Tunis and now Egypt

[RichardCranium]

Educated better off people have less need of religion.

So what is the excuse for the bible-belt USA Baptists?

[amcdonald]

they've shutdown the internet over there and also the mobile phone networks !


.

They couldn't do it here, one day without Facebook and every student would be rioting on the streets

[TykeMerc]

They couldn't do it here, one day without Facebook and every student would be rioting on the streets

Admittedly they would all be on different streets

[TykeMerc]

So what is the excuse for the bible-belt USA Baptists?

Considering the education level of some parts of the USA the argument is still valid, just a slightly different type of god bothering.

[RichardCranium]

Admittedly they would all be on different streets

[Alf W]

Coming soon to a street near you.

Kick out Clegg & Cameron - Tunisia shows the way

No wonder Cameron and his fag have buggered off to Switzerland for the weekend.

[Sysman]

They couldn't do it here, one day without Facebook and every student would be rioting on the streets

Would that make any difference?

[Sysman]

Coming soon to a street near you.

Kick out Clegg & Cameron - Tunisia shows the way

Like I said...

Will anyone take any notice?

[milanbenes]

Admittedly they would all be on different streets

funny you should say that

but it seems they were using facebook to organise themselves

Milan.

[Jog On]

I find all this more than a little worrying. Is there not the likelyhood that when the secular governments are toppled, the way is paved for the Islamic extremists to make their move for power?

Do you mean the CIA?

I think both sides are watching carefully:

Obama ratchets up pressure on Egypt's Mubarak

Even with its more assertive tone, the Obama administration seemed to be juggling its desire for regional stability, its support for democratic change and its determination to avoid the rise of an anti-U.S. Islamist government in Cairo potentially aligned with Iran.

Since taking office two years ago, Obama and his administration have struggled at times to balance support for moderate, authoritarian Arab states considered crucial to U.S. interests with a push for expanded political freedoms.

Egypt is an example of that dilemma. The United States sees it as a linchpin for future Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking and a bulwark against Iran's regional clout.

Most U.S.-based analysts believe Mubarak is likely to weather the storm, if for no other reason than his government and military seem prepared to use whatever force is needed.

But if Mubarak does lose his 30-year grip on power, the greatest U.S. fear would be the rise of a government with strong Islamist ties and the risk of Egypt aligning itself with Iran, a bitter foe of the United States and its ally Israel.

This is widely seen as something the powerful Egyptian military would never permit. Washington has poured billions of dollars of military and other aid into Egypt since it became the first of only two Arab states to make peace with Israel.

[Jog On comment: With such a reliance on the tourism industry I don't think they would want a hard line Islamic government scaring away visitors to their ancient hostorical monuments. Tourism is their largest industry]

This might turn out to be bigger than just Egypt if it becomes used as a stage for the West/US/democracy vs Islam in a 'hearts and minds' tug of war...

I still want to go on a Nile cruise this year