Chickens one day; feathers the next

[spindrifter]

Arab democracy hopes dashed as Cairo ditches reforms
Times Online June 22, 2006

From Richard Beeston of The Times in Cairo



The Arab world’s tentative experiment with democracy has been dealt a serious blow by a backlash in the region’s largest and most influential country against elections, human rights and multiparty politics.

In the space of a few months, President Mubarak of Egypt has dismayed his American allies and cowed his opponents with an unsubtle display of state authority that has included clamping down on the press, challenging the independence of the judiciary and jailing hundreds of opponents.

The atmosphere in Cairo today is in stark contrast to last year when, under pressure from the Bush Administration, Egypt held a referendum to change the Constitution, its first multi-candidate presidential race and three rounds of parliamentary elections in which record numbers of opposition MPs were elected.

<snip>

Local elections scheduled for this year have been postponed until 2008 and stern emergency laws extended for another two years.

<snip>

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,251-2238183,00.html

[eleny]

1. I guess W didn't look deeply enough into Mubarak's eyes