Western powers push Mubarak to fulfill vows, call for 'free' elections - Polidicks

[QUOTE](CNN) -- Several Western powers banded together Saturday in urging Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to do all he can to prevent bloodshed and speedily fulfill his promises of reform. The heads of England, France and Germany joined their counterpart in the United States on Saturday in calling on Egypt's leader to institute substantive policy changes in short order as well as new, open elections. "It is essential that the further political, economic and social reforms President Mubarak has promised are implemented fully and quickly, and meet the aspirations of the Egyptian people," said a joint statement issued by British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "The Egyptian people have ... a longing for a just and better future," the statement continued. "We urge President Mubarak to embark on a process of transformation, which should be reflected in a board-based government and in free and fair elections." Acknowledging the "moderating role" played by Mubarak in the Middle East, the Western leaders urged him to "show the same moderation" in Egypt and allow people to demonstrate peacefully. They also called for "full respect for human rights and democratic freedoms, including freedom of expression and communication." Meanwhile, Washington continued Saturday to keep up pressure on the Egyptian leader, on the same day he announced a new deputy, among other Cabinet changes. U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley tweeted that the Egyptian government "can't reshuffle the deck and then stand pat." He added that Mubarak's "words pledging reform must be followed by action." "With protesters still on the streets" in Egypt, he wrote, "we remain concerned about the potential for violence and again urge restraint on all sides." The people of Egypt "no longer accept the status quo," Crowley added. "They are looking to their government for a meaningful process to foster real reform." President Barack Obama had said Friday that he had spoken with Mubarak after the Egyptian president made a televised speech. Mubarak, in his address, said he understands "these legitimate demands of the people and I truly understand the depth of their worries and burdens, and I will not part from them ever and I will work for them every day." Obama said he told Mubarak "he has a responsibility to give meaning to those words, to take concrete steps and actions that deliver on that promise." "Violence will not address the grievances of the Egyptian people," Obama said in a televised appearance Friday. "Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away." Members of Obama's diplomatic and national security teams, including Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held a two-hour discussion on Egypt Saturday morning, according to White House spokesman Tommy Vietor. Obama himself convened a similar meeting on the situation in the early afternoon. In an interview conducted Friday morning in Davos, Switzerland, British Prime Minister Cameron told CNN's Fareed Zakaria that "reform and progress in the greater strengthening of democracy and civil rights" is needed in Egypt. The interview will air at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday on the "Fareed Zakaria GPS" program on CNN. Cameron said "just the act of holding an election isn't enough," urging a "more mature and thoughtful approach" to build a stronger democracy. He made a point that he didn't think the overthrow of Mubarak -- whom he called "a friend of Britain" -- was necessary. "What we support is evolution, reform, not revolution," the prime minister said. "We'd all be better off if there were more countries with more democratic institutions," he added. "But let's recognize those institutions need to be built from the bottom up, not always sort of dropped in from the top down." [img]http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/WORLD/meast/01/29/egypt.protests.western.reactions/t1larg.dcrally.cnn.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] Source: [url]http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/01/29/egypt.protests.western.reactions/index.html?hpt=T2[/url]

[quote]He made a point that he didn't think the overthrow of Mubarak -- whom he called "a friend of Britain" -- was necessary.[/quote] [img]http://photos.upi.com/slideshow/lbox/772d26adbfc80162a8611f1a12c65e89/Obama-meets-with-Egyptian-President-Mubarak.jpg[/img] "Thanks bro."

You don't want a full on revolution either.

Why are they protesting in front of the White House? America has nothing to do with this. If we were to intervene, the moment we got there the same people would turn around and tell us to leave.

[QUOTE=5killer;27746658]You don't want a full on revolution either.[/QUOTE] If you won't allow a peaceful revolution you better prepare for a violent one.

It doesn't matter what Mubarak does, the people will still riot until he leaves. There's no compromise here, Mubarak has to fuck off or Egypt collapses

[quote]He made a point that he didn't think the overthrow of Mubarak -- whom he called "a friend of Britain" -- was necessary.[/quote] Yes it is.

Allow me to make this abundantly clear, David Cammeron is a wanker and does not speak for the people of the UK in any way shape or form.

Allow me: HAH. Egypt wont begin to calm down until Mubarak is gone.

I saw in Al jazeera someone was offering 1,5m$ to whoever kills mubarak... Anyway, i hope he leaves soon... No need for more dead people.

[quote]Cameron said "just the act of holding an election isn't enough," urging a "more mature and thoughtful approach" to build a stronger democracy.[/quote] no, because with mubarak in charge those elections will be rigged [quote]He made a point that he didn't think the overthrow of Mubarak -- whom he called "[B]a friend of Britain[/B]" -- was necessary.[/quote] lies and damned lies

People are going to rage at me over this, but whatever: I don't blame Cameron for what he is doing. Like it or not, Egypt is strategically important to the West and maintaining good relations with its leader is a smart thing to do. You can't criticise him for trying to look out for the interests of the UK.

[QUOTE=bravehat;27747554]Allow me to make this abundantly clear, David Cammeron is a wanker and does not speak for the people of the UK in any way shape or form.[/QUOTE] Just remember guys, most the people in Britain who voted didn't vote to get Wanker as PM.

[QUOTE=David29;27749705]People are going to rage at me over this, but whatever: I don't blame Cameron for what he is doing. Like it or not, Egypt is strategically important to the West and maintaining good relations with its leader is a smart thing to do. You can't criticise him for trying to look out for the interests of the UK.[/QUOTE] Politics says they have to look out for their interests in the region and remaining on good terms with Egypt is very important. It is a balance though because it could go either way with Mubarak remaining how he is now, Mubarak changing his government drastically to accommodate the people or a completely different government. A balancing act in many ways.

[QUOTE=David29;27749705]People are going to rage at me over this, but whatever: I don't blame Cameron for what he is doing. Like it or not, Egypt is strategically important to the West and maintaining good relations with its leader is a smart thing to do. You can't criticise him for trying to look out for the interests of the UK.[/QUOTE] What interests? Egypt does cock all for the UK and Camerons a fucking cunt. [editline]30th January 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Kingy_who;27749754]Just remember guys, most the people in Britain who voted didn't vote to get Wanker as PM.[/QUOTE] I voted Lib Dems in the hopes they would actually do something good.

[QUOTE=bravehat;27749790]What interests? Egypt does cock all for the UK and Camerons a fucking cunt.[/QUOTE] Egypt is the largest Arabic country, is an important diplomatic ally in bringing peace in the Middle East and is better to remain on good terms with in case something is needed of them. Plus the UK gotta play nice to the allies of everyone else in NATO so they would be in real shit if they pissed them off.

I was thinking more about the Suez Canal.

[QUOTE=bravehat;27749790]What interests? Egypt does cock all for the UK and Camerons a fucking cunt.[/QUOTE] Suez Canal. Look it up.

[QUOTE=Smasher 006;27749992]Suez Canal. Look it up.[/QUOTE] Thought Iran controlled the Suez? Oh well then, fair enough, but I doubt Egypt has the Cajones to shut the Suez, after all most of the western world would not be happy with that.

[QUOTE=bravehat;27750035]Thought Iran controlled the Suez? Oh well then, fair enough, but I doubt Egypt has the Cajones to shut the Suez, after all most of the western world would not be happy with that.[/QUOTE] It's been done before, which led to the Suez Crisis. And again during the Six Days War.