The situation in Egypt continues to deteriorate. Most media accounts claim at least 800 people have died in the past week or so, including up to 79 police officers.
Yesterday, authorities stormed into the Al-Fath mosque and cleared out not only pro Mohammed Morsi demonstrators, but a number of injured who had been sheltered in a makeshift hospital.
The interim government and the military leadership are sending out mixed signals on what might be the official future of the Muslim Brotherhood. Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi, among others, reportedly suggested that the Brotherhood would be dissolved and made illegal. General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, on the other hand, made a speech to military officers and police and was quoted by NBC as saying, "There is room for everyone in Egypt."
In the United States, both democrats and republicans are running around in dizzying circles speaking complete gibberish. Politicians and diplomats alike are trying to explain why we should, or shouldn't support the coup that wasn't a coup and an increasingly ruthless army crackdown on people we've never really trusted, or liked in the first place. It is a conundrum of titanic proportions that befuddles everyone in Washington and leaves us with a non-policy that pleases absolutely no one living on the banks of the Nile.
The majority of average Egyptians seem to be standing by the military and interim government, at least so far. Reuters quoted a man named Hussein Ismail as saying, "I tried to sympathize with the brotherhood, but could not. They defended the army when they attacked and killed Christian protesters in 2011. They slammed liberals, women, and Copts when they asked for more freedom, rights. Do you think these people really cared about democracy?"
Well, probably not, but at this point it is a tad difficult to identify anyone in Cairo who does.
Meanwhile, here in the United States 18 year old De'Marquise Elkins is scheduled for trial next week. He is charged with the murder of a thirteen month old baby during a failed robbery attempt.
Young Mr. Elkins, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, is represented by a public defender who apparently has all the subtlety of Mark O'Mara run amok on steroids. Although a gag order is in place, according to NBC, attorney Kevin Gough has filed pre trial motions that indicate the defense plans to assert the real killers of Antonio Santiago are his parents. The motive, besides the fact the mother is being pictured as unstable, is an insurance policy that was taken out on the baby. Mr. Gough has indicated there is evidence that shows the child's father had one particle of gun shot residue on his hand and the mother, Sherry West had five on hers. Prosecutors maintain the residue is the result of transference, because Ms. West tried to revive her child after the shooting and Mr. Santiago touched one of her wounds.
Gough's main problem, though, is that the prosecution's chief witness is 15 year old Dominique Lang. He was with the defendant at the time of the shooting and is prepared to testify his pal pulled the trigger. According to Lang, Elkins pointed a .22 caliber hand gun at Ms. West as she was walking her child down the street and repeatedly demanded money. When she continued to plead she didn't have any cash, he shot Antonio between the eyes as he sat strapped in his stroller, then wounded the mother in the leg and ear. In addition police claim Elkins' mother and sister led them to the pond where he chucked the gun after the shooting.
All this happened five months ago in Brunswick, Georgia. The trial was moved to Marietta, Georgia because of press coverage and what is being called, "public outrage."
And speaking of outrage, but of a different sort--there is now a concerted effort to recall San Diego Mayor, Bob Filner.
Filner has been accused by a dozen ,or so women of making inappropriate sexual statements, and or advances toward them over the course of a number of years. One woman, identified as his former communications director, claims Filner, on more than a few occasions, suggested she'd perform her duties more efficiently if she did them sans under ware.
Filner, a democrat, is due back in the office tomorrow after a stay at some rehab joint where he sought out behavioral therapy for the past couple of weeks. NBC reports that recall supporters have raised as much as $100,000 and over 800 people have volunteered to work the streets with the petition. They have a little over a month to gather the 101,597 signatures required to initiate the recall proceedings.
Both Democractic National Chair, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi have called for Filner to quit.
Finally, for those keeping score, Slate and @GunDeaths say that as of today, media reports indicate at least 7,290 Americans have been shot to death since the Newtown, CT murders last December. However, when they factor in yearly CDC estimates for gun deaths which include things like suicide, the actual toll is probably much closer to 21,582.
So there we have it--just another Sunday afternoon in Oklahoma and across this spinning blue orb.
Keep those home fires burning and watch out for flying chairs.
sic vita est
8-18-13
No comments:
Post a Comment