Today I am talking about the continued violence in Cairo, and the (final) withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. Keeping it sweet and short for the sake of my head.
Oh yeah and Kim Jong-Il just died.. Hopefully that'll change some things in North Korea.
Revolutionaries that act like counter-revolutionaries
For a third day in a row violence continues at Tahrir Square and its surrounding streets in Cairo. Ten people have been reported dead and many more injured as police moved into the square to evacuate protesters and to burn down tents (sounds a little like Occupy Wall Street in NYC to me). The government claims that the protesters in Tahrir are counter-revolutionaries and do not belong to the same group that brought about Mubarak’s fall. The protesters claim to demonstrate against the military council that still has much of Egyptian politics under its control.
How can you define a revolutionary versus a counter-revolutionary in a country in which there is no status quo to revolt against? To move in violently, and even shoot at protesters (see the Al-Jazeera link above) is certainly not a proportional response to non-violent protesters. However, to burn down the Institute of Egypt like the protesters did is not right either. The current government should allow the right for peaceful protest and should address the concern voiced by the population about the power that the military still has in the current power structure. If the government and the military council do not do so soon, there will be protests well into next year until a parliament is finally elected and the drafting of a new constitution can begin.
"Aaaaaand they’re gone (finally)"
After more than eight years the last US troops finally crossed the border into Kuwait where they closed a metaphorical gate behind them and shook hands with the Kuwaitis for some pictures. The mission in Iraq cost the US 1 trillion dollars. According Gary Younge, a columnist for The Guardian, it is a shame that the United States probably won’t learn much from their time in Iraq. The deed is done, the mission is over, it was a failure, and therefore most will try to forget the sacrifices that were made for eight years to achieve close to nothing. Meanwhile, Iraq is still stuck in its sectarian quagmire that shows no sign of resolution. Even in the highest echelons of power there are bomb threats against the Shia minority that forms part of the coalition that rules the country.
The Iraqi government has been busy collecting data on Iraqis that worked with the Americans while they were still in the country. Now that the American soldiers are gone there is little protection offered to those who “betrayed” their country. Many have waited for their visa to the US for months, but most of them are still pending. Most of the Iraqis that are affected fear that the information gathered by the government will leak to armed groups that will then assassinate all those that collaborated with the foreigners.
Personally, I hope that the money that is saved by leaving Iraq will ultimately help the United States to recuperate from its own economic problems. Now that we have left the country it is important to convince the PM of Iraq to view Iran as an intruding power that wishes to heavily influence Iraqi politics to solidify its position as a regional power against Saudi Arabia. The sectarian violence seems to be a constant problem that cannot be solved. A national campaign to engage in cross sectarian dialogue would help to alleviate some of the strains that threaten to rip the young democracy apart. To put a bit of a positive spin on Iraq, I would say that at least they have a head start on their democratic project. They have had years to set up their parliament and constitution whereas Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt are just starting to create their first “real” democracies.
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