Vice President Joe Biden was asked on PBS this evening whether he views Egypt’s president as a dictator. Noting that President Mubarak has been a US ally and has normalized relations with Israel, Biden said: “I would not refer to him as a dictator.”
When asked whether the time has come for Mubarak to go, Biden responded:
No. I think the time has come for President Mubarak to begin to move in the direction that – to be more responsive to some… of the needs of the people out there.
The protesters are not shouting about wanting a better life or the need for political reform. They’re shouting “Down With Mubarak!”
If the Egyptian president had any interest in being responsive to that demand, he’d be gone. But note that Biden was not suggesting that Mubarak be responsive to the Egyptian people’s demands — merely that he should be responsive to some of their needs, and then presumably they will quieten down.
At his most disingenuous, Biden even claims to have no idea what the Egyptians want or whether their aspirations are legitimate.
“We’re encouraging the protesters to – as they assemble, do it peacefully. And we’re encouraging the government to act responsibly and – and to try to engage in a discussion as to what the legitimate claims being made are, if they are, and try to work them out,” Biden said. “I think that what we should continue to do is to encourage reasonable… accommodation and discussion to try to resolve peacefully and amicably the concerns and claims made by those who have taken to the street. And those that are legitimate should be responded to because the economic well-being and the stability of Egypt rests upon that middle class buying into the future of Egypt.”
Thus speaks the patrician who believes everyone has a price. Mubarak doesn’t need to go — he just needs to determine the right price for pacifying his subjects.
Biden, like Chenney, is just another US War Crminal in the WH.
Biden is a Jurassic Park zombie with cuff links…always has been.
BTW….if any chose they can donate a few dollars to help Egyptians get some server service to stay on twitter and keep in contact with the outside world.
Recommended by mondo and the group appears legit to me from what I could tell on their site. so…send a few bucks.
https://www.accessnow.org/page/contribute/Help-Egypt-With-Tor
First and foremost, Biden is a proud Zionist. He could not care less about the people of Egypt. The Democratic party certainly is not dependent on donations from Egyptian Americans.
// reasonable… accommodation and discussion //
Sounds a bit like the US hasn’t made up its mind which horse to back next.
The imperial tone of the question and the answers is what is so interesting:
asked whether the time has come for Mubarak to go
Tha Answer should be; Egypt is a sovereign state and the USA cannot and will not involve in their internal affairs. Yes we have important bilateral agreements with the country and understandings with Egypt and we support the administration and its people but we will continue our support when the current internal turmoil is resolved.
Diplomatically he cannot condemn a foreign head of state and he cannot encourage protest, but his answer is just pathetic and begs the question, “what length a piece of string?”.
Is the elimination of Mubarak as head of state an “unreasonable” demand of the people? Is asking for fair elections , reasonable or should the people in the streets just concern themselves with the price of bread and other commodities leaving the important things to an Elite including Mubarak and Biden? Does the American administration decide what is “reasonable” for the Egyptian people and that their puppet dictator should give them a bit of that and carry on as normal?
Get rid of Biden! This man has the political philosophy of a bottom feeder. You don’t need transparency to see that he is a fascist imperialist autocratic elitist who pays not even passing lip service to the idea that the Egyptian people have a sovereign right to democratic self determination. For Biden no sacrifice of any people at home or abroad is too great for the interests of the backers of his administration, and the nationality of those behind him; those who put Obama and Biden on their pedestals and keep them there is probably less important than the colour of their money!
Blair too shows his contempt
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9379000/9379282.stm
Anthony, the War Crminal Blair speaking and ‘dog shiting’ means the same thing.
This administration is showing how out of touch it is, along with the Congress. Better keep your eyes on your own back yard. As far as believing that there is back up here, better think twice over that one. A rude awakening is in the wings. But you can bet it’s going to happen, sooner that later. The ear marks are all around. Wonder which Country they will escape to?