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Originally posted by odiab84:
Who do you think is gonna win the coming presidential election and who are you likely to choose??

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Originally posted by 7aya:
is there even a race? its all a show, mubarak ofcourse!!

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I know it is, but what if it isn't, who would you prefer to win??

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Originally posted by odiab84:
I know it is, but what if it isn't, who would you prefer to win??

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Originally posted by 7aya:
to be quiet honest neither. the thing is mubarak is so clever he made such strict rules for the candidates that mnde it so difficult for really good people to come out. did you see today's newspapers, did you see the bozos that are submitting for the presidency. one guy said he dreamt of the number "171" which turned up to be the number of the builing the cadidates submit their forms and thats why he wants to run. can you imagine an idiot like that ruling egypt?! i have alot of faith in egypt, and i believe that egypt has alot more to offer than those two!

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Yeah, I've heard about that guy and I believe it's part of Mubarak's show to convince people that he's the only one who's qualified to rule Egypt. and that's why I consider Mubarak and Nour the only qualified and serious candidates.

The matter is that I believe that Egyptian people should vote for Nour as Mubarak's main rival. Because it's not time for Egyptian te get their revenge on the National Democratic Party after 25 years of poverty,corruption etc.

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Originally posted by odiab84:
Yeah, I've heard about that guy and I believe it's part of Mubarak's show to convince people that he's the only one who's qualified to rule Egypt. and that's why I consider Mubarak and Nour the only qualified and serious candidates.

The matter is that I believe that Egyptian people should vote for Nour as Mubarak's main rival. Because it's not time for Egyptian te get their revenge on the National Democratic Party after 25 years of poverty,corruption etc.

Even if the results is going to be faked, let's put them in a position that they have to fake the results to win. If he's gonna win anyway. Let's make it the hard way

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Originally posted by 7aya:
yes but the thing is nour is very corrupt too, i don't think the fabrication of the membership of his party is (metlaf2a) i think he did commit that crime.
what's funny is mubarak is using the terrorist attack on sharm for his campaign, a friend of mine was in sharm that the peace walk after the attack turned into a chanting about mubaraks glory.
while at the same time, ever since he announced that hes running again, there's been a riot in tahrir square. i think its three days now, non stop, the people are sleeping in the streets and not going home. the longest riot i ever heard of, but i'm only 25

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I hope Mubarak doesn't join the GWB and Putin bandwagon against terrorism. It would be horrible for Mubarak to end his reign (and I meant reign) on the terrorism note.

I have a heavy feeling that security was loosened to allow these attacks to reaffirm pressure on the public to accept Mubarak for one more term. Let alone the international political community to accept another term of Mubarak.

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Originally posted by sonomod:
I hope Mubarak doesn't join the GWB and Putin bandwagon against terrorism. It would be horrible for Mubarak to end his reign (and I meant reign) on the terrorism note.

I have a heavy feeling that security was loosened to allow these attacks to reaffirm pressure on the public to accept Mubarak for one more term. Let alone the international political community to accept another term of Mubarak.

its a conspiracy, but its been done before.

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Originally posted by 7aya:
you know many people did say mubarak might have had something to do with it. which can explain how 400 tons of explosives passed the security and checkpoints. however, its a bit farfetched because i don't think he would ruin egypts' tourism for years just to get reelected. if we had a democracy maybe he would do that to push the people to vote for him. however, this entire election is a show. he has egypt under his arms he doesn't have to do something like that to stay in the office.

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7aya, Its not under his arms as it used to be 10 or 15 years ago...believe me...He's not as powerful as before.

but I don't see a point of voting for him to protect us from terrorism while all the terrorist attacks that happened in Egypt happened in his ruling period.

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Originally posted by 7aya:
you know many people did say mubarak might have had something to do with it. which can explain how 400 tons of explosives passed the security and checkpoints. however, its a bit farfetched because i don't think he would ruin egypts' tourism for years just to get reelected. if we had a democracy maybe he would do that to push the people to vote for him. however, this entire election is a show. he has egypt under his arms he doesn't have to do something like that to stay in the office.

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Yeah, you've got a point. But it would be easier to carry on corruption in some sectors of the government as long as Mubarak stays in power.

Its not really Mubarak but the people behind him. I am thinking the military and the agriculture department. Its strange how the entire blame lot went on the minister of agriculture's shoulders. I am sure its far more entrenched.

