The revolution in Egypt is intensely emotional for me. I have many close friends who have been deeply involved in the pro-democracy movement in Egypt for years. Over the years they have been beaten, arrested, sexually violated, and imprisoned by the regime of Hosni Mubarak. These are courageous people--I am thinking of one friend in particular. She is fearless, strong, intelligent, funny, warm. She possesses a kind of courage you don't see every day. For over a decade, these young, courageous people have protested against the dictatorship in their country. They have protested on behalf of the poor in Egypt, against the pillaging of the nation's wealth by the Mubarak regime, against the rampant torture, against the lack of freedom and opportunity, against Mubarak's alliance with Israel in oppressing Palestinians. Their goals have always been justice for their people, a better system of government for their country, and more dignity for all Egyptians. I have not been in touch with most of them, but I know they are in Tahrir Square today.
Why write this diary: I want to impress upon Americans who the people are who have led this protest, what it is about, and why the response of US government and the Obama administration has been grotesque. The West's fear of an Islamic bogeyman is a sorry and disgusting excuse for deferring democracy for the Arab world in perpetuity.
As for the Obama administration's response: saying you want an "orderly transition now" does not translate into support for democracy. It does not mean you support the popular will of the Egyptian people or the demands of the protesters. It does not mean you support an end to the NDP's brutality in Egypt. Without explicitly saying that the NDP must not be allowed to organize any new elections, and without explicitly saying that the protesters demands are legitimate and must be met, without saying that the regime of Hosni Mubarak--all of them, all of them-- must end their reign of terror, the Obama administration by default sides with the regime in power.
There is no neutrality. We've armed Mubarak for 30 years. Obama would have continued to arm this regime and continued with the status quo if not for the sheer magnitude of the protests by the Egyptian people. The US is not neutral. Obama cannot be neutral.
I am a cynic. I know what US interests are in the region. I know what is happening behind the scenes is more important than the lukewarm statements of the Obama administration calling for restraint. I will not get into that here.
As I hear live gunfire in Tahrir Square, what is perhaps the beginning of a massacre, I say to all of you who wonder why the Arab peoples laugh with cynicism every time a US government spokesperson talks about human rights and democracy: now do you see why? This was your chance to be on the right side. This was it. This was a popular revolution. It was a people's revolution demanding dignity. The Obama administration is doing what every administration did before him: support the strategic interests of the US against the human rights of the Arab peoples. And to that, and to all those who defend this administration for its "moderate" or "careful" response, I say shame on you.
To Cairo, the city I know so well, and to its people who I love, who manage to live with such joy and life and music and humor despite almost incomprehensible difficulties, I can only say that in this past week, you have shown the world who you are, how beautiful you are, and you've taught all of us lessons in courage. And you've laid bare the hypocrisy and sheer viciousness of US policy toward the Arab peoples. I hope Americans remember these moments when generation after generation in the Arab world continues to hold the US responsible.
Update: There is a massacre occurring in Tahrir Square. Mona Seif is in the square and is on Al Jazeera asking the world in tears, "what more needs to happen"?
She reiterates that the thousands of people in Tahrir are not leaving (they can't leave, they are surrounded), and that either they will all be killed or the world does something.
Teenagers, women, children are in the square.