Escalation in Egypt

[lektrode]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

Just heard a statement that inflation rate of basic foodstuffs in Egypt over the last 9 months is 20% annualized - could be a major contributor to the willingness of the middle-class to join the current revolt. Is it more difficult to hide inflation in a society such as Egypt's in the way it's been hidden here in the states by just reducing package sizing while maintaining prices? From the iTulip thread on inflation snapshots, we've been seeing true levels of food price inflation comparable to 20%, but because we're arithmetic-challenged as a nation we aren't universally aware of it. Just sayin'....

edit: in the case of The US
methinks its just that those most likely to protest/riot have been - up til now - bought off with foodstamps.
we'll see what happens over the summer, as the heat/humidity/misery/gasoline indices all go krankin up.

in the 'over the top' column already: limes at the supermarkets out here (safeway for one) are at 1.29 each?
meanwhile costco is still sellin a 5lb bag for 5bux = methinks they spikin' some items so they can keep kid-food cheap(er)

ps: and just having returned from a week in SLC, where grocery items are 1/2 what they are out here in HNL
the term 'captive market' has a whole new meaning, thanks to the jones act, matson lines and the ILWU

[lektrode]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

Interesting times indeed.

Egypt - a de facto US ally along with Israel in preserving the Middle East status quo, now undergoing violent upheaval.

Tunisia - a de facto French protectorate, now undergoing violent upheaval.

Who's next?

Arab Unrest Spreading

Protests Rock Yemen;

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...896717262.html
The popular unrest sweeping across the Middle East sent thousands of protesters into the streets of Yemen....

[WildspitzE]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

LOL My thoughts exactly! Win for US????

not sure if it's a repost... if it's true or misinformation...

Egypt protests: America's secret backing for rebel leaders behind uprising

"The American Embassy in Cairo helped a young dissident attend a US-sponsored summit for activists in New York, while working to keep his identity secret from Egyptian state police.
On his return to Cairo in December 2008, the activist told US diplomats that an alliance of opposition groups had drawn up a plan to overthrow President Hosni Mubarak and install a democratic government in 2011.

..."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-uprising.html

[lektrode]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

Interesting times indeed.

Egypt - a de facto US ally along with Israel in preserving the Middle East status quo, now undergoing violent upheaval.

Tunisia - a de facto French protectorate, now undergoing violent upheaval.

Who's next?

Jordanians Protest Peacefully for Regime Change


BY HASSAN HAFIDH

AMMAN—Thousands of Jordanians took to the streets after Friday prayers in Amman and other major Jordanian cities, decrying rising prices and high unemployment and calling for a change in government.
The peaceful protests in downtown Amman—which were called by the powerful Islamist opposition, left-wing trade-union activists and other opposition parties—were the third such demonstration in the past three weeks and were inspired in part by growing popular dissent in other parts of the Arab world.
Police forces looked on while more than 3,500 demonstrators chanted antigovernment slogans.
The crowd, waving colorful banners, called for Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Rafai to ...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...932147212.html
its behind the paywall tho

[jk]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

rising prices and high unemployment

i've been watching some of the coverage on aljazeera/english and people interviewed on the street repeatedly cited rising prices and unemployment. [of course this could just be what the editors chose]. i guess people wouldn't mind the despotism if it just delivered the goods better.

[touchring]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

i've been watching some of the coverage on aljazeera/english and people interviewed on the street repeatedly cited rising prices and unemployment. [of course this could just be what the editors chose]. i guess people wouldn't mind the despotism if it just delivered the goods better.

You will find this in Singapore where despotism is accepted. Mubarak's power is nothing as compared.

He doesn't even have the power to make his son the successor.

[GRG55]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

You will find this in Singapore where despotism is accepted. Mubarak's power is nothing as compared.

He doesn't even have the power to make his son the successor.

This is a ridiculous comparison. The family governing Singapore wouldn't have a clue how to hold on to power for 10 minutes in a nation as vast, diverse and difficult as Egypt. Mubarak played the game at highest level and skillfully for three decades. But his time to leave is overdue.

And the comments about the vacuum when he finally does go are valid. Egypt is not Iraq, but that's a good example of what can happen when the "strongman" is removed.

As for the rising prices and unemployment, the latter has been a chronic problem in much of the Middle East for a very long time. The large armies are in part make work programs for young men, who are the most troublesome when they have nothing to do and lots of time on their hands. Of course things like ammunition has to be controlled lest they turn against the regime, or at least the leader. The Mubarak regime hasn't forgotten how they first got into power.

[don]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

Here's a tell on Big Power's position on taking-it-to-the-streets.

If they use the word violence.

It reveals their play nearly every time.

If only they didn't use violence ....