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Originally posted by Tigerlily:

I don't think its right and fair to pursue an election like that. One Egyptian told me, what should we do? Everyone knows that Mubarak will be re-elected. And weren't there discussions about having younger people on top of Egyptian's new government? Think about the protesters who get each time beaten up on the street when speaking up.

About the Sharm incident, its just that many things in Egypt are totally disorganized. They have the force to make the country more safe but its not used wisely. Any news on possible subjects of the attacks? Is there any safe major lead so far? Its been now ten days since the horrible crimes occured.....

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same thing leaders do make there country in fear.. and the quickly ride in one there invisible horse and save the people

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Originally posted by 7aya:
yes but the thing is nour is very corrupt too, i don't think the fabrication of the membership of his party is (metlaf2a) i think he did commit that crime.
what's funny is mubarak is using the terrorist attack on sharm for his campaign, a friend of mine was in sharm that the peace walk after the attack turned into a chanting about mubaraks glory.
while at the same time, ever since he announced that hes running again, there's been a riot in tahrir square. i think its three days now, non stop, the people are sleeping in the streets and not going home. the longest riot i ever heard of, but i'm only 25

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The rality is there are no equal competitors to Mubarak and there cannot be realistically, too, because an overly strong (or perceived and believed as such) leader does not let them grow beside himself. But it is NOT his personal will that these other leaders have not grown, but it is a collective will of Egyptian people that you have wanted to believe you have one leader who is a superperson and no one else can possible compare. It is in your own mentality and you will not overcome it before september, of course not. It'll take years or tens of years.

The one good thing is that if men believe they are BIG they also make big deeds and if these are positive then they are often noble deeds. Small men do small things if they do anything at all. I come from a country where everoune is so equally small that we have the exact opposite problem that we have noone to choos ebecause we could choose anyone, we perceive all are equally "small" - not so happy situation either. I'd prefer a country where all people are equally big and also perceive any kind of other people as equally big. The way it really is, too, if we stretch to realise the capacity nature has given us.

Almost forgot: I understand the impatience, but you must take responsibility in the situation where you have palyed your own role by accepting this situation so far. Changes do not have be armed or forced or in any way violent if you will and want make them softly and patiently but you need to watch a bit longer ahead and not wait until all pressure builds up. I think (but don't know) Mubarak's proposal abou tmultiple candadates might be just one such foresight - he must have got some political experience through all these years and must see the old ways do not work so well any more. And who would want to go into history as a hated or upturned leader???

Your responsibility now is to control your extreme urges and use your heads. anby new person who come sup - is he really capable of leading your country? Or is he a weakie who may indeed lead you into turmoil, even if he sincerely wishes well just because he lacks the authority and decisiveness and unruly people just take upper hand. Does he have or is he likely to gain the trust of not only people who vote but also the millions and millions of bureaucrats, the military etc - the whole state system? Is he able to command authority to the state decisions??

You need to take long time and more patience and start noticing and nurturing these new future leaders, big men and women of the world, NOW! But until then - just proceed very carefully, to avoid from pushing from one extreme into the other, and you are not ready for the other yet.

You may be actually helped by the fact that for a large part of your people there is still one ultimate authority - the god - and hopefully its rules will be followed then, but as we see from practice, these rules are very WIDELY interpretable. God is also in the same time the burden on your way towards denocracy because how can one believe responsibility lies within himself, if he believes it lies in god and he himself is helpless? These 2 - belief in oneself and belief in god, are completely contradictory beliefs.
Love!!!

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Originally posted by sonomod:
Its not really Mubarak but the people behind him. I am thinking the military and the agriculture department. Its strange how the entire blame lot went on the minister of agriculture's shoulders. I am sure its far more entrenched.

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i think the change is a must .. and Ayman Nour will be very high competeive to Moubarek ,

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Originally posted by MyKingdomForATaba2Koshari:
Sonomod, I've missed out on that scandal around the minister of Agriculture. Could you (or anyone else) please fill me in?
I'm particularly interested because my uncle, an ex-minister, has landed in jail for 10 years for claims of corruption, after he had said out loud to an annoying officer in the airport that he was already an army officer when Mubarak was still peeing in his barbatooz (diapers).

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youssef wali, the former minister of agriculture, and 16 others is on trial on a variety of charges that include bribery, and the allowing of carcenogenic pesticides to enter the country.

CAIRO (AFP) - A top US official said that Washington would attentively follow Egypt's first contested presidential election in September as he called for a free and fair vote.

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"We would like to see an election process here that is open, transparent. We would like to see the opposition and governing parties have a chance to express their views in every manner possible," US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch told a Cairo press conference.

