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Egypt: Did Obama Give a Green Light for Violence?

Pro-regime forces in Cairo have attacked peaceful protesters and media personnel. Phone lines are intermittent; Egypt is 7 hours ahead of U.S. ET.

Last night, following Mubarak and Obama’s speeches, As’ad AbuKhalil, wrote the piece “Obama to Mubarak: License to Murder the Egyptian People.” For updates on his blog, see: angryarab.blogspot.com. See Al Jazeera English video showing some of the attacks. AbuKhalil is a professor in the department of politics at California State University, Stanislaus. For additional online resources: accuracy.org/online-resources-on-egypt

EMAD MEKAY
Based in Cairo, Mekay reports for Inter Press Service and other outlets. He just wrote the Institute for Public Accuracy: “Mubarak is clearly backed by the Americans. He took some moves after speaking with Obama and a visit by a former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner. Mubarak, the army, the Americans and the Israelis are clearly on one side. That’s one camp. The people of Egypt (most of them now) are the other. …” See full piece

PHILIP RIZK
Available for a limited number of interviews, Rizk is an independent blogger and filmmaker based in Cairo. He just emailed the Institute for Public Accuracy: “I just came from Tahrir [Liberation Square], extreme brutality by government thugs on anti-government protesters there. Masses are streaming out.”

MOUNZER SLEIMAN
Just back from the Mideast, Sleiman directs Think Tanks Monitor and is founder of the Center for American and Arab Studies. He warned on Monday: “The clique immediately around Mubarak through force and intimidation are trying to use the army and the air force (Mubarak himself came from the air force) to get the people off the streets and in effect end the uprising. They are also trying to reconstitute their security apparatus.”
Today he said: “The role of the army is showing itself to be a reserve power of the regime. It allowed these regime thugs into the Square. The army should live up to its promise to protect the people.”

JACK SHENKER
Shenker is a London-born journalist who reports for the Guardian from Egypt. He was beaten and arrested by Egyptian government forces on Wednesday and caught much of what happened to him on audio tape.

MOSTAFA HUSSEIN
Hussein is a doctor at Nadeem Center for Victims of Torture.

ALEX ORTIZ
Ortiz studies at American University in Cairo; he graduated from Brown University in Arabic literary translation and Middle Eastern studies in 2009. He circumvented the government media block in Egypt, streaming live protest coverage from the streets.

SHEILA CARAPICO
Professor of political science and international studies at Richmond University and currently visiting at the American University in Cairo, Carapico was featured on an IPA news release Friday: “There’s a Reason Public Opinion in the the Arab World Isn’t Pro-American.”

KHALED BEYDOUN, SARAH ELTANTAWI
Beydoun is co-founder of Free Egypt Now;  Eltantawi is communications director for the group.

For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167