respond to the aspirations of their people with repression or brutality. The voices of the Egyptian people must be heard.
The Egyptian people have made it clear that there is no going back to the way things were: Egypt has changed, and its future is in the hands of the people. Those who have exercised their right to peaceful assembly represent the greatness of the Egyptian people, and are broadly representative of Egyptian society. We have seen young and old, rich and poor, Muslim and Christian join together, and earn the respect of the world through their non-violent calls for change. In that effort, young people have been at the forefront, and a new generation has emerged. They have made it clear that Egypt must reflect their hopes, fulfill their highest aspirations, and tap their boundless potential. In these difficult times, I know that the Egyptian people will persevere, and they must know that they will continue to have a friend in the United States of America.
By
Scott Butterworth
| February 10, 2011; 8:05 PM ET
Categories:
44 The Obama Presidency
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Well Obama its ok kicking out Mubarak but i hope you do not see the Islamic Republic of Egypt with Mullahs n everything that spices up terror in the few weeks ahead,and you begin wishing you had not forced out the one last strong allies you have in the Middle East like a thief.
Posted by: Asiimwe1 | February 12, 2011 5:24 PM | Report abuse
.
Hey Democrats,
$332 Million from Soros.
In a February 3 Washington Post op-ed piece titled “Why Obama has to get Egypt right,” George Soros wrote that the U.S. president had “much to gain by moving out in front and siding with the public demand for dignity and democracy.” Notwithstanding the reasonableness of his advice, past experience suggests that the Hungarian-born hedge fund manager has something to gain himself from regime change in Cairo.
HA Ha Ha HOOT HOOT !!!
.
Posted by: kstobbe1 | February 12, 2011 9:38 AM | Report abuse
THE COMMANDER,viewpoints,obama "If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it."OBAMA,Will screw us hard, fast, and in an elegant manner." obama The conqueror is always a lover of peace; he would prefer to take over our country unopposed.Truth be damned, Obama and THE WEAK-KNEED REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRAT,Wake up america!! OBAMA goes about the business by speaking the lie.“If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed”Mmslim Barack Hussein Obama people have no idea of the extent to which they have to be gulled in order to be led." OBAMA will use every tool available: school teachers, politicians, news broadcasters, artists, musicians, scientists and doctors, lawyers and businessmen and men who claim to be preachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. All will be pressed into the service of OBAMA to deceive men. "All propaganda must be so popular and on such an intellectual level, that even the most stupid of those towards whom it is directed will understand it. Therefore, the intellectual level of the propaganda must be lower the larger the number of people who are to be influenced by it." truth be damned. Obama It would be easier for the Devil to go to church and cross himself with holy water than for these people to comprehend the ideas which are accepted facts to us today.How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think. .Is Barack Obama pushing forward dangerous policies that are bringing the United States closer to a socialist dictatorship. Are you even aware?
Posted by: mjski56 | February 12, 2011 2:36 AM | Report abuse
Are you kidding, Most world leadership view ObaMao as a joke, a naive lite-weight.
Look at conflicting testimoney of the WH searching for a coherent thought. The CIA anouncing Murbarek was leaving only to see 30 minutes later the opposite, DNI Clapper saying the Muslim Brotherhood is a good 'ole boy group, Hillary wandering the globe mumbling words of "hope" Mubarek will leave, Barry using his teleprompter to praddle more nothings.
IF THESE PEOPLE ARE OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST WE ARE TRULY SCREWED.
Posted by: NeoConVeteran | February 11, 2011 9:35 AM | Report abuse
Ol Barry can't wait to get the MuSlime Brotherhood into power.
Posted by: fe59 | February 11, 2011 8:43 AM | Report abuse
Ol Barry can't wait to get the MuSlime Brotherhood into power.
Posted by: fe59 | February 11, 2011 8:42 AM | Report abuse
Ol Barry can't wait to get the MuSlime Brotherhood into power.
Posted by: fe59 | February 11, 2011 8:41 AM | Report abuse
Ol Barry can't wait to get the MuSlime Brotherhood into power.
Posted by: fe59 | February 11, 2011 8:40 AM | Report abuse
The audacity of this administration to attempt to force and manipulate government change overseas. Change? Transparency? Business as usual.
How would this regime react if americans marched on D.C. demanding the same? More jobs, less intrusion by government ...
Posted by: pielusztcontractor | February 11, 2011 8:37 AM | Report abuse
I wonder what the other hand is doing?
A Glimpse of The Satanic New World Order
http://www.threeworldwars.com/protocols.htm
Pictures Worth A Thousand Words
http://biblelight.net/Tower-of-Babel.htm
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/End%20of%20the%20World/seat_666.htm
-------------
The Full Cup Principle - An Overwhelming Surprise
http://wake-up.org/warnbook/WarnBook.htm
God Bless
Posted by: AJAX2 | February 10, 2011 9:57 PM | Report abuse
I wonder what the other hand is doing?
A Glimpse of The Satanic New World Order
http://www.threeworldwars.com/protocols.htm
Pictures Worth A Thousand Words
http://biblelight.net/Tower-of-Babel.htm
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/End%20of%20the%20World/seat_666.htm
-------------
The Full Cup Principle - An Overwhelming Surprise
http://wake-up.org/warnbook/WarnBook.htm
God Bless
Posted by: AJAX2 | February 10, 2011 9:56 PM | Report abuse
I guess it is presumptuous to offer unsolicited advice to the Egyptians and the other arab countries who are trying to get rid of their rulers at the present time. I note that our own government whicb has some 60 plus billion dollars investment in Egypt is trying to find the wave of history and ride it: should they continue to support the Mubarak regime a little longer; or is time to jump ship and support the peoples' apparent longing for democracy, freedom, as symbolized by Mubarak's immediate removal? Egypt has gone through a long evolution since the military under Nasser overthrew Britain's colonial rule in the early 1950's. Nasser, then Anwar Sadat, then 30 years under Mubarak. The military brought some political independence from the West, order, albeit with a lot of internal oppression; but it has not brought an economy, prosperity. Egypt, unlike Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and other Arab states hasn;t got oil. Whatever group does eventually take power in Egypt has to find a way to develop a good enough economy to satisfy the majority of Egyptians. The middle east may or may not prove to be a good soil for USA style democracy. If not perhaps Egypt might find some form of state supported capitalism.
Posted by: mcdonaldjames2 | February 10, 2011 9:40 PM | Report abuse
I suspect Hosni Mubarak would be extremely happy if his only worry was the pressure that President Obama can offer. The President's statement was pretty reasonable. But it is not what is going to make Mubarak really leave.
Posted by: dnjake | February 10, 2011 9:40 PM | Report abuse
Doofus Obama's a trip. Butt the hell out. Sheez, this guy is embarrassing acting like he's directing the events. I wonder how long he stares at himself in the mirror each night.
Posted by: leewifflestin | February 10, 2011 9:31 PM | Report abuse
Not going to make one dam bit of difference WHAT Obama says, or Hillary, -this is a sovereign nation, who will not have their 30 year leader be ignominiously deposed by some rabble-rousers who do NOT represent the millions of now starving Egyptians whose means of making a living for their families has come to an abrupt halt.
As the president of Egypt stated-he will preside over a CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE in leadership-the U.S. be damned-Egypt is no puppet, nor should it be-the protesters ought to leave, or the military WILL use force against them-you can't have the tyranny of a mob dictating their interests over the rule of law. I applaud Mubarak for how he's standing his ground, protesters be dam med.
Posted by: Spring_Rain | February 10, 2011 8:31 PM | Report abuse
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