WVNA Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Can somebody please explain to me why riots broke out in Egypt all of a sudden. The best explanation I've read in news reports is that they are anti-government riots and I can understand that part. But what I want to know is why all of a sudden did they break out? In other words, Hosni Mubarak has been in power for a long time so why all of a sudden a few days ago did rioting start? Was there a trigger event that caused it? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deacongirl Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 http://americanfootprints.com/wp/2011/01/a-short-primer-on-egypt-now/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 why all of a sudden did they break out? Inspiration from Tunisia? To quote from this article, "Revolutions often erupt with little warning." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I was trying to stay away from this topic. I lived in Egypt for a short time and if any country in that area is going to eventually achieve democracy, it's going to be them. They've got a very strong culture and identity. They're the movie/entertainment capital of North Africa/the Middle East and they all seemed to be very proud of their Egyptian heritage. I think even the fact that their dialect is so different from the rest of the Arab world demonstrates their non-conformity. Above all else, they seemed to be very proud of themselves as a people. I don't advocate violence, but the news didn't surprise me. BTW, my first thought was that there were elections and that's what started the rioting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamrachelle Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 http://americanfootprints.com/wp/201...-on-egypt-now/__________________/QUOTE] Awesome article. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 The economy took a dive. They knew that the elections had been fixed for years (he was winning by 99.6% - I doubt it), however, the government was running well, the economy was doing well, they were allies with the US and recieveing the benefits of it. When the economy took a dive, you have people who now not only had very little say in their democratically elected government, but who no longer have jobs, and no food. Prices are skyrocketing, and there are a bunch of 20-something unemployed men out there being encouraged to riot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie in NJ Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 my teen dd is studying Ancient Egypt and she was very upset when she read about the looters breaking into the museum in Cairo and destroying the mummies. She asked me why they would do that. I tried to explain about riots and mob mentality and frustrations leading people to do things that don't make sense and that they would normally never do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Were there recent elections? That was my first thought as well but I didn't see that mentioned. I grew up in East Africa and am familiar with election revolts/riots, but also just plain unrest causing this type of violence. A low bubbling undercurrent like a volcano that finally erupts. BTW: I have visited Egypt on our way back to the States one year. It was back when you could still go inside the pyramids and climb inside. It was a great trip. Dawn I was trying to stay away from this topic. I lived in Egypt for a short time and if any country in that area is going to eventually achieve democracy, it's going to be them. They've got a very strong culture and identity. They're the movie/entertainment capital of North Africa/the Middle East and they all seemed to be very proud of their Egyptian heritage. I think even the fact that their dialect is so different from the rest of the Arab world demonstrates their non-conformity. Above all else, they seemed to be very proud of themselves as a people. I don't advocate violence, but the news didn't surprise me. BTW, my first thought was that there were elections and that's what started the rioting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 SPYCAR, WHERE ARE YOU???? Your are very good at explaining current events in the Middle East/North Africa. I hope you are lurking and will chime in...had any Ethiopian food lately? Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deacongirl Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I would also not classify the events as riots or the protesters as rioters. While there are for sure looters looking to take advantage of the situation, it appears that the majority of the Egyptians in the streets are peacefully protesting and that they certainly have legitimate grievances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I did not know the museum was damaged. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deacongirl Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 A list of some analysts/experts on Egypt: http://www.cnas.org/blogs/abumuqawama/2011/01/egypt-people-who-might-actually-know-what-theyre-talking-about.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I did not know the museum was damaged. :( That made me sad too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puma Mom Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 This is what I got from my raised-Eqyptian-with-family-still-there friend: It became known that the president and many of his underlings had stolen government money. $40 million is what she thought. People protested and began to riot and get the word out through the internet. Power was shut down to control things. Rioting increased, police were overwhelmed. In addition, businesses are being broken into and trashed and households are being robbed, leading private citizens to join together to protect their homes and places of business. There is also threat of violence against Egyptian Christians. Christian churches are being trashed, and Egyptian Christians are being told to stay out of rioting lest they become target because of being Christian. She spoke with family yesterday or early this morning. They felt that the worst was yesterday and it may be settling down. I have no knowledge of the accuracy of the above. This is my translation of her (literally, from Egyptian) translation of her relatives' experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca VA Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I read that many young Egyptians stood hand in hand to make a human fence to keep looters out of the museum. A few looters got in and did some damage, but the damage would have been MUCH worse without those wonderful "guardian angels." