Friday, January 28, 2011

So, what's going on in Egypt?

I was going to do this myself (honest), but this seems like a pretty fair assessment/cop out for me to take.


http://promotingpeace.tumblr.com/post/2969260999 (via BoingBoing)

Some additional commentary, also via BoingBoing.. comments section!.. Look out!

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2011/01/28/imagining-new-egypt
After a good summary of the situation, the writer adds:
"I have started getting reports from citizen journalists that government-hired thugs will make sure that nothing about tomorrow is peaceful. They say that in several low-income parts of Cairo and Alexandria, government-hired thugs were seen to be splashing petroleum over parked cars. This to prepare for protests in which they'll light vehicles on fire when the time is right for them.
"They've also heard rumours that the intelligence services will release a separate group of thugs under the name Akhwan al- Haq, or Brothers of Truth, a trumped-up extremist group, that will charge through the streets with swords and caustic acid to splash on the protesters - thus placing all the blame of a peaceful uprising gone violent on a certain kind of Islamic extremism."
 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/27/egypt-riot-security-force-action
Guardian reporter Jack Shenker recounts his beatings and arrest by Egyptian officers. While detained inside an Egypitian police facility where protesters were being beaten, he says, when he identified himself as a British reporter, a high-ranking officer punched him and yelled "Fuck you and fuck Britain."

Update: 

 "Confirming what a few have reported this evening: in an action unprecedented in Internet history, the Egyptian government appears to have ordered service providers to shut down all international connections to the Internet. (renesys.com)

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Basically, at this point I'm apparently content in a single media source (being lazy) and ripping off BoingBoing. Whaddya gonna do?

I swear at some point this weekend some real content is gonna make it's way up here... and if not, whaddya gonna do! ;)

Also, happy, happy Friday! See below:

Update:

A good one: http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/01/whats-happening-egypt-explained

Also US implications.