Many independent journalists have been heralding what they describe as a global political awakening regarding the uprising in Tunisia and now Egypt, but while the people of these two countries may have risen up against their dictatorial rulers let us not forget that America, France and other Western countries continue to play a role in this region, shaping political events and preparing the next puppet leader who will follow their lead. There is a danger of being too optimistic about the uprisings only to find out again that the West continues to pull the strings.
In Tunisia, dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was forced to flee after the Tunisian people took to the streets calling for his removal and for democratic elections. Fed up with high unemployment, low wages and a lack of freedom, students, workers and ordinary people took to the streets and miraculously forced a dictator from power.
Not long after the Tunisian uprising, people in Egypt decided that they had enough and took to the streets to overthrow President Hosni Mubarak, another dictator who has ruled with oppression and brutality over the country for years with American support.
Western forces still in control: The dangers of over optimism
While independent journalists have celebrated these uprisings and spoken about global revolutions and the global political awakening, the reality on the ground in these countries is far from the optimistic picture painted by these journalists.
Tunisia, a former French colony still has a major French economic presence in the country as well as close political and military ties with France.
Julio Godoy wrote in an article titled, ‘France Plays Suspicious Role in Countries in Crisis’ on the Inter Press News website (IPS), on January 27, that “…some 1,250 French enterprises constitute the core of the country’s economy.” Goday also said, “These enterprises cover practically all economic sectors, from the textile and apparel industry to microelectronics, automobiles, aeronautics, and services. According to official figures, French investments in Tunisia amounted to 140 billion euro in 2009, making France the Maghreb country’s primary economic partner.”
According to Godoy French companies have close ties to Ben Ali’s family. A couple of days before the full uprising in Tunisia French minister of foreign affairs, Michelle Alliot-Marie offered military assistance to Ben Ali to suppress the uprising. Was this in the mainstream media news? No. Will France face criminal charges for interfering in the internal affairs of another country? No.
In the same respect America has played a crucial behind the scenes role in not only the Egyptian uprising but also the dictatorship of President Mubarak.
Writing on the Global Research website, on January 30, author Jane Mayer says that the US CIA has played a role in the Egyptian uprising, already controlling the new leaders set to take the country over.
According to Mayar, Omar Suleiman, one of the new hopefuls for leadership in Egypt has already had links with America and served for years under American orders. This is the fruits of the uprising, more deception behind the scenes by Western powers.
Barry Grey (Global Research: ‘US Pursues Two-Track Policy to Suppress Protests in Egypt and Tunisia’, January 27) mentions in his article that America has been suppressing both the uprising in Tunisia and Egypt. In Egypt, America helped formed the new interim government according to Grey.
The Global Research website also mentions a Daily Telegraph report (‘Egypt protests: America’s secret backing for rebel leaders behind uprising’, January 29) which states that America has been planning regime change for three years and that they are behind the so called rebel leaders who have led the uprising.
In the light of the evidence above it is much too soon to be discussing a global political awakening and revolutions when Western powers continue to play a major role in these events.
It is important that independent journalists report on these events from a sober perspective as the only real blow against the global financial elite will be if the leaders after these uprisings are not handpicked by America or the West, or are not in any way tied to Western governments. That would truly be a revolution.
For further research:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=23004
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=22998
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=22996
http://domino.ips.org/ips%5Ceng.nsf/vwWebMainView/C52C2A547AAE6846C1257825007DE3EA/?OpenDocument
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=22977
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=22850
Thank you once again for sharing such an informative piece of information. Now a clearer panaromic view is given to what is really happening behind the murky scenes.
I was not aware of the fact that Europeans, and Americans, played a powerful hand in this global game of chess.
Hi, Egypt’s government has posted troops at key locations and cut the internet prior to the planned protest only to find they failed miserably.
Greek riots, Tunisian riots, Egyptian riots – if their politicians behave the way ours do in the UK, no bleeding wonder!