Monday, January 31, 2011

Egypt needs change, but, President Mubarak is not a demon.


Egypt has always had visionaries and peace makers among its leaders.

Oct. 6, 1981
Then-Vice President Hosni Mubarak, left, and President Anwar Sadat, right, attend a military parade in Cairo with the president in 1981 to commemorate Victory Day. Moments later, a group of military Islamist fundamentalists with allegiance to the al-Jihad group killed Sadat in a shooting spree.
The Egyptian people do not have to hate their President to demand the change they want.  Th Egyptian people have a good history and one they can be proud of.  The people are seeking a better country for themselves and their children.  President Mubarak is doing the right thing for his people, at least he is trying to please them. 

Egypt in msny ways has been a 'reformer' country in the Middle East, along side of Jordon. 

I believe the concern, as next year's elections draw near, is whether or not Egypt leadership will represent the will of the people or take on the characyeristics of a monarchy.  There has to be some concern among all Egyptians to the 'opportunity' for diverse leadership.

Egypt's economy has faultered a bit since 2008, but, that is the case with any country that has tourism as an integrated part of its GDP.  Folliwing the investment banks failure of 2008, Egypt had paqlpable changes within its ecomy.  It was already experienced 11.7% inflation, but, it jumped to 16.2% in 2009.  Recentky the inflation rate in Egypt has fallen to 10%,  I am convinced this is a factor in the unrest in the country.  Presideny Mubarak had liitle to do in causing that, but, I am sure the people are unhappy he could not protect them.  The Egyptian unemployment rate during this time has remained 8 to 9 percent, so it the 2008 impact has been felt in the general economy and the cost of products primarily.

There is strife in Egypt and the people grow tired of it.  It is time for the country to change and embrace the will of its people.  There is no reason why the peope of Egypt have to hate their President in order to move more aggressivelt into the future,  This just the next step for Egypt.  The global community should continue to encourage President Mubarak to step aside and allow peaceful transition to occur.

Fear of unrest grows as soaring wheat prices strain Egypt's creaking economy  (click title to entry - thank you)
The Guardian,

...Tempers flare outside a government bakery as the smell of hot baladi (country) bread wafts out from the ovens. There is pushing and shoving as a worker appears at the window to hand out plastic bags of the rough, round flat loaves - each weighing a standard 160 grams (5.5oz)- to customers.
"I've been here since before six and this is what I get," grumbles Umm Islam, her face contorted in fury. "My husband is retired and I have five children and it's not enough."
Others complain of their pitifully small incomes and shortages. In the last two months 11 people have died in bread queues, either from exhaustion, heart attacks, brawls or accidents....
Ian Black in Cairo