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Goldwater Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 The US Govt. & the Fed Reserve (Bernanke) are monetizing our debt, which is causing inflation here (of course) and in any nation that has pegged their currency to the U.S. Dollar. I believe I read that the per capita income rate in Egypt converts to about $2,500/yr, and so, if basic foodstuffs & fuel jump in price 20-25 percent in a matter of months, coupled with increasing unemployment, quite naturally people get pretty excited...that's a collosal hit to take on a family budget that is already quite small. I've probably way-oversimplified it, but it makes sense to me...very sad, very troubling, but not entirely unexpected...there will likely be more of this in other nations, as I see Jordan is beginning to see some demonstrations as well. I read one opinion that these specific events of this past month and the upcoming months may be talked about for the next 200 years.:ack2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 My understanding is that it "spread" from Tunisia and may spread to other middle eastern countries soon. And yes, many are trying to protest peacefully and they have very legitimate reasons. I also read that it is linked possibly to the fires in Russia that caused Russia to completely ban exports of its wheat in order to stave off starvation within its own country, and Russia provided 20% of the world's wheat exports. That means in a country like Egypt with a very large population, growing by almost a million people a year, and with such a small amount of arable land- the impact of world food prices going up is immense. That is only one factor among many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 http://americanfootprints.com/wp/2011/01/a-short-primer-on-egypt-now/ Excellent article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 This is what I got from my raised-Eqyptian-with-family-still-there friend: It became known that the president and many of his underlings had stolen government money. $40 million is what she thought. People protested and began to riot and get the word out through the internet. Power was shut down to control things. Rioting increased, police were overwhelmed. In addition, businesses are being broken into and trashed and households are being robbed, leading private citizens to join together to protect their homes and places of business. There is also threat of violence against Egyptian Christians. Christian churches are being trashed, and Egyptian Christians are being told to stay out of rioting lest they become target because of being Christian. She spoke with family yesterday or early this morning. They felt that the worst was yesterday and it may be settling down. I have no knowledge of the accuracy of the above. This is my translation of her (literally, from Egyptian) translation of her relatives' experience. Interestingly, it was just over a year ago, in December 2009, that there was a purported apparition of the Blessed Mother over one of the Coptic churches in Egypt. No idea if the apparition is a true one or not, but it's possible especially in light of the current events. http://www.zeitun-eg.org/warraq.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegGuheert Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 The economy took a dive.:iagree:Like many protests/riots, the financial situation is often critical. One thing to note is that Egypt is currently transitioning from being an oil-exporting nation to an oil-importing nation. This type of a transition is very difficult to navigate, regardless of what type of government is in place. Here is an article on this issue from The Oil Drum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Reguheert, Barrie Goldwater, and Peela have all contributed a lot to my understanding of the situation. However, I will add one thing. Egypt does not have any kind of significant food stores in case of natural disaster or in this case, disruption of food distribution due to internal strife. I've been reading that food stores are already dangerously low and that in some areas, by the time the government really gets a handle on this, gets some food imported, and creates a distribution system, there will already be a host of victims of malnutrition and a startling number who will starve. This fear then is adding to the panic of the people which is then turned into anger and actions based on that anger. This in turn fuels the the fires and increases the likelihood of worse deprivation. It's an ugly hamster wheel! Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegGuheert Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Egypt does not have any kind of significant food stores in case of natural disaster or in this case, disruption of food distribution due to internal strife.Where is Joseph when they need him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Reg, They failed to learn their lessons from history! :tongue_smilie: LOL, I'm not pointing the finger though. This country doesn't learn either. I feel like we are not much better than Rome waiting for the last of the "barbarian" hordes to invade and finish us off! It seems as though humans refuse to digest history in such a way that they will always be doomed to repeat the GLARING errors of the past! It's sad, but watching events in Egypt is a bit like feeling the fire to one's own feet. With a national debt standing at 14.1 trillion and the fed running the printing presses like mad, our dollar falling in both worth and respect, and a federal government that cannot grasp even the simplest economic principles, I feel like I may see rioting and hunger on a rather large scale here in the streets of the U.S. in my lifetime! It's ugly. Just ugly. But, it's been this way for thousands of years of human history and we were all fooling ourselves if we thought America would never have to suffer for it's follies. Oops, I digress! Egypt...I ache for the people, the mommy unable to feed her child, the business owner whose livelihood has been destroyed, the doctor running out of supplies to treat his patients, the general desperation and feeling of everything being outside their control. Scary! I hope and pray that this will pass quickly. I suspect this may not be. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearWallowSchool Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Where is Joseph when they need him? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegGuheert Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) Unfortunately, I am in full agreement with what you write, Faith. Scary! I hope and pray that this will pass quickly. I suspect this may not be.That is the thing about oil production peaking: How does the world economy recover from it? The answer from history is that you need to transition to another source of energy. But oil is largely a fuel used for transportation and there are not any obvious candidates close at hand that can step in and fill the void. All other options that you can imagine require massive amounts of resources that are themselves in such short supply that they could not bear the demand. (FWIW, many doomers refer to this issue as "Peak Everything".) Ultimately, I think we must expect that the medium-to-long term outlook for the world economy is not of growth but rather is of shrinkage. Such a prospect is truly alarming when you consider how that will impact people the world over. As you say: Scary! Edited January 31, 2011 by RegGuheert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Where is Joseph when they need him? Bwahahaha! I {heart} you for this and will now spend the rest of the day singing songs in my head from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. We've been watching the situation in Tunisia and Egypt. We went to Tunisia last year (beautiful, BTW) and are supposed to go on a cruise this summer that will be porting there. We're guessing they will change the port, which is sad because we were hoping to go to Sidi Bou Said this time. We went to Carthage, the St. Antonin Baths (next to the presidential palace) and the Medina last year and Carthage was amazing. We are also supposed to fly to Egypt for a week in Sept, but now I'm thinking we might have to cancel that trip if things don't settle down. Indy was very upset when he heard about the looting at the museum, but we read that not much was damaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deacongirl Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 re: protecting museums etc.: http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2011/01/artifacts-and-libraries.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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