"There are some interesting changes going on here, which Egyptians themselves are pushing forward. These are decisions that are in the hands of the Egyptian people. We will watch. We're quite interested, of course," he added.

Welch, who was speaking after talks with Egypt's Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, said that the country's quest for democracy was likely to reflect on neighboring Arab countries.

Free and fair elections in Egypt are "incredibly important for building the future of democracy in this country and, of course, elsewhere in the area," he said, adding that "the eyes of many are upon Egypt."

Under heightened domestic and US pressure for democratic reforms, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak agreed earlier this year to allow a referendum on whether to permit a multi-candidate presidential election for the first time.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the change in May.

Until now Egyptians had only been able to say yes or no to a single candidate appointed by parliament, which is dominated by Mubarak's National Democratic Party.

However, opposition parties have said the reform does not go far enough because it severely restricts candidates from mounting any serious challenge to the 77-year-old leader, who plans to run for a fifth six-year term against nine challengers.

Mubarak pledged Wednesday in a speech that kicked off his campaign that the September 7 election "will be fair, free and transparent."

However, Mubarak's office has refused to allow international observers to monitor the election

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Originally posted by Tigerlily:
US official calls for free, fair Egypt presidential vote Thu Aug 18, 3:03 PM ET

CAIRO (AFP) - A top US official said that Washington would attentively follow Egypt's first contested presidential election in September as he called for a free and fair vote.

ADVERTISEMENT

"We would like to see an election process here that is open, transparent. We would like to see the opposition and governing parties have a chance to express their views in every manner possible," US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch told a Cairo press conference.

"There are some interesting changes going on here, which Egyptians themselves are pushing forward. These are decisions that are in the hands of the Egyptian people. We will watch. We're quite interested, of course," he added.

Welch, who was speaking after talks with Egypt's Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, said that the country's quest for democracy was likely to reflect on neighboring Arab countries.

Free and fair elections in Egypt are "incredibly important for building the future of democracy in this country and, of course, elsewhere in the area," he said, adding that "the eyes of many are upon Egypt."

Under heightened domestic and US pressure for democratic reforms, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak agreed earlier this year to allow a referendum on whether to permit a multi-candidate presidential election for the first time.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the change in May.

Until now Egyptians had only been able to say yes or no to a single candidate appointed by parliament, which is dominated by Mubarak's National Democratic Party.

However, opposition parties have said the reform does not go far enough because it severely restricts candidates from mounting any serious challenge to the 77-year-old leader, who plans to run for a fifth six-year term against nine challengers.

Mubarak pledged Wednesday in a speech that kicked off his campaign that the September 7 election "will be fair, free and transparent."

However, Mubarak's office has refused to allow international observers to monitor the election

Yahoo News, 18.08.2005

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it doesn't matter what the US wants. whats important is us egyptians. if we don't demand free, fair and democratic elections, we will never get it. no matter how much the US puts pressure on the government

ra2ees el wozara: ya syadt el rayes mesh 3ayez t2ool kelma akhira lelsha3b?

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Originally posted by ngeg:
my syrian neighbor told me a joke:

ra2ees el wozara: ya syadt el rayes mesh 3ayez t2ool kelma akhira lelsha3b?

Mubarak: Lieh? ..howa el sha3b raye7 fein?

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Originally posted by odiab84:
7aya, Its not under his arms as it used to be 10 or 15 years ago...believe me...He's not as powerful as before.

but I don't see a point of voting for him to protect us from terrorism while all the terrorist attacks that happened in Egypt happened in his ruling period.

I can not see a connection between sharm-elsheikh attacks and the next elections. On the other hand, It would be a bad point in his record that he failed to protect the most important touristic city in the middle east.

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Originally posted by ngeg:
7aya:

While I was watching el hurra channel, I saw sth worse!
I saw my feminist previous manager in cairo, who used to scream out loud for social development in Egypt holding a poster of him and screaming "YA MUBARAK YA TAYAR E7NA WARAK 3ALA KHAT EL NAR"
El set el mohaza2a!
And btw...heya merasha7a nafsaha fe entekhabat magles el sha3b!!!!

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Originally posted by Legal-Consultant:
Friends,

i think the change is a must .. and Ayman Nour will be very high competeive to Moubarek ,

Even it will be there loss for Ayman But Believe me , Egypt will win alot of changes

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Originally posted by penelope:

I do agree with u 100% nour is the best candidate, hope he can make it.

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