Libya and the Arab revolt in perspective

This is a great article that brings the whole situation in Libya, North Africa and Arabian Peninsula into broader economic and political perspective. Highly recommended read.

Libya and the Arab revolt in perspective
Imperialism has nothing to offer the Middle East
 What is taking place across the Middle East and North Africa is the third great wave of revolts and revolutions against colonialism, neo-colonialism, and the regimes installed and sustained by imperialism. It is a reaffirmation that there is indeed an Arab Nation divided into many countries.

Mubarak Steps Down, The Fight Continues

Mubarak has revealed that he has stepped down and turned over control to his vice president Omar Suleiman. This stands as a victory for the Egyptian people that the corrupt dictator Mubarak has been forced to resign. However, Suleiman has been a long time ally of the United States and the CIA in particular. He's engaged in torture and the so call "extraordinary rendition" program where the United States turned over suspects to the Egyptian government for torture. Nevertheless, this remains a great victory for the Egyptian people.

In less than three weeks, they have gone from an open and brutal dictatorship to that dictator resigning. However, so long as the structure remains the same and the stooges of the American government remain in place, real democracy cannot be achieved. The Egyptian people have spoken decisively against the open dictatorship within their government and it seems likely that they will continue to speak out against the covert dictatorship continuing under Suleiman. We must not tire in our support for the Egyptian people.

Those of us in privileged countries must continue to follow events in the Middle East and not be distracted by con men like Suleiman who will continue to carry out the same policies as the dictatorship. We must continue to raise awareness about the on going struggle against dictatorship in the region. Finally, we must create a new movement to pressure First World government from withdrawing military support for dictators who wish to repress their own people.

This is a clear victory for the Egyptian people. Let us hope they have many more.

Who is Suleiman?

Suleiman: The CIA's man in Cairo

Suleiman, a friend to the US and reported torturer, has long been touted as a presidential successor.

from Al Jazeera.

As people in Egypt and around the world speculate about the fate of the Mubarak regime, one thing should be very clear: Omar Suleiman is not the man to bring democracy to the country. His hands are too dirty, and any 'stability' he might be imagined to bring to the country and the region comes at way too high a price. Hopefully, the Egyptians who are thronging the streets and demanding a new era of freedom will make his removal from power part of their demands, too.

BREAKING! Mubarak may abdicate today!

from Alternet

Update, 11:47am Eastern: Al Jazeera is now reporting on-air that President Mubarak will address the country this evening on state TV. The world eagerly awaits what he will say.

Updated: Multiple sources are reporting that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak could step down as soon as this evening.

The United States and the "excruciating" balancing act that it's been trying to perform on Egypt

This entry sheds some light on the massive economic ties that bind US monopoly-capitalism with Egypt's military State apparatus, as well as the diplomatic maneuvering the White House has had to do since the popular rebellion began on January 25th.

(brief excerpt from Simon Tisdall's column in The Guardian)
The Guardian's Simon Tisdall describes the "excruciating" balancing act that the US has been trying to perform on Egypt.

Caught off guard by the escalating unrest in Egypt, the Obama administration is desperate to avoid any public appearance of taking sides. But Washington's close, longstanding political and military ties to President Hosni Mubarak's regime, plus annual financial support worth about U$S1.5 billion, undermine its claims to neutrality.

While the US favours Egyptian political reform in theory, in practice it props up an authoritarian system for pragmatic reasons of national self-interest. It behaved in much the same way towards Saddam Hussein's regime in the 1980s, when Iraq was at war with Iran. A similar tacit bargain governs relations with Saudi Arabia. That's why, for many Egyptians, the US is part of the problem.
[end]

• America spreading democracy in Egypt:

Goodrich awarded U$S10 million contract for fighter aircraft from Egyptian Air Force
Goodrich has been awarded a $10.84 million contract for one DB110 reconnaissance pod system for use on the F-16C/D Block 50/52 fighter aircraft being purchased by the Egyptian Air Force. According to Goodrich, the DB-110 generates simultaneous high-resolution


L-3 Ocean Systems wins U$S24 million contract for detection of submarine threats from Egyptian Navy
L-3 Ocean Systems announced today that it has been awarded a $24 million firm fixed-price contract from the Egyptian Navy for its Low Frequency Active Towed Sonar (LFATS) system. LFATS is a long-range active/passive variable depth sonar used by surface ships


CAE was awarded a U$S21 million contract of C-130H weapons system to Egypt
CAE USA, Inc., Tampa, Fla., was awarded a $21,289,460 contract which will provide one C-130H weapons system trainer device, in the initial flight test ready operational flight for the Egyptian Air Force. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. AS


