So the Egyptians won, Mubarak is out, but are they really free? And since the US bungled the situation so badly, finding out about Mubarak’s resignation the same way everyone else did – the news – what if any influence does the US have with this new interim government. It’s clear that the U.S. had very little influence in the events leading up to Mubarak’s resignation:
Diplomatic channels between the United States and Egypt over the past 24 hours have been somewhat blocked. As of Friday morning, reaching members of the Egyptian government was impossible, presumably because the government was preoccupied with its internal deliberations, a U.S. official said. U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Margaret Scobey did have some contact with the Egyptian foreign ministry.
Diplomacy between the countries has been effectively cut off, said a Republican congressman familiar with the administration’s efforts. The congressman briefed reporters Friday afternoon on the condition they not use his name.
“It’s been very difficult to get information through normal diplomatic channels given the rapid changes. And you can imagine, they don’t want to sit down with an American right now when they’ve got their whole world kind of collapsing on them as we speak,” the congressman said.
The White House spokesman admitted officials were led to believe Mubarak would have something different to say on Thursday.
“I think it is safe to say that the very same contacts that we have in Egypt are some of the very same contacts that many of you all had that seemed to tell everyone that a different speech might be what we would hear,” Gibbs said to reporters about Mubarak’s speech on Thursday night.
Despite strong relations between the U.S. and Egyptian militaries, by all accounts Pentagon officials were not given advanced warning about the announcement that included the military taking over the government, officials said Friday. U.S. military officers are close to many in the Egyptian military, which has sent many officers to train at U.S. military academies.
I’d put money on the fact that the U.S. is scared shitless when it comes to the change in power in Egypt. I’m wondering if the military is ruling by proxy for Mubarak. They were willing to continue to back him when he initially said he wasn’t stepping down on Thursday – so that he has decided to leave – at least physically – the question is is he still wielding power behind the scenes.
Also what happens if the elections elect someone doesn’t like – sort of like what happened with the Palestinians some years ago when what the people wanted was who the US (and Israel) considered a terrorist organization. Mubarak may have resigned, but this story is hardly over, actually it’s just beginning.
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