A follow-up check-in with Barry Rubin:
This is a huge lesson in political culture. It also shows just how bad the media coverage has been. Mubarak is not resigning. He’s managing the “reform” process. He is appointing a committee to study constitutional changes. He will decide when there are elections. He is going to “consider” changing the emergency law. He basically said: I am an Arab warrior, not a community organizer. That speech should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the Middle East.
This is not over yet. There has been no revolution so far, but the protesters are going to freak out. If Obama has been interpreted as applauding real and major change, either he didn’t know what Mubarak was going to say or he is going to look like a total fool.
When Mubarak said he won’t accept outside advice, that was a direct slap at Obama. Can you imagine the expression on Obama’s face as he watched the speech after being told by his intelligence that Mubarak resigned? After he made a speech about how the youth had forced change? If I had to summarize it, tabloid-style, I’d say: “Mubarak to Obama: Drop Dead!“
The regime is not giving in — Mubarak will leave office, perhaps in September, but the regime will fight on. The speech was the equivalent of Charles Bronson or Clint Eastwood saying: Come and get me!
Of course, we should not forget that this is a dictator refusing to step down. Mubarak and the army knew that this would inflame the crowd. The army would not have agreed to this unless it was willing to deal with the consequences.
You had me at the second paragraph, last sentence.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm inclined to agree with your assessment of Mr. Obama, Fool in chief.
Thank you for saying what so many are STILL afraid to say, Mr. Rubin.
I only wish Mubarak had really said he was an Arab Warrior and not a community organizer. That would have been priceless :)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo... is everything somehow Obama's fault? HM steps down and the Muslim Brotherhood will be the ones to take over, leading to another Iran... Obama's fault. HM stays in power and a dictator stays in control... obviously the only way to read this is he's doing so to insult Obama.
NRO has become a shell of its former self. The Corner carries as much intellectual weight now as does Redstate.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAll Arab regimes effectively use the “sovereignty” crutch against outside pressure. Mubarak is defiant because the Saudis pledged to help if the US cuts off aid. Also, by being defiant Mubarak's cares more about the regime than what the protesters might do. He is essentially defending the regime and top army generals who are possibly tainted by corruption and unsure about support from the lower ranks.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@Interested Observer
Twice now, our fearless leader has rushed out in front of the cameras to attempt to grab credit for the revolution that never happened.
This petulant child-president, so desperate to look like a real leader, that patient observation escapes him, indeed looks like an absolute fool today.
Obama could have sat back and shut up, but noooooooo, he had to run out and put his stamp of incompetence on it before the moment passed.
Dont blame NRO, that the community organizer failed to check the community before flipping on the teleprompter.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"...either he didn’t know what Mubarak was going to say or he is going to look like a total fool."
These options are not mutually exclusive.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think the point here is that the Arab world is full of communities with an uncommon resistance to being organized. This is true because, for all its murderous tendencies and other atrocious flaws, it can be said that the Arab world retains certain masculine virtues that have long since been marginalized in the West. "Community organization" is by its very nature an avocation of pantywaists. Small wonder that Mr. Rubin compares Mubarak to Eastwood and/or Bronson -- he is set in basrelief to Obama. Who wouldn't look like the tough guy?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseObama's mistake, as always, is to run in front of a teleprompter to read what it says before learning what it says before it escapes his mouth.
I heard multiple people in the adminstration giving different answers to what Mubarak was supposed to do. The answers were played back to back to back. All the answers conflicted with each other. Sadly it would make a great SNL routine.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseObama picked one heck of a week to give up smoking.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNow if HM can get the Islamic Brotherhood to self identify, he can kill large numbers of them (the key figures usually stay well in the back, so they will have to be captured and prosecuted separately).
Keep in mind that the Islamic Brotherhood is illegal in Egypt for good reason, having murdered HM's predecessor Sadat.
After the swamp is drained, the constitution can be rewritten and elections can be held. If he can pull that off, Mubarak will be the Pinochet of Egypt, the DeGaulle of Eqypt, the Washington of Egypt.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@Hening - funniest comment I've ever seen here.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo much Obama hate; it is as if some people are rooting against America just to spit on him.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOur country is being run by children. Inept, spoiled children, at that. What happened to the good old days when the adults were the ones who ran the country?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"So much Obama hate; it is as if some people are rooting against America just to spit on him."
it is not nearly as evil and vitriolic as teh left's hatred against Bush for 8 years. So stop crying like a baby.
Nobody is saying that Egypt is Obama's fault. but his reactions (multiple and contradictory) show an incompetent administration. That is the point. As in every other area, Obama and his fellow travelers are incompetent in foreign policy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs a sign of good faith and solidarity Dear Leader should start smoking again.....Camels. This would show he's serious taking part in real transformation.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is a big deal. Barry Rubin is a liberal/progressive who had hopes for the Obama Administration's efforts to promote peace in the Middle East.
These hopes have not materialized and Barry Rubin is taking the gloves off.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMobarak's days are numbered. Obama still has six more years. Deal with it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMubarak resigns.
Community Organizer: 1
Arab Warrior: 0
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDear King Abdul of Jordan. Let this be lesson to you. Don't mess with the Community Organizer.
When he calls you and tells you it's time to go, that's when you say yes sir.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDoxROW Hi! I'm just wondering if i can get in touch with you, since you have amazing content, and i'm thinking of running a couple co- projects! email me pls
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse