WikiLeaks: U.S. Government Behind Egypt Revolution?
The
Telegraph is reporting that WikiLeaks documents suggest the Egyptian
revolution was encouraged by a U.S. government that was still publicly
propping up Mubarak’s regime. Is there truth in the suggestion?
The Telegraph article makes the assertion that the U.S. government is fully behind the Egyptian revolution and that the WikiLeaks documents prove it.
It wouldn’t be particularly surprising if the U.S. government or the CIA were meddling in Egypt, but it would be rather curious in light of the fact the U.S. government spends about $1.5 billion annually on Mubarak’s regime, propping him up for 30 years, thereby creating somewhat of a peaceful buffer in the Middle East for our protectorate Israel.
The WikiLeaks documents reveal a secret U.S. communique from the Embassy in Cairo to Washington in 2008, in which an anonymous Egyptian dissident is discussed relative to his participation in the April 6th Youth Movement of that year.
Would it not be counter-intuitive for the U.S. government to keep funding Mubarak while they secretly explore options of deposing the Egyptian dictator? If not, what does the U.S. stand to gain if it loses an ally in its fight against Al Qaeda and Muslim extremists?
While it might be baffling, this is not the first time our government has sought to bring down one of our puppet dictators (see: Manuel Noriega). Did the human and civil rights abuses become just too much for the U.S. to ignore?
According to the WikiLeaks documents, the anonymous dissident (call him ‘X’), attended the Alliance of Youth Movements Summit. The Alliance’s mission, as stated on their website is:
It should be noted that George W. Bush was President at the time of X’s interaction with the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and with “his subsequent meetings with USG officials, on Capitol Hill, and with think tanks.”
How does an Egyptian dissident have such high-level contact with officials at embassies, in Washington and with various un-named think tanks? Who spoke to X? Who are the think tanks? Why was X meeting with U.S. officials even as the U.S. was publicly supporting Mubarak’s regime?
After X returned from the Alliance summit, Egypt’s State Security (SSIS) detained him and confiscated his notes from the summit meeting and his ‘schedule for his congressional meetings.’ X was meeting with members of Congress? Something’s not right here.
The secret documents note that X recommended regime change because Mubarak would not “undertake significant reform.”
The following sentence is the most telling, however, with the Embassy officials stating, “He alleged that several opposition parties and movements have accepted an unwritten plan for democratic transition by 2011; we are doubtful of this claim.”
The notes go on to say, “April 6′s stated goal of replacing the current regime with a parliamentary democracy prior to the 2011 presidential elections is highly unrealistic, and is not supported by the mainstream opposition.”
So, the U.S. government is courting X but doesn’t believe that a democratic transition could be pulled off in 2011.
Fast forward approximately two years and this a very real possibility in Egypt. Which is more probable: X and other dissidents went ahead without U.S. government support in the January uprising, or the U.S. government has always been involved? Maybe U.S. officials changed their tune after the initial doubt highlighted in this document.
One of the more interesting comments made by X is paraphrased in the secret document:
But, roughly two years passed between the date of this secret document detailing X’s thoughts on an Egyptian democratic revolution and this year’s January uprising. Did U.S. eventually support dissidents like X?
A recent televised report on Al Jazeera had youth activists claiming U.S. support was irrelevant.
This isn’t proof of U.S. involvement as the Telegraph suggests, but it certainly makes one wonder if they’ve been behind the scenes manipulating events.
The Telegraph article makes the assertion that the U.S. government is fully behind the Egyptian revolution and that the WikiLeaks documents prove it.
It wouldn’t be particularly surprising if the U.S. government or the CIA were meddling in Egypt, but it would be rather curious in light of the fact the U.S. government spends about $1.5 billion annually on Mubarak’s regime, propping him up for 30 years, thereby creating somewhat of a peaceful buffer in the Middle East for our protectorate Israel.
The WikiLeaks documents reveal a secret U.S. communique from the Embassy in Cairo to Washington in 2008, in which an anonymous Egyptian dissident is discussed relative to his participation in the April 6th Youth Movement of that year.
Would it not be counter-intuitive for the U.S. government to keep funding Mubarak while they secretly explore options of deposing the Egyptian dictator? If not, what does the U.S. stand to gain if it loses an ally in its fight against Al Qaeda and Muslim extremists?
While it might be baffling, this is not the first time our government has sought to bring down one of our puppet dictators (see: Manuel Noriega). Did the human and civil rights abuses become just too much for the U.S. to ignore?
According to the WikiLeaks documents, the anonymous dissident (call him ‘X’), attended the Alliance of Youth Movements Summit. The Alliance’s mission, as stated on their website is:
“Movements.org is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping grassroots activists to build their capacity and make a greater impact on the world. Through the use of new technologies, grassroots activists have more capacity than ever to make change in their communities. Yet wired social movements continue to grapple with the challenges of scaling and sustaining themselves over time.”The Alliance is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Facebook, Google, Pepsi, MSNBC and the Columbia Law School, among others. So, it would seem the Telegraph is correct in making the connection between X and the U.S. government by way of the State Department.
It should be noted that George W. Bush was President at the time of X’s interaction with the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and with “his subsequent meetings with USG officials, on Capitol Hill, and with think tanks.”
How does an Egyptian dissident have such high-level contact with officials at embassies, in Washington and with various un-named think tanks? Who spoke to X? Who are the think tanks? Why was X meeting with U.S. officials even as the U.S. was publicly supporting Mubarak’s regime?
After X returned from the Alliance summit, Egypt’s State Security (SSIS) detained him and confiscated his notes from the summit meeting and his ‘schedule for his congressional meetings.’ X was meeting with members of Congress? Something’s not right here.
The secret documents note that X recommended regime change because Mubarak would not “undertake significant reform.”
The following sentence is the most telling, however, with the Embassy officials stating, “He alleged that several opposition parties and movements have accepted an unwritten plan for democratic transition by 2011; we are doubtful of this claim.”
The notes go on to say, “April 6′s stated goal of replacing the current regime with a parliamentary democracy prior to the 2011 presidential elections is highly unrealistic, and is not supported by the mainstream opposition.”
So, the U.S. government is courting X but doesn’t believe that a democratic transition could be pulled off in 2011.
Fast forward approximately two years and this a very real possibility in Egypt. Which is more probable: X and other dissidents went ahead without U.S. government support in the January uprising, or the U.S. government has always been involved? Maybe U.S. officials changed their tune after the initial doubt highlighted in this document.
One of the more interesting comments made by X is paraphrased in the secret document:
“[X] asserted that Mubarak derives his legitimacy from U.S. support, and therefore charged the U.S. with ‘being responsible’ for Mubarak’s ‘crimes.’”X: calling it like it is.
But, roughly two years passed between the date of this secret document detailing X’s thoughts on an Egyptian democratic revolution and this year’s January uprising. Did U.S. eventually support dissidents like X?
A recent televised report on Al Jazeera had youth activists claiming U.S. support was irrelevant.
This isn’t proof of U.S. involvement as the Telegraph suggests, but it certainly makes one wonder if they’ve been behind the scenes manipulating events.
No comments:
Post a Comment