State Department Briefing on Egypt by Civil Society

Feb. 2, 2011 - PRLog -- WHEN: Thursday, February 3rd 2011
TIME: 12:00pm
WHERE: State Department, 23rd street between C and D streets, Washington DC, NW

DEMOCRACY IN EGYPT, NOT DICTATORSHIP

Since the end of the Carter Administration, United States foreign policy has foregone the democratic ideals that are the very foundations of our government: freedom of speech, human rights and democracy.  Over the years, billions of US tax-payers’ dollars have helped prop up and maintain cruel, corrupt, illegitimate, and dictatorial regimes that were considered American allies . . . even though they share none of our values.  US aid and weapons are being used today to violently repressed peaceful demonstrators in Egypt as a massive, popular, peaceful uprising in Egypt is met with government-sponsored violence and a communication black-out.  

Years of neo-conservatism and realpolitik have left our State Department with the language of democracy and human rights but completely lacking the diplomatic and aid enforcement mechanisms to ensure that we are part of the solution and not part of the problem.

We appeal on the Obama Administration to immediately:

-Call on the Egyptian Army to protect Egyptian civilians,
-Call for President Mubarak to step down immediately,
-Tie US foreign policy to democracy and human rights, as our primary requirement for any government we aid,
-Support free and fair elections in Egypt and throughout the Arab World,
-Cease US foreign aid to the government of Egypt until a new government is democratically-elected.


The speakers include (more will be added):

Khaled Beydoun, (202) 341-6157, kbeydoun@gmail.com, co-founder of Radia Daoussi, President, Vineeta Foundation, Ibrahim Ramey, MAS freedom

A rally will follow the press conference in front of the State Department.