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Rep. Dennis Kucinich

Rep. Dennis Kucinich

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A Call for an Unequivocal Statement of Solidarity With the Egyptian People

Posted: 02/ 1/11 12:09 PM ET

Over 2 million Egyptians gather today in Cairo's Tahrir Square and in cities across the country to demand an end to Mubarak's regime in an unprecedented popular uprising. Egyptians of all classes, ages and faiths have come together to demand opportunity, education, food and housing security, and a democratic and responsive government. Despite a complete shutdown of internet and mobile phone access by President Mubarak, the Egyptian people have been able to organize the largest protests yet in a display of unparalleled national unity.

At this historic moment, the American people must stand in solidarity with the people of Egypt as they call for a new leader and new direction in their country. It is time for the United States government to stand with the people of Egypt as well by ending its long-standing support of the corrupt and repressive Mubarak regime. Absent such a statement, our calls for democracy in the region ring hollow.

This is the time to practice what we preach. This is the time to reconstruct our policies in the region and reach out to the Arab and Muslim world. Now is the time to reiterate our wishes to protect our ally, Israel, and support true grassroots democratic movements in the region -- both are possible and both are necessary.

There is no clearer picture than that of millions of Egyptians peacefully protesting to demonstrate that our support of such regimes brings less stability, not more, to the region. Though the United States has a history of inappropriate and often counterproductive influence in the governance of other countries, the Egyptian people are demanding a voice, and the United States should support any requests by the Egyptian people for that voice to be registered in the form of free and fair elections.

 

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Over 2 million Egyptians gather today in Cairo's Tahrir Square and in cities across the country to demand an end to Mubarak's regime in an unprecedented popular uprising. Egyptians of all classes, age...
Over 2 million Egyptians gather today in Cairo's Tahrir Square and in cities across the country to demand an end to Mubarak's regime in an unprecedented popular uprising. Egyptians of all classes, age...
 
 
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01:58 PM on 02/07/2011
Mr. Kucinich you are almost always on the 'short list' when discussing those who are not 100% controlled in House/Congress.

Please continue to be very vocal and speak your mind and the opinions of your true constituents...the people.
HUFFPOST PUNDIT
hrpmap
Retired man still active..
10:03 PM on 02/06/2011
My 14 year old grandaughter was watching the news reports on Egypt and Obam's statement and asked. Grandpa why is he saying all those things about we need to support the Egyption people when the same thing was going on in Iran I heard him say it was up to the Iranian people when there government went after them for wanting freedom. All I could answer was "good question." We should do whatever we can without overt intervention for the Egyption people, and we should have made the same statements of support for the Iranians seeking a freely elected government there.
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laymancanuck
IGNORANCE has used up its quota of TOLERANCE
04:11 PM on 02/06/2011
Well said Dennis. Perhaps America has become a target of Jihadists because of its support for oppressors in the region. As a friend to oppressed peoples America would be able to maintain some sort of relationship and influence. As an enemy you are left to react. Be on the right side of history and change the dynamic.
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robadeaux
Your labels have expired....
03:15 PM on 02/06/2011
I guess we have other options as to where we send people to be tortured...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
BillyClub
03:11 PM on 02/06/2011
Did the Congress take a vow of silence on giving the boot to the Egyptian dictator?
02:08 PM on 02/06/2011
When Kucinich caved in to Obama's corporate health insurance plan, I gave up on him. Like many other commentators, I wonder why he doesn't write to Obama about Suleiman. Instead, in the end we will have another CIA/USA backed puppet in charge of Egypt. Right now agents with bags of cash are busy buying our next puppet.

