Hypocrites in Washington: What Egypt's Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah Really Want

Khaled Abu Toameh
Hudson New York
03 September '10
Posted before Shabbat

Egypt's Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah, who were invited to Washington attend the launching of direct negotiations between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority, went there out of concern for their regimes, and not because they cared so much about the Palestinians or the Middle East peace process. The two Arab leaders accepted the invitation mainly due to the growing problems each one is facing at home.

Mubarak's trip to Washington comes amid growing opposition in Egypt to the idea of his son, Gamal, succeed him as president. Posters carrying the pictures of Gamal and seeking support for his candidacy have appeared in many places in the country, drawing sharp protests from many Egyptians.

The 82-year-old Mubarak is understandably desperate to have his son succeed him, but knows that without the backing of the US and the approval of the mainstream media in the West, Gamal will never be permitted to step into his father's shoes.

Such backing from the US and other Western countries is even more important than winning the support of the Egyptians, whose opinion doesn't matter anyway.

After all, these are the same Egyptians who, over the past three decades, have been giving their beloved dictator more than 95% support in government-sponsored referendums where the president's only rival is the president himself.

(Read full post)

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