(The Crown Heads of Europe)

[touchring]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

Just heard a statement that inflation rate of basic foodstuffs in Egypt over the last 9 months is 20% annualized - could be a major contributor to the willingness of the middle-class to join the current revolt. Is it more difficult to hide inflation in a society such as Egypt's in the way it's been hidden here in the states by just reducing package sizing while maintaining prices? From the iTulip thread on inflation snapshots, we've been seeing true levels of food price inflation comparable to 20%, but because we're arithmetic-challenged as a nation we aren't universally aware of it. Just sayin'....

Not sure about Egypt, but in many places, people buy food stuff by the weight (e.g. pound or kilo) and there's less room to hide inflation. And besides, Americans eat too much in the first place, so reducing the portion might not actually be that noticeable, when you're already full.

[touchring]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

This is a ridiculous comparison. The family governing Singapore wouldn't have a clue how to hold on to power for 10 minutes in a nation as vast, diverse and difficult as Egypt. Mubarak played the game at highest level and skillfully for three decades. But his time to leave is overdue.

Where the religion is money, it's easier to govern of course.

[tsetsefly]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

Anything is better than cronyism and stagnation... I dont think you can get any worse... The Egyptian population is ~ 40-50% under the age of 30 (dont quote me, i read it some time ago) and have an unemployment rate of ~30%... Do you think you can placate that demographic with the same old shit?

Not after you let the genie out of the bottle...

except more cronyism and stagnation or a totalitarian dictatorship...

It will be interesting to see if religious fanatics take control of egypt, certainly would not help the situation...

I didn't see it posted here, but the Egyptian government cut off the internet for the entire population. This is a great warning to all about being dependent on just one way to access the internet and communicate. I dont think they have the ability to cut off land lines and land line based internet.

I can easily imagine the US government (as well as other governments world wide) implementing measures to have this type of control...

[touchring]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

maybe time for some bargain hunting in the following weeks?

any better way to invest in Egyptian blue chips other than this?
http://www.vaneck.com/funds/EGPT.aspx

the EGX 30 is totally nuts, how do you have a stock market that goes up 10 folds in just couple of years while unemployment runs at 30%?

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/echarts?...e=off;source=;

[GRG55]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

...I didn't see it posted here, but the Egyptian government cut off the internet for the entire population. This is a great warning to all about being dependent on just one way to access the internet and communicate. I dont think they have the ability to cut off land lines and land line based internet.

...

...And you would be wrong.

There are four major ISPs in Egypt, a combination of government and private...and they all went down at the exact same time in the early morning hours of Friday.

By the way, one of the largest private telecom companies in the Middle East, Orascom, is Egyptian...and you can bet they wouldn't ever dare go against the government edict - too much to lose by doing that.

In this region the governments try to control EVERYTHING. The United Arab Emirates, which includes allegedly open-for-business Dubai, blocks Skype because it competes with the national telco for long distance revenues. Most of the stuff you hear about this region in the States is complete BS generated by the propaganda machine and promulgated by idiot expats who seem too willing to drink the Kool-Aid. One of the major ISPs in Egypt is Etisalat Misr, of which 66% is owned by the UAE government telco Etisalat, and much of the rest by Egyptian state owned entities including the Egyptian National Post Authority. Does anybody really think they would defy the government? Ever?

In this region the economies are controlled by the Ruling Families [aka: "the government"] and the favoured merchant families. And if ever any of those favoured families dare fall out with the government of the day they can kiss their businesses goodbye. That's how it works and nobody should be under any illusions otherwise...

[metalman]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

...And you would be wrong.

There are four major ISPs in Egypt, a combination of government and private...and they all went down at the exact same time in the early morning hours of Friday.

By the way, one of the largest private telecom companies in the Middle East, Orascom, is Egyptian...and you can bet they wouldn't ever dare go against the government edict - too much to lose by doing that.

In this region the governments try to control EVERYTHING. The United Arab Emirates, which includes allegedly open-for-business Dubai, blocks Skype because it competes with the national telco for long distance revenues. Most of the stuff you hear about this region in the States is complete BS generated by the propaganda machine and promulgated by idiot expats who seem too willing to drink the Kool-Aid. One of the major ISPs in Egypt is Etisalat Misr, of which 66% is owned by the UAE government telco Etisalat, and much of the rest by Egyptian state owned entities including the Egyptian National Post Authority.

In this region the economies are controlled by the Ruling Families [aka: "the government"] and the favoured merchant families. And if ever any of those favoured families dare fall out with the government of the day they can kiss their businesses goodbye. That's how it works and nobody should be under any illusions otherwise...

meanwhile, back in the world's largest oil funded welfare state...

[GRG55]

Re: Escalation in Egypt

Now, is ANYBODY surprised that the head of the Intelligence Service has been appointed by Hosni as Vice-President, and heir-apparent?

The last desparate acts of a desparate regime....