CAE awarded contract to build simulator for Egypt
CAE announced today it has won a United States Air Force contract to design and manufacture a C-130H full-mission simulator for the Egyptian Air Force. The contract was awarded to CAE USA under the United States foreign military sale (FMS) program. The value


Raytheon wins a contract for electronic warfare for F-16 from Egyptian Air Force
Raytheon Company's newest integrated electronic warfare suite "ACES" has been selected by the Egyptian Air Force to provide self-protection capabilities for its F-16 aircraft. The EAF recently agreed to purchase 20 Block 52 F-16 aircraft from prime contractor


Lockheed Martin wins U$S46 million contract for AH-64 Apache TADS/PNVS for Saudi Arabia, Egypt,and Netherlands
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Fla., was awarded on April 9 a $46,242,947 contract. This contract is for the issuance of an undefined contract action for the purchase of AH-64 Apache modernized target acquisition designation sight/pilot night vision sensors systems;


Halter Marine wins U$S165 million contract for Egypt's fast missile craft
VT Halter Marine, Inc, Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded a $165,361,305 contract for the detail, design, and construction of the fourth Egyptian Navy Fast Missile Craft under the Foreign Military Sales program. The effort will also include technical manuals


Lockheed Martin receives U$S213 million contract for 20 F-16s for Egypt
The U.S. government has awarded an initial $213 million to Lockheed Martin for long-lead tasks for the production of 20 new Advanced Block 52 F-16 aircraft for Egypt. "This is a great day for Lockheed Martin and a testament to the enduring partnership and com


USA to sell U$S240 million FMC to Egypt
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress Dec. 17 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Egypt of the Fast Missile Craft (FMC) program and associated parts, equipment, training and logistical support for a complete package worth approximately $240 million.


L-3 Communications awarded U$S25 million contract for naval by U.S.
L-3 Communications, Ocean Systems, Calif., is being awarded a $24,711,376firm-fixed-price contract for Low Frequency Active Towed Sonar (LFATS) for the Egyptian Navy (100 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The LFATS is a long-range active/passive variable-depth sonar.


USA likely to sell U$S51 million HELLFIRE II missiles to Egypt
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress today of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Egypt of 450 AGM-114K3A HELLFIRE II missiles and associated parts, equipment, training and logistical support for a complete package worth approximately $51,000,000


Cubic Defense to provide P5 air combat training system to Egyptian Air Force
Cubic Defense Applications, Inc., the defense systems business of Cubic Corporation, is supplying its latest-generation air combat training system to the Egyptian Air Force. Cubic and principal subcontractor DRS Technologies, Inc. will provide the new "rangeless" P5 Combat Training System (P5CTS) to Egypt under an $8.5 million contract.


US plans U$S3.2 Billion sale of 24 F-16 Block 50/52s Fighters to Egypt
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress today of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Egypt of 24 F-16C/D Block 50/52 Aircraft and associated parts weapons and equipment, as well as other Non-MDE equipment and construction services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $3.2 Billion.

source: 
http://www.defenseworld.net/go/searchresults.jsp?st=Foreign%20Military%20Sales%20Egypt

Washington Faces the Arab Revolts: Sacrificing Dictators to Save the State

from James Petras' website here.

The major obstacle to ousting Mubarak is that a major sector of the state apparatus, especially the 325,000 Central Security Forces and the 60,000 National Guard are directly under the Interior Ministry and Mubarak. Secondly, top Generals in the Army (468,500 members) have buttressed Mubarak for 30 years and have been enriched by their control over very lucrative companies in a wide range of fields. They will not support any civilian ‘coalition’ that calls into question their economic privileges and power to set the political parameters of any electoral system. The supreme commander of the Egyptian military is a longtime client of the US and a willing collaborator with Israel.

This is a good analysis of U.S. Imperialism in relation to the situation in Egypt. The U.S. has a long standing history of propping up dictatorships in the world from Chile with Pinochet to Indonesia with Suharto. When the media talks about U.S. Interest being threatened and the need to look out for it, what they mean is the economic interest of the capitalist class and not the interest of the people.

Suez Canal Workers go on Strike!

from here.

Suez Canal Company workers from the cities of Suez, Port Said, and Ismailia began an open-ended sit in today. Disruptions to shipping movements, as well as disasterous econmic losses, are expected if the strike continues. Over 6000 protesters have agreed that they will not go home today once their shift is over and will continue their sit-in in front of the company's headquarters until their demands are met. They are protesting against poor wages and deteriorating health and working conditions.

The importance of this announcement cannot go unnoticed. The Suez Canal remains one of the largest trade routes in the world. We can see 'American interest' clear as day being threatened by working class power. Solidarity with the workers. Solidarity with the Egyptian peoples.