A few days ago the Israeli press was calling Obama a naif in Middle East politics and today he once again tows the line of "gradual" change, which means no real change, ever.
12:44 PM on 02/06/2011
GOOD MORNING!!! MY FELLOW HOMO SAPIENS WHICH MEANS THE SPECIES WHO IS WISE.
Isn't that cute???!!! the U.S. Government is rigging the unemployment stats, reminds one of those terrifying days when the U.S. Government kept putting up those color codes on TV just before the election suggesting that any second the jihadists were about to attack America in mass.
Actually those unemployment stats have been more about illusional, delusional fantasies then about reality for many years since a conservative more accurate estimate today would put the unemployment rate at 15% and add those who could only find part time jobs and your at 25% and if you include in those stats the American people who have had to take jobs paying alot less then wages they made before then your at 50%. I wish the U.S. Government would quit lying to the American people.
10:07 AM on 02/06/2011
Dennis, if you so much care for the Egyptian people why you do not condemn Mubarak and send a strong letter to Obama to stop supporting Suleiman? Talk is not enough, we want action. The real treat to democracy in Egypt is not Mubarak, it is the USA government.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
nickmantas
11:29 AM on 02/06/2011
Right on my friend!
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Manx
03:17 AM on 02/06/2011
In today's column in the N.Y. Times, Frank rich says about the fights for freedom in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East: "We've been inculcated to assume that whoever comes out on top is ipso facto a jihadist." Apparently, Hillary Clinton and Obama have caved in to pressure from Israel and have bought that assumption. Whereas yesterday, Obama was demanding "immediate" change in Egypt, today he says it must be "gradual." Both Clinton and Obama are now working to keep Mubarak in power. This equivocation and inconsistency is making both look foolish. If the Egyptian peoples' historical revolution dies, both Obama and Clinton will have been the spoilers.
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HelloFunnyWorld
In Times Of Sorry Leadership.... Cry or Manage Up?
12:50 PM on 02/06/2011
Thanks :) have'nt read Rich recently....
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
patg00
2 is the odd prime
01:42 PM on 02/03/2011
Well, you're a congressman, do it. take the floor and force a vote.
10:04 AM on 02/06/2011
He is just talk like all others. Talk and talk, no meat.
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01:37 PM on 02/03/2011
Americans, if you want to not be robbed by oil and gas companies then start embracing alternative energy and fuels produced and sold here. You'll just bankrupt your own country further and kill more people by letting oil and gas dependence run the world. And you'll bankrupt yourself. And dont' let these cartels into the new energy sources or let local governments surcharge or tax you for alternative energy. Don't do it. They have to get their power and wealth from someplace, do you think they'll just let you use "free" sunlight and wind?
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01:13 PM on 02/03/2011
If the ISP's and/or servers ever get turned off in this country by our elected officials, it's time to go to Washington. Think about it now. Make the decision now. For once in your life know what it is to be a patriot and not just say it. Take your last $20 and beg for a ride to Washington. Think about the nerve it took to stand in front of armed men like the British army knowing a bullet from the next volley has a good chance of hitting you. The least you can do for yourself and your democracy if that time ever comes.
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Chopin
Multiply the truth. Speak truth through power.
07:42 PM on 02/06/2011
Victoria1597, I agree with you spirit. USA being on the present downward spiralling tragectory, that future day of national crisis of unmanageable scope and magnitude would surely come, sooner than the vast majority of American people anticipate.

But your technical assessment might just be out of date by the time a genuine national crisis arrives in Washington or Wall Street. What I mean is, a government and its corporate masters that control multi-trillion dollars, they would have no trouble whatsoever of f*king up the internet, (equivalent to radar jamming), with a team of highly paid top-notch anti-social psychopathic misfit hackers at work round the clock. They won't need to shut it down. They could simply spam it, spook it, crash it, attack it, worm it, infect it, ... etc., all done selectively by website IP addresses, or by keyword contents, or by individuals, or by any way a multi-trillion dollar supercomputer system can do against its intended targets. You can bet they're researching and testing precisely those methods as we're commenting here.

If the American people are smart, they would have to anticipate that eventuality, and invent new communication methods and means when that day arrives, ... maybe back to smoke signal, or high-power short-range laser beams, or morse code, ...
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12:41 PM on 02/03/2011
The Replicans and others sure have been busy with religious law aka sharia law but how many times have you seen or heard the word "jobs" from these same people? That's all you have to know. Do they care if you are homeless, without medical care or without a job? Actions speak louder than words. Call them out now, on every blog, call them on the phones, send hem emails, send them letters, speak against them in public. It works.
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12:34 PM on 02/03/2011
You have to realize only changing US trade policy will feed you and your family. Only tariffs and embargos, federal legislation and taxes will stop business from exporting your lives. They wont do it voluntarily, they got the highest court to rule against you so what will stop them from starving you? I'm against big and bigger government but I see no way around this- they will not stop until every job is gone. There are only a couple elected officials in Washington that get it.
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artleads
Let's have a national retreat.
12:23 PM on 02/06/2011
American progressives need to understand that the struggle in Egypt is our own. We can't sit back and expect those Egytian youth to succeed all alone. Or assume that the solution is written in the stars. What we do to support change there and here must be ongoing. This is OUR chance. What we do about it matters.
Kimberly Christine
wish I was an expat
11:20 AM on 02/03/2011
I am in love with the Egyptian people over their peaceful rebellion. Also, I think that all this fuss in our government about whether or not we should sanction the protests is a desperate attempt to remain relevant. The U.S. is over. No one cares what we think anymore.
11:31 AM on 02/03/2011
I completely agree that this is a very exciting moment in history, perhaps akin to the revolutions that shook the world in 1989. However, the U.S. will never be "over" and it is still the most important country in the world by a long shot. Notice that many of the signs that Egyptians are carrying are in English and the fact that they are excited to hear what Obama has to say about their revolution, even when he continues to take a wishy washy stand on the issue.
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01:27 PM on 02/03/2011
I am excited for the way the people organized this and for the way they are approaching it, and for the move toward democracy and away from another dictator. At some point they have to pick a leader but this fellow seems a good choice at least by what I've been reading. And I hope their cultural heritage, which is not only heritage of the Egyptians but a world heritage, I just hope it all remains intact.
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01:04 PM on 02/03/2011
I have this feeling about Egypt as well, I think just as we formed a special bond with the French because of their revolution and especially because we probably would have lost our revolution without their help, I think the timing and the manner in which this began will form a special bond with us as well. I think the other special thing abou it is that they are trying to not just get rid of a bad leader and get a different ruler who may not be much better, they want democracy.