Blair's Hypocrisy and the Riddle of the Sphinx

From Private Eye magazine number 1344:

The same page (5) has a brief summary of Blair's love affair with democracy in Egypt:

Who better to offer a hopeful sermon to strife-torn Egypt than roving Middle East vicar, Tony Blair?

"I am a strong supporter of democracy," the great peacemaker wrote in Sunday's Observer.  "This struggle matters to us.  The good news is that there are millions of modern and open-minded people out there.   They need to know we are on their side, their allies, prepared to pay the price to be there with them."

The former PM knows Egypt well, of course.  As we pointed out after the 2011 revolution that toppled president Hosni Mubarak, Blair was happy to take his Christmas hols in the country no fewer than five times between 2000 and 2005 when the Egyptian dictator's regime was at its zenith.  At the first of those visits, Blair was "a guest of the Egyptian government at two private government villas at Sharm-el-Sheikh", according to his entry in the register of MPs' interests, while on at least one subsequent trip Mubarak paid for the flights.  Can this be what the vicar means about showing pro-democracy Egyptians that "we are on their side" and, er, "prepared to pay the price to be there"?

Of course as neoconservatism's ambassador at large, indeed, the man who puts the Con in NeoCon, Blair can excuse anything that doesn't quite tally with his professed commitment to democracy.  And here's a little nugget reported in The Observer (Guardian online)  that the Eye missed out:

"I am a strong supporter of democracy. But democratic government doesn't on its own mean effective government. Today efficacy is the challenge." 

Leaving it to The Observer to note:

Having taken this country to war in Iraq in 2003 despite huge public opposition, including a march by more than a million people through London, Blair now argues that shows of public unrest such as that in Egypt – fuelled and organised through social media – cannot be ignored.

I don't know, maybe there is a certain consistency there.  Lots of people on the streets in Egypt, send in the army.  Lots of people on the streets of the UK, send in the army...to Iraq.

PS: I was looking on google for a quote about Blair from former Tory MP, Matthew Parris.  I couldn't find it but here's Parris on Blair from Wikipedia:

I believe Tony Blair is an out-and-out rascal, terminally untrustworthy and close to being unhinged. I said from the start that there was something wrong in his head, and each passing year convinces me more strongly that this man is a pathological confidence-trickster. To the extent that he ever believes what he says, he is delusional. To the extent that he does not, he is an actor whose first invention — himself — has been his only interesting role.

What I find interesting about this quote in the Matthew Parris Wikipedia entry is that the quote itself says nothing specific about Parris though it does sum up Blair.  It would be more appropriate for Blair's own entry.  It appears that hatred of Blair is so widespread some people will use any outlet to vent it.

Israeli Labourite offered Mubarak asylum

It was the least Israel could do for its man in Cairo and just typical that an offer of asylum under Israeli protection would come from a Labour member of Israel's parliament.  Here's the JTA:

As the trial of Hosni Mubarak began in Egypt, an Israeli lawmaker said he had offered political asylum in Israel to the longtime Egyptian president.

Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, a Knesset member from the Labor Party, told Israel’s Army Radio on Wednesday that he had made the offer to an ailing Mubarak several months ago in Sharm el-Sheikh, a Red Sea resort city in Egypt.

"I met [Mubarak] in Sharm el-Sheikh and I told him that it was a short distance and that it might be a good chance to heal himself," Ben-Eliezer said, according to Haaretz. "I am convinced that the Israel government would have accepted him, but he declined [the offer] because he was a patriot."

I'm sure many Arab patriots would be honoured to end out their days in Palestine but maybe the blessing for Mubarak's presence was a humiliation too far:

According to The Jerusalem Post, Ben-Eliezer said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a party to the offer.

Clearly comrade Hosni Mubarak is a man of the highest integrity.

This year in Egypt, Next year in Palestine

Although not fully aware of the rosy glasses he wears, the runaway Israeli ambassador in Egypt is a hopeful man, about whose prophesies one can only say, "may they come true sooner in our times." This is from his rambling commentary on the downfall of his dear friend:

As long as we had Mubarak, there was no void in our relations with the region. Now we're in big trouble...From a strategic point of view, Israel is now facing a hostile situation. It's over, there is no one left to lead the pragmatic, moderate state. ...The next stage is disbanding parliament, as the people won't accept a parliament based on fraud, and holding new elections. Naturally, the opposition will also want to run in these elections and will ask for a longer period of time to gain recognition. The Muslim Brotherhood will take action as well, of course...(Tantawi) is okay, but the strategic situation comprises forces we are unfamiliar with. The army will likely maintain the peace agreement, but there will be developments we cannot foresee at this time." (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4027283,00.html)

Oh Tel Aviv, don't cry! Dictators come and go. The Empire giveth and the people taketh away. It is unwise to get too emotionally attached. If you allow me to paraphrase an old Midrash:

The colonialist arrives to the new land with a closed fist, as if to say, "this is all mine," but will leave with an open palm, as if to say "I took nothing with me," not even wisdom.

Mubarak resigns

No real surprise there but it is exciting that the Egyptian people have risen against and overcome a stooge for the USA and the State of Israel.  There's news all over the web.  Here's the Beeb:

Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down as president of Egypt.

In an announcement on state TV, Vice-President Omar Suleiman said Mr Mubarak had handed power to the military.

It came as thousands massed in Cairo and other Egyptian cities for an 18th day of protest to demand Mr Mubarak's resignation.

Protesters responded by cheering, waving flags, embracing and sounding car horns. "The people have brought down the regime," they chanted.

But of course, it ain't over:

Mr Suleiman said Mr Mubarak had handed power to the high command of the armed forces.

Hmmm....

Obama, Mubarak and the Brothers

I'm just trying to piece reports together here.  I said before that I think Obama will try to co-opt the Brotherhood.  Then I heard/saw on Channel 4 news that Obama is backing Mubarak though I couldn't find that report in so many words on the C4 news website.  And now Voice of America is saying that the Muslim Brotherhood is in talks with Mubarak's Vice-President:

Egypt's largest opposition party, the Muslim Brotherhood, says it will begin talks with with Egypt's Vice President Omar Suleiman on the public's right to protest safely and the possible exit of President Hosni Mubarak, who has held office for 30 years.

Suleiman has met with other opposition supporters, but this would be the first time the Muslim Brotherhood has taken part.

Could be something, could be nothing but I think it is something.

Keep Mubarak! Tel Aviv insists!

Israel is getting more panic stricken over the likely fall of the Mubarak regime in Egypt. Apparently Netanyahu has told his ministers not to mention the situation in Egypt one way or another but the instruction seems not to have been passed down to deputy ministers. Here's The Indian Express:

Amid efforts by the Israeli government to consciously refrain from siding with embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the US administration has been flayed here for "turning its back" on one of its most trusted allies in the Middle East and "throwing him to the dogs".

Israel's Deputy Minister for Galilee and Negev Development, Ayoub Kara, told visiting former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, a likely Republican US presidential candidate, that US President Barack Obama needed to understand that "supporting the masses carrying out a revolution in Egypt is like support for the Muslim Brotherhood which is likely to take Mubarak's place," The Jerusalem Post reported.

Kara, who is from from the ruling Likud party, said he was "disappointed by Obama turning his back" on Mubarak.

Well that ministerial silence lasted all of a day. Some Israelis just can't control their colonial arrogance.