A.Loewenstein Online Newsletter

      *    The coming insurrection in Egypt

• At least the Guardian didn’t ask US how to proceed over Wikileaks
• Just in case the world didn’t know what the Zionist state thinks
• We should thank Cairo for repressing people?
• A young girl in Egypt tells Mubarak to shove it
• Wikileaks told us that Mubarak was going to appoint a VP
• Journalists, don’t be afraid to rely on Arabs to tell you Egyptian truth

The coming insurrection in Egypt Posted: 31 Jan 2011 Thank you, Glenn Beck, for showing us all:

At least the Guardian didn’t ask US how to proceed over Wikileaks Posted: 31 Jan 2011 03:38 PM PST Unlike the New York Times: A few days before the cables’ release, two senior figures from the US embassy in Grosvenor Square called in to the Guardian‘s London offices for a chat. This discussion led to a surreal transatlantic telephone call on Friday 26 November – two days before launch. Alan Rusbridger agreed to ring Washington. He made the conference call from the circular table in his office. On the line was PJ Crowley, the US assistant secretary of state for public affairs. The conversation began: “OK, here’s PJ Crowley. I just want you to know in this phone call we’ve got Secretary of State Clinton’s private secretary, we have representatives of the DoD [department of defence], the intelligence communities, and the national security council.” All Rusbridger could offer in reply was: “We have our managing editor here.” Crowley set out the view from the lofty heights of US power: “Obviously, from our perspective these are stolen documents. They reveal sensitive military secrets and addresses that expose people to security risks.” Crowley made his pitch. He said the US government was “willing to help” the Guardian if it was prepared to “share the documents” it had – in other words, tip off the state department which cables it intended to publish. Rusbridger was noncommittal. Clinton’s private secretary chipped in. She said: “I’ve got a very direct question for you, Mr Rusbridger. You journalists like asking direct questions and I know you expect direct answers. So I’m going to ask you a direct question. Are you going to give us the numbers of the cables or not?” “No, we’re not.” “Thank you very much.” Rusbridger did decide to tell the Americans the paper’s broad publication schedule. Day one was to feature Iran, he said, day two North Korea and day three Pakistan. Then the conversation was over.

Just in case the world didn’t know what the Zionist state thinks Posted: 31 Jan 2011 Autocrats rule: Israel threw its support behind Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Monday, appealing to the U.S. and other governments to support the embattled leader and giving the Egyptian military the go-ahead to deploy forces in the Sinai Peninsula once again. The popular uprising against Mubarak took Israel completely by surprise, and for several days the government had refused any comment. But on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was watching the unfolding events with “vigilance.” “We are anxiously monitoring what is happening in Egypt and (elsewhere) in our region. Our efforts are designed to continue and maintain stability and security in our region,” Netanyahu said.

We should thank Cairo for repressing people? Posted: 31 Jan 2011 Democracy for Arabs? Not in the Murdoch world. Here’s a senior Australian editor, Alan Howe – the man has form – writing today on Egypt in Melbourne’s Herald Sun. It’s all about Israel, screw freedom or rights. The Zionist state has corrupted our souls: Sayyid Qutb. Remember that name. You’ll hear it often in coming months and years. Indeed, he may end up being the most influential person of the 21st century. He’s been dead 46 years. But Karl Marx was the person who most influenced the 20th century he did not live to see. Marx’s writings inspired the communism and socialism that spread throughout large parts of the world after the Russian Revolution. The internal contradictions of communism eventually caused its collapse, as surely as China has turned away from it and the command economy. Qutb’s influence is more menacing than Marx. The radicals of the Muslim Brotherhood that are these days inspired by his manifesto, In The Shade of The Koran, will be central to the riots and violent chaos in Cairo. It has always been the ultimate aim of the likes of Qutb and the Koran-quoting assassins he inspires to die advancing the cause of Islam. It goes without saying that an Egypt led by Islamic theocrats would attack Israel, unleashing god knows what. The world understands Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak corruptly keeps government and that some of his people are illegally repressed. But that draconian rule has kept Egypt stable and its Islamic core under control. After losing wars with Israel, it decided to join the modern world in accepting that country’s right to exist, even if Egyptian Muslims still see it as an enemy.

A young girl in Egypt tells Mubarak to shove it Posted: 31 Jan 2011 We see and hear female protesters in Egypt far too infrequently:

Wikileaks told us that Mubarak was going to appoint a VP Posted: 31 Jan 2011 2005: The London-based Financial Times reported on June 15 that President Mubarak intends to name a Vice President – a step he has refused to take throughout his 24 year tenure as President – after the September Presidential elections. We reached out to the reporter who filed the story, who confirmed to us that Soliman Awad, a key aide to Mubarak and his official spokesman, had made the remark, on-the-record, over dinner with her and several British colleagues. Most contacts we have spoken with were unaware of and surprised by the news, with a number expressing skepticism, noting that the timing of such a revelation and the means of conveying it, were unorthodox, at the least. Of those who gave the story credence, all agreed that Intelligence Chief General Omar Soliman was the most likely to be named to the post. We do not doubt that Mubarak’s aide made this statement to the British journalists. However, given the sensitive and even historic nature of such news, we doubt it was intended as an official and on-the-record statement, and though revelatory, it could still be subject to change. End summary.

Journalists, don’t be afraid to rely on Arabs to tell you Egyptian truth Posted: 31 Jan 2011 Here’s an idea for a Western newspaper trying to report in Egypt. Rather than sending your own correspondent who doesn’t get anywhere near the action – or know any of the important writers, bloggers, Tweeters etc – you actually rely on other, perhaps indigenous sources, who are seeing the real action on the streets. Not the Australian’s finest hour: What do you do when the man who’s just checked you into your hotel is out the front looking up the street with an iron bar in his hand? A gang was heading our way as the largest Arab city in the world descended into anarchy. Iron bars have become the only tool of law and order in the chaos that is Cairo at night. By day the Egyptian capital is the centre of a revolt that is shaking the Arab world. But the mood of hope for political reform darkened into violent lawlessness yesterday as police abandoned the streets and soldiers largely watched the chaos from a distance. That split left the Indiana Hotel part Fawlty Towers and part Once Were Warriors. Safe hotels near Tahrir Square had become unreachable. “Too dangerous,” a driver said. “I take you to another hotel that is safe.” I checked into the Indiana, although we could hear gunfire in the distance. From a balcony an hour later I saw the receptionist, along with about 15 other men, holding metal bars, saws and metal poles with hooks at the end. Weapons in one hand, mobile phones in the other. Staff in the hotel frantically hid valuables and moved furniture across the door to shore us up. They brought out the fire hose. They explained that gangs of looters were roaming the wealthier neighbourhoods, storming hotels and other buildings. Soon after dark, shouts erupted at the front of the hotel. Several people ran inside. Then a gunshot. More shouting. No room service here tonight.